Post your latest ancient!

[catadc]

@Furryfrog02 I believe your coin is an SB 805 or similar follis of Heraclius overstruck on a follis of Phocas (SB 659?).

The left pic would be the M on the reverse of the Heraclius follis. The right pic would be the cross between Heraclius and Heraclius Constantine, with the TH above, part of the legend, and struck off-center. This off-center strike would obliterate the left X on the undertype. The weight of 10.75 says follis; it is heavier than any 3/4 follis of Phocas that I have on my records.

[Furryfrog02]

2 hours ago, catadc said:

@Furryfrog02 I believe your coin is an SB 805 or similar follis of Heraclius overstruck on a follis of Phocas (SB 659?).

The left pic would be the M on the reverse of the Heraclius follis. The right pic would be the cross between Heraclius and Heraclius Constantine, with the TH above, part of the legend, and struck off-center. This off-center strike would obliterate the left X on the undertype. The weight of 10.75 says follis; it is heavier than any 3/4 follis of Phocas that I have on my records.

I suppose that is entirely possible and most likely correct. Dang it. Still interesting but ugh....Maybe I'm not meant to have a 3/4 follis haha.

[MrMonkeySwag96]

ROMAN REPUBLICAN. L. Julius Bursio. 85 B.C. AR denarius. 3.74 gm. 19 mm. Rome mint. Laureate, winged, and draped bust of Apollo Vejovis right; trident and grasshopper (control mark) behind / Victory, holding wreath and reins, driving galloping quadriga right; L IVLI BVRSIO in exergue. Crawford 352/1a. Sydenham 728. RSC Julia 5. Good Very Fine; light attractive tone; well centered; hairline graffito 'P' and two short hairline scratches in obverse field.

Ex. Davissons Ltd.

[Amarmur]

My last coin purchase of this year 

Bar Kokhba revolt middle bronze year 3 I believe.

The coin of final Judaean revolt 

Very cool piece 

 

[Ancient Coin Hunter]

Nice coin and very historically important as well...

[jdmKY]

Marcus Arrius Secundus, denarius, 41 BC

Not in hand yet, so this is Kunker’s photo. I was pretty proud of myself as this is coin #100 in my Imperatorial collection and then I read about @akeady’s collection of over 2000 coins! I’m not worthy!

This coin is the final piece of an interesting “triumvirate” of Imperatorial coins - note the portrait’s strong resemblance to Octavian. At the same time, two other moneyers, L Servius Rufus and Numonius Vaala, struck coins that bear striking resemblances to Brutus and the late Julius Caesar. These coins have been the subject of much speculation - was it just coincidence or were these moneyers subtly signaling their allegiances during these unsettled times?

 

[akeady]

7 hours ago, jdmKY said:

Marcus Arrius Secundus, denarius, 41 BC

Not in hand yet, so this is Kunker’s photo. I was pretty proud of myself as this is coin #100 in my Imperatorial collection and then I read about @akeady’s collection of over 2000 coins! I’m not worthy!

This coin is the final piece of an interesting “triumvirate” of Imperatorial coins - note the portrait’s strong resemblance to Octavian. At the same time, two other moneyers, L Servius Rufus and Numonius Vaala, struck coins that bear striking resemblances to Brutus and the late Julius Caesar. These coins have been the subject of much speculation - was it just coincidence or were these moneyers subtly signaling their allegiances during these unsettled times?

 

Three great examples!  I have lesser ones, maybe someday to be upgraded!

ATB,

Aidan.

[DonnaML]

Just a brief note to say that I was going to post my latest ancient here after it arrived yesterday, but decided instead to add it to my "Top Roman Provincial Coins for 2023" thread. Because I like it that much, even apart from its interesting pedigree. See my post at https://www.numisforums.com/topic/5444-donnamls-top-12-roman-provincial-greek-coins-for-2023/page/2/#comment-71528 .

 

Edited December 16, 2023 by DonnaML

[ambr0zie]

December has been an extremely rich month (therefore, I am now very poor). I sinned even today 😐 

I don't need many material things for me, so coins are the first options. Many coins from this month reached my Top 10 threads but here is one that was close. 

7 mm, 0.65 g.

Korkyra, Korkyra. AR Obol. Circa 525-490 BC.

Scallop shell / Floral-stellate pattern within incuse square.

SNG Copenhagen 149; HGC 6, 57.

[Victrix]

Managed to win my first magna graecian bronze piece for 35 euro only. I love the encrustations mixed with patina😀.
Date: 215-205 B.C.
Denomination: Æ 26 mm.
Weight: 10.80 grams.
Obverse: Helmeted head of Ares left.
Reverse: Hera Hoplosmia advancing right, holding spear and shield.
Reference: Cf. SNG ANS 72

 

[Ancient Coin Hunter]

Here is the latest courtesy of the Leu Web auction. I consider Byzantine coins "ancient" because they represent continuity from the world of Late Antiquity, when the solidus and follis were introduced. Meanwhile the Byzantines never called themselves anything other than "Romans."

Jesus' face is in good condition. Likewise so is the Virgin Mary's. Anonymous types usually feature the "Jesus Christ, King of Kings" inscribed legend on the reverse, Mary is somewhat rare as it turns out. This is probably my last purchase in 2023. In 2024 I plan to do some housekeeping and sell some of the coins in my collection maybe through Leu or CNG.

 

Anonymous Folle, time of Romanus IV, circa 1068-1071. 

Follis (Bronze, 26 mm, 9.69 g, 5 h), Constantinopolis.

Nimbate bust of Christ facing, wearing tunic and pallium, raising his right hand in benediction and holding book of Gospels in his left; in fields, IC - XC. 

Rev. Nimbate bust of the Virgin Mary facing, orans, wearing pallium and maphorium; in fields MHP - ΘV.

DOC Class G. SB 1867. Some deposits, otherwise, very fine.

 

Edited December 18, 2023 by Ancient Coin Hunter

[ewomack]

I have no new orders out, so this coin remains my latest ancient and latest coin. It may also qualify more as medieval than ancient, but since it's Byzantine it feels like it straddles the two epochs (plus, I couldn't find the medieval thread). It features "the gentle usurper" (also the title of chapter 13 in Norwich's A Short History of Byzantium), Romanus I, who allowed the legitimate ruler, Constantine VII, to watch from the sidelines as he took the throne and held back the Bulgarians. Constantine VII eventually returned to power and Romanus I became a footnote within Constantine VII's reign. He doesn't really look like someone to mess with, either. The intermingling of Latin and Greek in the text is also interesting.

Romanus I Lacapenus (920 - 944); Constantinople Æ Follis; Obv: +RwMAN bAS-ILEVS Rwm’ Facing bust of Romanus I, bearded, wearing crown and jeweled chlamys, and holding labarum and globus cruciger; Rev: +RwMA/N’ENΘEwbA/SILEVSRw/MAIwN; 27mm, 8.09g, 6h; R.1886-8, Sear 1760

[Victrix]

Managed to find a budget specimen for arround 100 which I couldnt pass. 😊

Edited December 18, 2023 by Victrix

[robinjojo]

As part of an ongoing effort to acquire earlier and later (post-100 BC) new style owls, here is an early issue, Thompson 37.

While this is an early owl, it is also the first date with a sizeable number of examples listed in Thompson's catalog, with 33 tetradrachms: 18 obverse, 29 reverse dies and 1 drachm.  As far as I can determine this coin is closest to 37A.on the plates. 

Condition-wise the coin is a crude example, but struck on a wide flan of 34.5 mm.  There is some porosity, a so-so strike, a scratch on the obverse, and the coin has been cleaned.  Overall, though, not to bad for one of these relatively elusive coins.

It is interesting to note that the obverse strike, while being off-center, does avoid a thin section of the flan, creating a dip in the surface.  Apparently some care was taken in the striking to avoid this area, unless this all was a matter of luck, which is also possible.

Athens, new style owl, 156-5 BC, trophy reverse, Thompson 37.

16.06 grams 

Edited December 19, 2023 by robinjojo

[CPK]

10 hours ago, Victrix said:

Managed to find a budget specimen for arround 100 which I couldnt pass. 😊

Nice! And that's a scarcer variety, too!

