GREECE/Seleucid; Antiochos III BCE 222-187

AR Tetradrachm, 27 mm, 16.88 g, 12h, Uncertain Mint 67 in  N. Mesopotamia, Perhaps Carrhae probably BCE c. 212-210.

SC 1118 (R2) 

 
O: more mature portrait of Antiochos III 

R: Β]ΑΣΙΛΕΩ[Σ on r,    A]NTIOXOY on l, Apollo std on omphalos testing an arrow r hand on grounded bow.

 Control on outer left MTP monogram

 Test cut on reverse.

Ex: Heritage Auctions Sale 231845, portion of lot 62101 (8 Nov 2018)

   

ROMAN EGYPT/Maximianus CE 286-310

Potin Tetradrachm; 7.64 g, 19 mm, 12h, Alexandria mint, Regnal Yr 7= CE 291-292

Emmett 4147 (1)

O: Laur draped bust of Maximianus r, MAΞIMIANOC CEB

R: Nike flying r holding a wreath L  Z

ROMAN EGYPT/Diocletian CE 285-305

Potin Tetradrachm; 8.96 g, 20 mm, 12h, Alexandria mint, Regnal Yr 7= CE 290-291

Emmett 4087 (1)

O: Laur bust of Diocletian r, ΔIOKΛHTIANOC CEB

R: Zeus standing left holding patera & scepter with eagle on the lower left L  Z

GREECE/Seleucid; Antiochos VIII “Philometor” BCE 121-96

AE 18 mm, 5.61 g, 12h, Antioch mint SE 202/BCE 111-110

SC 2308 (R, 17 known examples)

O: radiate hd of Antiochos r dotted border

R: [ΒAΣIΛEΩΣ] /A]NTIOXOY on right, [ΦI]ΛOMHTOPOΣ on l., Eagle stg l., BΣ underneath for SE date.

Control on outer left.

  
This is an example of the rare and elusive PHILOMETOR bronze of Antiochos VIII issued for a short time during SE 202. SC remarks that the epithet is used without irony despite his having killed his mother a decade before.

Petr Vesely has discussed this issue and the known examples on his website found http://seleukidtraces.info/information/ni_antiochos_philometor.html.

 Knowledge that this epithet was utilized by Antiochos VIII also is noted on an inscription found on Delos that said:

1	βασιλεὺ[ς Ἀντίοχος Ἐ]πιφανὴς
	Φιλομήτωρ [Καλλίνικος ὁ ἐγ] βασιλέως
	Δημητρίου [καὶ βασιλίσσης] Κ̣λεοπάτρας
	Γναῖον Παπ̣[ίριον Γαίου Κά]ρ̣βωνα
5	στρατη̣[γὸν ἀνθύπατον? Ῥωμαίω]ν ἀρετῆς
	ἕνεκ[εν καὶ εὐνοίας τῆς εἰς ἑαυ]τόν.

(translation and background below)

A STATUE OF CARBO DEDICATED BY ANTIOCHOS VIII AT DELOS Greek text:   IDelos_1550
Date:   116/5 B.C.
Format:   see key to translations

Carbo, who was Roman consul in 113 B.C., was probably acting as governor of the province of Asia when this statue was set up, but the reason that he was honoured in this way is unknown; see R.Kallet-Marx, "Hegemony to Empire", page 228 ( UC press e-books ).

---

King [Antiochos] Epiphanes Philometor [Kallinikos, the son] of king Demetrios [and queen] Kleopatra, dedicated this statue of Gnaeus Papirius Carbo, [the son of Gaius], the praetor [and (?) proconsul of the Romans], on account of his virtue [and his goodwill towards] the king.

http://www.attalus.org/docs/ogis/s260.html

This example is ex Zurqieh (Dubai) 2018.

ISLAMIC/Umayyad; Hisham b. 'Abdal-Malik CE 724-743 هشام بن عبد الملك

AR Dirham 25 mm, 2.92 g, 3h, Wasit mint AH 123/CE 740-741

Album 137

GREECE/Seleucid; Antiochos III BCE 222-187

AE 11 mm, 1.45 g, 12h, Antioch mint.

