the Numismatist April 2010 issue

My article about the Bar Kokhba Zuz I acquired a few years ago was published in the latest issue of the Numismatist. If you'd like to see the info about the coin go directly to http://tinyurl.com/yhvrppd.

If you are not a member of the ANA and don't get to see the magazine but would like to receive a copy of the article, please email me at yofijr@hotmail.com to receive a copy by email. 

If you'd like to become a member of the ANA,  go here 

http://tinyurl.com/ydqy2vy to explore the possibilities.

Greece/Seleucid; Antiochus III BCE 222-187

AE 13 mm, 2.32 g, Sardes mint.

SC 977.1,  HSC 517  (R1-R2), WSM 1112, pl. xxxi, 10

O: Laureate hd of Apollo r., with hair knotted in krobylos behind, long wavy locks falling loose on neck. fillet border. 

R: ΒΑΣΙ[ΛΕΩΣ] (above.) ANTIOX[OY] (below.)  elephant l., with trunk draped over tusk. 

controls none visible. 

Ex: D. Alighieri Collection

Greece/Seleucid; Antiochus III BCE 222-187

AE 15 mm, 3.53 g, Sardes mint.

SC 983 v,  HSC 518  (R1-R2), WSM 1435, SNG Spaer 490

O: Laureate hd of Apollo r., with corkscrew curls.

R: ΒΑΣΙΛΕΩΣ (on r.) ANTIOXOY (on l.)  Apollo stg l., testing arrow and resting elbow on tall tripod. 

controls none visible. 

Ex: D. Alighieri Collection

Greece/Seleucid; Antiochus II Theos BCE 261-246

AE 14 mm, 2.08 g, Sardes mint.

SC 528.8 or .9,  HSC 278  (R1-R2)

O: Laureate hd of Apollo r., with long wavy locks or loose spiral curls flowing down the back of neck, sometimes with tight roll beneath wreath.

R: ΒΑΣΙΛΕΩΣ (on r.) ANTIOXOY (on l.)  kithara usually with symbol (in this case an anchor) below facing r.

controls on outer r. and l. 

Ex: D. Alighieri Collection

Greece/Seleucid; Antiochus II Theos BCE 261-246

AE 16 mm, 3.49 g, Unattributed, perhaps Cilician issue.

SC 568,  HSC 265  (R3), reference: Shown at British Museum in 1995 (this example may be the second known) Appear to be same dies as BM example as illustrated in SC 1 and HSC.  

Update 26-06-10: CNG is selling another more worn example ex: J.S. Wagner in EA236:331 (closing 7 July), so this appears to increase the census to three now known, which makes it still a very rare coin but rating an R2 using AH's rarity indicators.

O: Laureate hd of Apollo r., with curly sideburn, no border visible.

R: ΒΑΣΙΛΕΩΣ (above) ANTIO[XOY] below, caps of the Dioscuri, no border visible.

Ex: D. Alighieri Collection

Greece/Attica; Athens c. BCE 454-404

AR Tetradrachm, 24mm, 17.08 g, 9h.

Kroll 8,  SNG Copenhagen 31.

O: helmeted hd of Athena r.

R: AΘΕ,  Owl stg r., hd facing, olive sprig and crescent behind all within incuse square.

Dealer’s notes: Near VF, numerous test cuts and a banker’s mark on obv cheek and on reverse. Earthen encrustation.

This is the kind of Athenian Tet I have always liked. One that shows its wear, and having traveled somewhat extensively. The banker’s marks on the obv and rev both appear to indicate that this coin had traveled in the east and it is likely that is where it was found.

G

EU/Greece 2002 €1 with image of the "glauke" from 24 centuries ago.

Greece/Seleucid; Alexander II Zabinas BCE 128-122

AE 19 mm serratus, 5.788 g, perhaps Apamea on Orontes mint (cf. pp. 458-9 in SC II)

SC 2242.3j v. (UNLISTED CONTROL in SC), SNG Spaer 2366 (this example completes the control, which is incomplete in Spaer but is exactly 2366)

O: hd of young Dionysus r., wreathed with ivy, dotted border 

R: BAΣΙΛΕΩΣ on r., AΛΕΞΑΝΔPOY on l., winged Tyche stg l., calathus on hd, holding ship’s tiller and cornucopiae. Controls Outer l (above) EK with small Δ over the E, below wreath.


This coin was Ex: Amphora/David Hendin and likely found in Israel as many of his Seleucid bronzes have been in the past. This was also likely sold via one of his numerous eBay auctions in the past rather than through his pricelist (at least pricelists going back to #87).

Archaeological Findings: Hellenistic Coins Discovered in Northern Syria

By H. Sabbagh    Tuesday, 02 March 2010 15:00

A collection of Hellenistic coins dating back to the era of Alexander the Great were found near Najm Castle in the Manbej area in Aleppo governorate (northern Syria ).

The coins were found by a local man as he was preparing his land for construction, uncovering a bronze box that contained around 250 coins. He promptly delivered the coins to the authorities who in turn delivered them to Aleppo Department of Archaeology and Museum.

Director of archaeological excavations at Aleppo Department of Archaeology and Museum Yousef Kanjo said the box contained two groups of silver Hellenistic coins: 137 tetra drachma (four drachmas) coins and 115 drachma coins.

One side of the tetra drachma coins depicts Alexander the Great, while the other side depicts the Greek god Zeus sitting on a throne with an eagle on his outstretched right arm. 34 of these coins bear the inscription "King Alexander" in Greek, while 81 coins bear the inscription "Alexander" and 22 coins bear "King Phillip."

The drachma coins bear the same images as the tetra drachma, with "Alexander" inscribed on 100 of them and "Philip" on 15 of them.



http://www.english.globalarabnetwork.com/201003025027/Travel/archaeological-findings-hellenistic-coins-discovered-in-northern-syria.html