[AETHER]

Alexander III Obol, Arados or Byblos mint? Good detail for such a small coin.

0.5g, 9mm. "A" monogram in left field, Price ?

[expat]

Arrived this morning. A worn Caligula minted in Spain.

RPC Volume: I №: 400
Reign: Caligula Persons: Caligula (Augustus) Magistrate: Gaius Cornelius Refec— (duovir); Marcus Helvius Fronto (duovir)
City: Bilbilis  Region: Hispania Province: Tarraconensis
Denomination: Leaded bronze (27 mm) 11.92gr
Obverse: G CAESAR AVG GERMANICVS IMP; laureate head of Caligula, right
Reverse: MVN AVG BILBIL C COR(N) REF(EC) M HELV FRO(NTO); oak wreath containing II VIR
Reference: Vives 139–10, GMI 552, NAH 1131 Specimens: 36

[Prieure de Sion]

EDIT 29.12.2024
This was a modern Fake from the so-called Dimitrovgrad Studio!

 

Today I received an interesting Gold Tremissis of the Aelia Eudocia. However, I am not sure whether this is really an imperial issue from Constantinopolis. The portrait style is quite different from the usual imperial issues. It has something barbaric about it. Could it therefore perhaps be a barbarian imitation? Or a mint other than Constantinopolis?

 

Aelia Eudocia (Greek Αιλία Ευδοκία, Ailía Eudokía, Middle Greek pronunciation [ɛlía ɛβðɔkía]; born around 400 AD in Athens; died 20 October 460 AD in Jerusalem), before her baptism Athenaḯs (Αθηναΐς), later also Hagía Eudokía (Ἁγία Εὐδοκία, Middle Greek pronunciation [ajía ɛβðɔkía], "holy Eudokia"), was the wife of the Eastern Roman emperor Theodosius II, who reigned from 408 to 450 AD. Aelia Eudocia was born in Athens as the daughter of the pagan rhetoric teacher Leontios and was considered highly educated. She was instrumental in the establishment of the Christian University of Constantinople, which was built as the so-called Athenaeum in 424 AD based on Constantinian beginnings and was the first great intellectual achievement to compile the Codex Theodosianus. Aelia Eudocia herself wrote sacred poems, some of which have been preserved. She sympathised with Miaphysitism, but turned to Orthodoxy at the end of her life. She is venerated as a saint in the Orthodox Church and her feast day is 13 August.

Aelia Eudocia, wife of Emperor Theodosius II; Reign: Theodosius II; Mint: Constantinopolis; Date: 425/429 AD; Nominal: Tremissis; Material: Gold; Diameter: 16mm; Weight: 1.38g; Reference: Depeyrot 72/2; Reference: RIC X Theodosius II (East) 253; Obverse: Bust of Eudocia, pearl-diademed, draped, right, wearing necklace and earrings, crowned by Hand of God; Inscription: AEL EVDOCIA AVG; Translation: Aelia Eudocia Augusta; Reverse: Cross within a wreath, mintmark in exergue; Inscription: CONOB✳; Translation: Constantinopolis Obryzum; Translation: Constantinople 1/72 pound pure gold.

Edited December 29, 2023 by Prieure de Sion

[expat]

Kyzikos, Mysia. AE13 civic issue. 2nd-1st centuries BC. 2.3 g. Bull's head right in dotted border. / KY above, ZI below monogram ΡΔI within wreath. BMC 154.

[LONGINUS]

On 12/11/2023 at 7:27 AM, Amarmur said:

My last coin purchase of this year 

Bar Kokhba revolt middle bronze year 3 I believe.

The coin of final Judaean revolt

Very cool piece

Excellent acquisition, @Amarmur!

Guide to Biblical Coins Fifth Edition — Hendin 1437

Guide to Biblical Coins Sixth Edition –— Hendin 6464

I purchased two Bar Kokhba Revolt period coins, middle and small, in NGC slabs a few years ago and they were rather pricey $$$ My collection needed them so I bit the bullet and bought them.

 

Edited December 21, 2023 by LONGINUS

[robinjojo]

Here's an imitation owl that I finally got around to photographing today.  This coin came from the Harlan J Berk Buy-Bid Sale 225.

