Friday, June 23, 2006
Æ29, Tyre in Phoenicia, Valerian, cf BMC 487 (Gallienus)
[IMP C P LIC] VALERIANVS AVG, Laureate cuirassed bust right | [...], Kadmos stands left, heifer at his feet and above is the city gate of Thebes, ΘH / BE below, murex shell in right field.
After writing Tuesday's post grousing about the poor quality of coins available for posting, illustrated by a poor-condition coin from Tyre which I've previously skipped over, the mail arrived with this coin from Tyre, itself not in the best-preserved state. Hoist, meet petard.
Many interesting scenes from mythology on Tyrian coins, they seem to have avoided the more pedestrian "here's Tyche" sort of thing, for which I'm grateful.
Thursday, June 22, 2006
Billon antoninianus, Salonina, Samosata, Göbl 1701d
SALONINA AVG, Diademed draped bust right on crescent | ROMAE AETERNAE, To right, Roma seated left on shield, with spear in left hand, with right hand presenting Victory to emperor, who stands to her right. Wreath above.
This reverse design was used at Samosata (now drowned behind Turkey's Ataturk Dam) matched with Gallienus and Salonina both without a field mark and marked with a star, a wreath, and a wreath with a central pellet. Presumably these last are analogous to the officina markings on Late Roman Bronze, indicating responsibility for the coin.
Wednesday, June 21, 2006
Æ3/4, Constans, Siscia, RIC 99
CONSTAN_S P F AVG, Rosette-diademed draped cuirassed bust right | GLOR_IA EXERC_ITVS, Two soldiers standing either side of one standard, which contains a Chi-Rho on the banner. ΓSIS
in exergue. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Constanswas the youngest son of Constantine I and Fausta and became emperor, as did his brothers, in 337 after their father's death.
Constans survived his eldest brother Constantine II whose death he participated in, to die himself in 350 while fleeing the forces of the usurper Magnentius.
Roman emperors rarely died of natural causes, but Constantine and his family were especially prone to intrigue and mischief.
(Dotted crescent image swiped from Forvm Ancient Coins.)
Tuesday, June 20, 2006
Æ29, Tyre in Phoenicia, Gallienus, Lindgren...
& Kovacs 2398var (radiate head)
[IMP C P] LIC GALLIENV[S AVG], Laureate draped bust right | COL TV[RO [...], Astarte also being crowned by a small Nike standing on a column, Marsyas of the forum at her feet to left. Murex shell in right field.
Posting 5 days a week, 7 days previously, is more often than I buy and any particularly nice examples that get posted will be new purchases, or will be coins that I've already posted. Without a doubt, there'll be many badly worn or poorly preserved examples like this, coins that I passed over before.
My standards for posting now approach the same low level as my standards for purchasing.
[IMP C P] LIC GALLIENV[S AVG], Laureate draped bust right | COL TV[RO [...], Astarte also being crowned by a small Nike standing on a column, Marsyas of the forum at her feet to left. Murex shell in right field.
Posting 5 days a week, 7 days previously, is more often than I buy and any particularly nice examples that get posted will be new purchases, or will be coins that I've already posted. Without a doubt, there'll be many badly worn or poorly preserved examples like this, coins that I passed over before.
My standards for posting now approach the same low level as my standards for purchasing.
Monday, June 19, 2006
Billon antoninianus, Salonina, Antioch, Göbl 1576h
SALONINA AVG, Diademed draped bust right on crescent | CONCORDIA AVGG, Concordia seated left, holding patera in right hand and cornucopia with left.
I've been asked if I'm attempting a complete collection of the coins of this family, and while I know I could never finish such a collection, there are times that it does seem like I can't pass up an example of a coin that I don't already have.
One obvious exception is gold coins, which are cripplingly expensive. The closest I've come is this pair of plaster casts of a gold coin of Valerian II.
There are also silver medallions with prohibitive prices that I've stayed away from and more than a few relatively common antoniniani that I keep failing to win at auction, despite bidding as high as I'm willing to pay for the particular example.
So, while complete isn't my goal, more certainly seems to be.