SC 1055 (no controls visible)

 

O: Laureate hd r., of Antiochos III as Apollo, dotted border

R: ΒΑΣΙΛΕΩΣ (on r.) ANTIOXOY (on l.)  Apollo stg l., testing arrow

 

controls none visible. 

Ex: MNL Collection

GREECE/Seleucid; Antiochos III BCE 222-187

AE 15 mm, 3.98 g, 12h, Sardes mint.

SC 983.6  (barbarous style)

HSC 518  (R1-R2)

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: Oliver Hoover Collection, Burlington ON c. 2003 (www.seleukidempire.org) misidentified as Antiochos Hierax

Ex: MNL Collection

GREECE/Seleucid; Antiochus VII BCE 139-129

AE 10 mm, 1.35 g, Antioch mint

SC 2069, HSC 1106 (R1)

O: Ships ram left.

R: [ΒΑΣΙΛΕΩΣ] ANTIOXOY, Pilei surmounted by stars.


Ex: MNL Collection

GREECE/Seleucid; Alexander I Balas BCE 152-145

AE 14 mm, 3.48 g 12h  Antioch mint

SC 1791.1  

O: hd of Dionysus r. dotted border

R: BAΣΙΛΕΩΣ above AΛΕΞANΔPOY below, elephant, monograms.



ex: Oliver Hoover Collection, Burlington ON c. 2003 (www.seleukidempire.org)

ex: MNL Collection

SPAIN; Alfonso X el Sabio CE 1252-1284

Bi Noven or Dinero Burgales, 18 mm, 0.86 g, 5h Sevilla mint, c. CE 1252-1258

Cayon 1152

O (on the right): MONETA CASTELLE, castle depicted with S mintmark beneath

R (on the left): ET LEGIONIS lion left.

SPAIN; Alfonso I de Aragon el Batallador CE 1104-1134 reappraisal to Alfonso VIII CE 1158-1214

Bi. Pepion, 1.02 g, 17 mm, Toledo mint

Cayon 937 (Alfonso I de Aragon)

O: ANFVS REX bust left.
R: TOLETA with large + in center and stars in the second and fourth quarters (photo depicts coin off by about 90 degrees)

according to an article appearing in the September 2022 THE NUMISMATIST, pp. 56-57, Allen G. Berman reassessed the identification of this coin from Alfonso I to the more likely candidate of Alfonso VIII due to the large number of surviving examples and the inability to rationalize such a large number as having been produced in the two or three years over which Alfonso the first had authority over Toledo which is in Castille. Once his marriage to Uracca was annulled, he no longer had authority there. 

The more likely candidate according to Berman's article and more current concurring opinions is Alfonso VIII of Castille who reigned for 56 years and had the time to produce a great number of these examples, more so than his earlier namesake. The article makes a very convincing argument, necessitating this added note. 

ISLAMIC/Arab-Sasanian; 'Ubaidullah bin Ziyad ( عبيدالله بن زياد) CE 673-683/AH 54-64

AR Dirham, 32 mm, 3.93 g, 3h, BCRA (Basra) mint AH 60/CE 679-680

Album 12
SICA I, 66-75

O: portrait of Khusro II with typical Pahlavi inscription behind head, but two lines in front of face indicate "Ubaidullah bin Ziyad" also in Pahlavi. In lower right quadrant appears the only Arabic
بسم الله

R: fire altar with attendants. Pahlavi inscription on right is the mint BCRA for Basra and on the left is "Shast" for "sixty" which is the Hijri year equivalent to CE 679-680 early in the reign of the Umayyad Caliph Yazid I (CE 680-683) or at the tail end of the reign of Mu'awiya (CE 661-680).

