20221216

ROMAN/ Severus Alexander CE 222-235

AE Sestertius, 31 mm, 19.14 g, 12h, Roma mint CE 233

RIC 535

RCV 8003

BMCRE 932

O: laur draped bust right  IMP ALEXANDER PIVS AVG

R: Sol adv l, r hand raised holding whip in left PM TRP XII COS III PP, SC across central fields

 

Ex: Roma Numismatics 101 lot 1076 (13.10.2022)

Ex: “from a private English collection”

 

20221119

ISLAMIC/ Governors of Tabaristan; Sa’id bin Da’laj CE 776-779/ AH 160-162 /PYE 125-127


 AR Hemidrachm, 23 mm, 1.9 g, 3h, Tabaristan mint, PYE 125/CE 776-777

Album 58

O: Sassanian style bust r with Arabic legend to right of bust سعيد

R: Fire altar flanked by attendants, Tabaristan in Pahlavi on r and date on l

ROMAN/Julian II CE 360-363


 

AE 20 mm, 2.5 g, Thessalonika mint

RIC 227 (S)

O: helmeted hd left spear and shield forward, 

DN FL CL IVLI-ANVS PF AVG

R: VOT/X/MVLT/XX in wreath

TESΓ in ex. Palm branches on either side

 

 

EX: Warren Esty

20221108

GREEK/SELEUCID; Seleucus VI c. BCE 96-94


 AE 21 mm, 6.62 g, 12h. Antioch mint c. BCE 95-94

SC 2425.3

HGC 9, 1284 (R2)

O: diad, beardless bust r. dotted border

R: BAΣΙΛΕΩΣ ΣΕΛΕVKOV in two lines on the rt, EΠΙΦNOVΣ NIKATOPOΣ in two lines on the l, Apollo stg l, testing arrow and resting elbow on column. Primary control on outer left not visible, secondary control A on inner l.

 

Ex: London Ancient Coins (UK)

 

Three examples known at this time; CSE 371, an example in the Biblioteque Nationale Paris, and this coin.

20221027

GREEK/COMMAGENE; Antiochos IV CE 38-72


 AE 27-24mm 13.07 g, 12h Laranda Lycaonia mint

BMC 24

Kovacs 249

RPC 3533

O: diad bust of Antiochos IV r  [ΒΑCΙΛΕΥC ΜΕΓΑC Α]ΝΤΙΟΧΟC.

 Anchor cmk at 4 o’clock.

R: Scorpion and inscription in wreath, ΛΥΚΑΟΝΩΝ

 

Ex: Warren Esty

20221007

Greek/Seleucid; Philip I Philadelphus BCE 95/4-76/5


AR Tetradrachm; 14.35 g, 27 mm, 12 h, Uncertain mint 128 in Cilicia probably Tarsus, c. BCE 88/7-76/5.

SC 2461.4

SNG Spaer 2820

O: diad head of Philip r, fillet border.

R: Zeus enthroned l, holding Nike and sceptre, laurel wreath border. BAΣIΛΕΩΣ ΦIΛΙΠΠOV in two lines on the r, EΠΙΦANOVΣ ΦΙΛAΔΕΛΦOV in two lines on l.

Frozen control under throne. Control in ex and inner left.

20220917

GREEK/Seleucid; Antiochos VI BCE 144-c. 142


AR Drachm; 18 mm, 3.94 g, 12 h, Antioch mint c. BCE 143-142

SC 2003c (R1-2)

SMA 257

O: radiate and diad hd of Antiochos VI r, dotted border

R: BAΣΙΛEΩΣ ANTIOXOY in two lines on rt, EΠΙΦANOYΣ ΔΙONYΣOY in two lines on left, spiked Macedonian helmet with cheek guards facing r, adorned with goat’s horn above visor.

Primary control between spike and horn reading downward TPY

Secondary control inner r beneath helmet see monogram C in SC.

 

Ex: “from a private European Collection”

Ex: Roma Numismatics E-Sale 100 (28-07-22) lot 568

20220911

QE II 1952-2022 two paper portraits from Canada & the UK


 Canada 1973-1975, last of the circulating paper $1 obtained in Quebec City 1988. The now  ubiquitous Loonie debuted that same year. 


UK 2015, polymer £5 note, Churchill depicted on the reverse. Obtained London 2017


20220910

GREEK/Seleucid; Antiochos III BCE 223-187 with apparently unpublished controls


AE 24 mm, 12.13 g, 1h, likely Antioch mint

SC 1048 variety but with unpublished controls


O: laureate head of Antiochos r as Apollo, dotted border

R: Apollo seated l on omphalos holding an arrow in his rt hand and resting against a bow held in his left.  Inscription on right reads BAΣIΛΕΩΣ and on left ANTIOXOY, with controls to left above and below the arrowhead.

20220901

ROMAN PROVINCIAL; Spain; