Friday, April 07, 2006
Æ27, Ephesus in Ionia, Gallienus, BMC 376
AVT K ΠO ΛIK ΓAΛΛIHNOC, Laureate draped cuirassed bust right | [TPIC] NEΩKO_PΩ_N, Carpentum drawn by two mules right, EΦECIΩN in exergue.
I posted this coin of Valerian almost a year ago, and now can follow with this similar coin of his son, in this case far more worn and with a poorly-disguised patching of a hole.
Thursday, April 06, 2006
“postures that assume their own virtue and deny that of others”
Æ antoninianus, Gallienus, Rome, Göbl 344c
GALLIENVS AVG, Radiate head right, slight drapery on both shoulders | VIRTVS AVG, Mars standing left, holding globe in right hand and spear in left. P in right field.
I've just obtained another useful volume that covers imperial coins of this time, Roman Imperial Coins in the Hunter Coin Cabinet University of Glasgow IV. Valerian I to Allectus by Anne S. Robertson, 1978. In looking in that book for this coin, I see the confusion between the portrayals of Virtus and of Mars continues.
Wednesday, April 05, 2006
Æ15, Seleukid Empire, Antiochos IV, Sear GCV 6994
Radiate head right | Hera standing left holding scepter in right hand. ΒΑΣΙΛΕΩΣ in right field, ΑΝΤΙωΧΟΥ in left.
The Seleukid empire was formed by Seleukos I Nikator, a general of Alexander the Great, following Alexander's death in 323 BCE.
These small bronze coins of the Seleukids are commonly found among uncleaned lots originating in Asia Minor and in North Africa.
Tuesday, April 04, 2006
Æ28, Teos in Ionia, Gallienus, SNG Copenhagen 1530var...
(rev legend)
AVT K ΠO ΛIKI Γ_AΛΛIHNOC, Laureate draped cuirassed bust right | CT CEZ ΛOVKIOV TH / IΩN, Dionysus standing left, holding kantharos in right hand and thyrsus with left.
This is in a nicer state than most of the provincial coins I've bought lately, particularly the obverse.
As is true of so many ancient mint-cities, no modern city stands on the site of Teos. While the ancient city was known as having two harbors, perhaps they filled with silt.
AVT K ΠO ΛIKI Γ_AΛΛIHNOC, Laureate draped cuirassed bust right | CT CEZ ΛOVKIOV TH / IΩN, Dionysus standing left, holding kantharos in right hand and thyrsus with left.
This is in a nicer state than most of the provincial coins I've bought lately, particularly the obverse.
As is true of so many ancient mint-cities, no modern city stands on the site of Teos. While the ancient city was known as having two harbors, perhaps they filled with silt.
Monday, April 03, 2006
“the leading British expert of his generation on Roman coins”
Via rogueclassicism, numismatist R. A. G. Carson has died.
Æ antoninianus, Gallienus, Rome?, counterfeit?
GALLIENVS AVG, Radiate draped cuirassed bust right | PROVID AVG, Providentia standing left, right hand pointing wand at globe, left hand holding cornucopia. Q in right field.
I think it's an ancient counterfeit, the odd "Q" im the right field of the reverse doesn't match any listed PROVID AVG, and the coin itself is small (17.6 mm) and light (2.98g). Since counterfeits were very much part of the population of coins encountered in ancient times, having a few recognized examples in a collection is an entirely reasonable asset.
Sunday, April 02, 2006
“a sophisticated chemical process”