This coin was minted about a year from the famous Battle of Karbala in late CE 680 (AH 61) where Husayn was killed and the date is still marked by Shi'ites during Ashura (10 Muharram). 'Ubaidullah bin Ziyad is an accursed figure in Shi'ite history. He is described by Hugh Kennedy in his "The Prophet and the Age of the Caliphates" (London; Longman Group, 1986) as "...more hasty and given to the use of force than his father, but a man whose devotion to the Umayyad cause could not have been doubted." (p. 86)



ex: FSR Auction 106 lot 414
 

BYZANTINE; Leo VI CE 886-912

AE Follis, 28 mm, 7.54 g, 5h, Constantinople mint.

Sear 1729

O: +LEOn bAS-ILEVSROm' facing portrait of the emperor.
R: +LEOn/enϴEObA/SILEVSR/Omeon

ex: Palladium Numismatics (CA) c. 1991-1999
ex: FSR Auction 106 lot 411 (23 Oct 2018)

GREECE/Seleucid; Seleucus III BCE 226-223

AE 15 mm, 3.78 g, 12h, Antioch mint

SC 923 with unrecorded anchor cm on obs. this cm is also unrecorded in WSM

O: Hd of Seleucus r. dotted border, anchor cm in oval

R: ΒAΣIΛEΩΣ on r, ΣEΛEYKOY on l., control not visible on outer l, Apollo l on omphalos.


ex: MNL Collection

GREECE/Seleucid; Antiochos VII Sidetes BCE 138-129

AE 15 mm, 2.74 g, 9 h, Antioch mint, SE 175/BCE 138-137

SC 2068.3a  (S)

O: lion hd r. dotted border.

R: ΒAΣIΛEΩΣ ANTIOXOY in two lines on r, EYEPГETOY on l. vertical club. control on outer left above aphlaston symbol below it. Date across lower field EOP


Ex: MNL Collection
 

GREECE/Seleucid: Alexander I Balas BCE 152-145

AE 22 mm, 7.85 g, 1h, Antioch mint c. BCE 147/6

SC 1793.3b (R1-2)

O: Alexander I r. dotted border serrated flan.

R:

ΒAΣIΛEΩΣ on r,  AΛEΞANΔPOY on l., Athena stg l., primary and secondary controls on inner left

defects on obs & rev indicative of tong marks from the minting process.

ex: Oliver Hoover Collection, Burlington, ON, this coin illustrated in SC Vol II Part II as "fig. 12" on page 61 illustrating a coin with "apparent tong impressions".

ex: MNL Collection
 

GREECE/Seleucid; Antiochos IX Philopator BCE 114/3-95

AE 18 mm, 6.31 g, 12h, probably a mint in N. Syria, Phoenicia or Coele Syria

SC 2379 (R2)

O: laur hd of Apollo r dotted border

R: ΒAΣIΛEΩΣ ANTIOXOY in two lines on r, ΦΙΛΟΠATOPOΣ on l. Artemis stg facing holding spear in r hand and bow in left hand. control on outer left is unclear.  
 
 

ex: Oliver Hoover Collection, Burlington ON c. 2003 (www.seleukidempire.org)

ex: MNL Collection

ISLAMIC/Spain; Al-Murabitun المرابطون‎, (al-Moravides); Ishaq ibn ‘Ali اسحاق ابن علي AH 540-541/CE 1145-1146

AR Qirat (11mm, 0.95gm, 3h), Qurtuba (Cordoba, Spain), undated.

Vives 1894;

Hazard 1052;

Album 475A (RR).

O:

امير

المسلمين

و ناصر الدين اسحاق

بن علي

 

R:

   لا اله الا الله

محمد رسول الله

قرطبة   

 

ex: David Tranbarger

IBERIA; Sekaisa c. BCE 100-50

AE Unit, 23 mm, 8.17 g, 9 h.

ACIP 1564 var.

O: bare male hd r, flanked by dolphins

R: warrior holding spear on horseback r, Iberian inscription in ex indicating Sekaisa (in Zaragossa region) as the mint.

Prototype for the obverse of this coin issued by the Franco dictatorship in 1940.