This is a very high grade example, and while HJB calls it "mint state" (whatever that is), it is certainly an attractive coin.  The label describes the coin as an "Eastern Mint Type of Athens"; I would go one step further and say that it is likely from the region of Philistia.  I can say with virtual certainty that it is not an Egyptian pharaonic owl. The style isn't close to the pharaonic types that I have seen and handled. 

Philistia owl, imitating Athens, late 4th-mid 3rd centuries BC.  HJB 225, lot 235.

17.2 grams

Edited December 22, 2023 by robinjojo

[CPK]

I couldn't resist acquiring a couple more coins from the Turner Collection. They're in worse shape than the two I've posted before, but in this case the coin itself is almost of secondary importance to the handwritten labels, both of which are particularly well-preserved:

DIOCLETIAN, AD 284-305
AE Post-Reform Radiate (20.65mm, 3.00g,1h)
Struck AD 295-298. Heraclea mint
Obverse: IMP C C VAL DIOCLETIANVS P F AVG, radiate, draped, and cuirassed bust of Diocletian right
Reverse: CONCORDIA MIL-ITVM, Diocletian, in military attire, standing right, holding short scepter and receiving Victory on globe from Jupiter standing left, holding long vertical scepter; H A in lower field
References: OCRE VI 21, RCV 12833
From the collection of Commodore Daniel Turner (1794-1850), naval veteran of the War of 1812 and later captain of the USS Constitution.

The label seems to have been for two coins of Diocletian - the above CONCORDIA, as well as one with another reverse type.

The other coin appears to be an unofficial imitation of an issue for Magnus Decentius Caesar:

MAGNUS DECENTIUS as Caesar, AD 350-3
AE Barbarous Imitation (22.14mm, 5.06g, 6h)
Likely struck AD 350-3. Imitation of the Lugdunum mint
Obverse: [D N D]ECENTI-VS CAESAR, bare-headed, draped and/or cuirassed bust of Decentius right
Reverse: VICT[? ? ? ? ?] VG ET CES, two Victories standing facing each other, holding between them wreath encircling VOT [? ?] [MVLT] X which is resting on short column; [?]PLG in exergue
These 'unofficial' issues were struck to help alleviate severe local shortages of coinage.
From the collection of Commodore Daniel Turner (1794-1850), naval veteran of the War of 1812 and later captain of the USS Constitution.

You can see on the label the ghostly outline of the coin, which had sat wrapped up for at least 165 years.

I found that hard case, screw-down sports card holders work great for storing and displaying these fragile labels.

And another portrait of the former owner:

[Furryfrog02]

My last 2 purchases of the year came today.  Both of them are good fits for 2 of my favorite sub-collections: Victory and Byzantine overstrikes:

 

Barbarous Imitative of SECVRITAS REIPVBLICAE or something along those lines:

Barbarous Imitation
AE4, 15mm/2.17g
Obverse: Pearl-diademed, draped, and cuirassed bust right
Reverse: Garbled legend around Victory walking left, holding wreath and palm branch

 

Follis of Basil I and Constantine struck on host coin: Follis of Theophilus. 

Basil I & Constantine VII
Follis
Obverse: bASILIO S CONST BASILIS, Basil, crowned, bearded and wearing loros on left and Constantine (much shorter), crowned and wearing loros, on right, seated facing on double throne, holding labarum between them
Reverse: bASILIO-S CONSTAN-TINOS EN OO-bASILEIS R-OMAION in five lines
Overstruck on follis of Theophilus

[seth77]

Attributed 2 odd eggs from a lot of Thessalonica 1300s trachea. These are S.2036 Latin Empire issues from ca. the 1220s to 1230.

 

Horrible coins why do I bother getting them properly IDed.

[shanxi]

A new Faustina II Denarius with Concordia standing, head left.

Faustina II
AR-Denar, Rome
Obv.: FAVSTINA AVG ANTO-NINI AVG PII FIL, draped bust right
Rev.: CONCOR-DIA, Concordia standing, head left, holding cornucopia and raising skirt with her right hand
Ag, 18mm
Ref.: RIC III 501 [S], CRE 166 [R]