ISLAMIC/Umayyad Spain; al-Hakam II CE 961-976/AH 350-366

AR Dirham 22mm, 3.25g, Madinat az-Zahra (Cordoba) mint, AH 354/CE 965 (citing 'Abdar-Rahman on reverse) 
Album 352.2

 

O: (center)

لا اله الا

 الله وحده

لا شريك له

(outer)

بسم الله ضرب هذا الدرهم بمدينة الزهراء سنة اربع و خمسين و ثلثماءة

R: (center)

عبد

الامام الحكم

امير الممنين

المستنصر بالله

الرحمن

(outer)

محمد رسول الله ارسله بالهدي ودين الحق ليظره على الدين كله

SPAIN; Felipe VI 2014-date

1 Euro, 2018 Madrid mint
Leuchtturm 2018 Catalogue Euro #LV-K7.4 (no mintage figures noted)

obtained in change during a trip to Barcelona and environs in August 2018.

While in Catalunya, we encountered Euro coins from nine different issuing countries; Belgium, Germany, Spain of course being the majority content usually, Ireland, France, Greece, Italy, Austria, and Portugal. France, Germany and Italy came in next in the quantity of types and denominations available.

The following list is an unscientific list of available values that we encountered in BCN:

Belgium: 50c and 2 euro
Germany: 5c to 2 euro
Spain: 1c to 2 euro
Ireland: 20c to 1 euro
France: 1c to 2 euro
Greece: 20c and 2 euro
Italy: 1c to 2 euro
Austria: 20 c and 2 euro
Portugal: 5c, 20c, and 1 euro

Spain was available 45-60% of the time, with the rest being French, German or Italian and a smattering of the other countries named. I would say the latter three were available in equal measure most of the time. We found it strange that when we traveled to Girona about 60km from France we noticed a greater availability of Spanish euro coins in our change than in other locations we had traveled to. One would think that there would be a greater availability of French euro coins that close to France but there wasn't in our unscientific observations.

We noted a number of 2 euro commemorative coins available in our change such as the proclamation of Felipe VI as king in 2014 which is a dual portrait coin with Juan Carlos (LV-G275). The other was an Italian 2 euro commemorating the 200th anniversary of the birth of Verdi in 2013 (LS-G112).

A favorite of ours by design was the Italian 2 euro depicting Dante. Of all the euro designs this coin in our opinion is a masterpiece and likely the stand alone stand out of the circulating euro coins. It is indeed a beautiful coin in our opinion.

SPAIN/Catalunya; Jaume I of Aragon CE 1213-1276

Billon Dinero (Diner) 0.68g. 18mm. Barcelona mint

CR-308

O: Crowned bust, l., +BARQINO

R: Long cross quartered with pellets and annulets. IA/CO/BR/EX


Purchased at the regular Sunday Stamp and Coin Bourse at the Plaça Reial in Barcelona's Barri Gotic
on 26 August 2018. The bourse runs from around 9 am until 2 pm. There are maybe a dozen or more dealers and it appears to be an active well attended event. I found everything I was looking for and for very reasonable prices as well.

Every Sunday Stamp and Coin Bourse on 26 August 2018 at Plaça Reial  in the Barri Gotic off of La Rambla in Barcelona.
 

GREEK/Seleucid; Antiochos III BCE 223-187

AE 23 mm, ---g, Ecbatana mint, c. BCE 220-187
SC 1252

HSC 481 (R2)

ESM 600-601

O: diad. hd of Antiochus III r.
R: BAΣΙΛΕΩΣ on r., ANTIOXOY on l., Tripod ornamented with horse foreparts, control to left.

Great Britain/Hanover; Victoria 1837-1901

AR Crown; 38 mm, 28.23g, Jubilee bust

SCBC 3921

O: Jubilee bust l.

R: Pistrucci St. George & Dragon with date in ex. 1889

a number of dings along the rim.

ANNAM/Vietnam; Rebel Coin; Cam Giang Vuong 1509

AE Cash 1.33 g, 20 mm

Toda 166
Schj. 89

O: Dai/Binh/Thanh/Bao

GREEK/Seleucid; Antiochos II Theos BCE 261-246

AE 15 mm, 3.17 g,  12h, Perhaps Tralles mint c. BCE 250-246 per Newell

SC 537

CSE 599

O: laureate head of Apollo r.

R: BAΣΙΛEΩΣ on r. ANTIOXOY on l., tripod stg on symbol (in this case an Anchor r.) primary control outer r. is the same as CSE 599, secondary controls outer l but not visible.

ex: Oliver Hoover Collection, Burlington ON c. 2003 (www.seleukidempire.org)

ex: MNL Coll

ex: CNG

GREEK/Seleucid; Seleucus II BCE 246-226

AE 16 mm, 4.81g, 12h, Sardes mint, before c. 242 BCE

SC 660 (no controls visible)

O:  hd of Athena r. in crested Attic helmet dotted border

R: BAΣIΛEΩΣ on r., ΣEΛEYKOY on l., Apollo stg l., testing arrow and resting l. hand on grounded bow.  no visible controls.

ex: Oliver Hoover Collection, Burlington ON c. 2003 (www.seleukidempire.org)

ex: MNL Coll

ex: CNG

GREEK/Seleucid; Seleucus I BCE 312-280

AE 18 x 19 mm, 6.82g,  12h Antioch mint

 SC 21.2 variety (poss. cmk on obs indeterminate, control in round punch on rev across hindquarters of bull)

 O: winged hd of Medusa r., dotted border.

 R: BAΣΙΛΕΩΣ above, ΣEΛEYKOY below, bull butting r., dotted border. no visible controls.

 

ex: MNL Coll

ex: CNG

GREEK/Selucid; Antiochos I Soter BCE 281-261

AE 15 mm, 3.81 g, 5h, Antioch mint

SC 351.1

WSM 961

O: diad hd of Antiochos r.

R: Apollo std l on omphalos testing arrow and resting l hand on grounded bow.

ΒΑΣΙΛΕΩΣ on the r, ANTIOXOY on l controls not fully visible but anchor countermark in round punch in left center field.

 

ex: MNL Coll

ex: CNG

EUROS First Generation 2002

 

 

2002 Size 120 x 62 mm
Motif: Classical Architecture. The gate is a style element from Greco-Roman antiquity.
Signed by W. Duisenberg
Leuchtturm Catalogue Euro #LN-B1 Du
Printing Code=N (Oesterreichische Banknoten und Sicherheitsdruck GmbH, Vienna)

GREEK/Seleucid; Antiochos VI BCE 144-142

AE 18 mm, 7.94 g, 12h, possibly Apamea mint

SC 2015.2d (S) this exact coin is mentioned in SC

O: rad hd of Antiochos VI r.

R: kantharus, BAΣΙΛΕΩΣ / ANTIOXOY on right EΠΙΦΑΝΟΥΣ/ΔIONYΣOY on left, control below Kantharus and palm branch to right of Kantharus

Ding likely from the tongs used at the mint?

 

ex: Oliver Hoover Collection, Burlington ON c. 2003 (www.seleukidempire.org/Ant6coins.html) this coin is also mentioned in SC for 2015.2d as a variety found in the Hoover Collection at that time cf. page 329 of Vol. II part I of SC.
ex: MNL Coll
ex: CNG

GREEK/Seleucid; Alexander I Balas BCE 152-145

AE 13mm, 2.02 g, 12h, Tyre mint BCE 147-146

SC 1838.1  R1

O: diad hd of Alexander I r.

R: ΒΑΣΙΛΕΩΣ curving on r  AΛΕΞANΔPOY curving on the left,  in the field CΞ—P (SE 166)

No controls.

ex: Oliver Hoover Collection, Burlington ON c. 2003 (www.seleukidempire.org)
ex: MNL Coll
ex: CNG

GREEK/Seleucid; Antiochos IV BCE 175-164

AE 14 mm, 2.67g, 12h, Ptolemaïs Ake mint c. BCE 175-172

SC 1478.1j   R2

O: laur hd of Apollo dotted border control behind hd A/B

R: Apollo std l. on omphalos, testing arrow and resting hand on grounded bow, often compound.

Aphlaston on far left nearly off field, ΒΑΣΙΛΕΩΣ on r and ANTIOXOY on l. with Λ control in ex.

 

ex: MNL Coll
ex: CNG

GREEK/Seleucid; Alexander I Balas BCE 152-145

AE 15mm, 2.71 g, 12h, Marisa mint

SC 1850.4 (R2)

O: Hd of Alexander r

R: semi draped bearded male deity stg facing hd l extending r hand above royal name

ΒΑΣΙΛΕΩΣ on r AΛΕΞANΔPOY on l. name is often abbreviated, control or mintmark inner left

H/Δ/Λ/M.

 

ex: MNL Coll

ex: CNG

 

GREEK/Seleucid; Antiochos V Eupator BCE 164-162

AE 15 mm, 2.27 g, 12h, Tyre mint  SE "NP" =BCE 163/2

SC 1580 (R2)

O: diad hd right with ends of diad curling on neck and up towards back of the hd (not straight as assumed in SC). beveled edge and dotted border.

R: limited inscription visible but should read on left ANTIOXOY curving to right and on the right
ΒΑΣΙΛΕΩΣ curving to the left. In the field on either side of the palm trunk is a partial N/P for the SE year.

This piece had been identified by the previous owner as Antiochos III SC 1081 and not questioned or identified further by CNG, but the lettering in the field and beveled edge indicated otherwise. It appears to be one of the nicer examples known of this type.


ex: Oliver Hoover Collection, Burlington ON c. 2003 (www.seleukidempire.org) misidentified as Alexander Balas

.ex: MNL Coll
ex: CNG

According to CNG "… the MNL Collection, (is) perhaps the finest collection of coins of the Seleukid kings to be offered since the dispersal of the Arthur Houghton Collection in the late 1980s and early 1990s. This offering includes coins from many important collections, most notably Houghton, but also Abramowitz, Bement, Charrin, Niggeler, Petrowicz, Pozzi, Seyrig, and Weber, among others. In addition to containing many pedigreed examples, this collection is also notable for the quantity of published examples it contains, as well as the many rarities and unpublished varieties that will inevitably be included in future additions to the Seleucid Coins catalog.” (CNG 109 Catalog Sept. 2018).

GREEK/Seleucid; Achaios BCE 220-214

AE 15 mm, 4.44 g, 12h  Sardes mint 

SC 956a  (S-R1)

O: laureate hd of Apollo r, with corkscrew curls

R: ΒΑΣΙΛΕ[ΩΣ] on r., AXAIO[Y] on l., eagle standing r., on wreath, Horse's head countermark in  round punch, no controls visible on outer right.


ex: Oliver Hoover Collection, Burlington ON c. 2003 (www.seleukidempire.org)
ex: MNL Coll
ex: CNG

EUROS Second Generation 2013-2017

2013  Size 120 x 62 mm
Motif: Classical Architecture. The gate is a style element from Greco-Roman antiquity.
Signed by M. Draghi
Leuchtturm Catalogue Euro #LY-B8 Dr
Printing Code=Y (Central Bank of Greece, Athens)

 

 

2014  Size 127 x 67 mm
Motif: Romanesque Architecture. The Romanesque archway is a stylistic element from the Early Middle Ages.
Signed by M. Draghi
Leuchtturm Catalogue Euro #LV-B9 Dr
Printing Code=V (Royal Mint of Spain, Madrid)

2015  Size 133 x 72mm
Motif: Gothic Architecture.
Signed by M. Draghi
Leuchtturm Catalogue Euro #LM-B10Dr
Printing Code=M (Valora S.A., Carregado,Portugal)

2017  Size 140 x 77mm
Motif: Renaissance Architecture.
Signed by M. Draghi
Leuchtturm Catalogue Euro #LV-B14Dr
Printing Code=V (Royal Mint of Spain, Madrid)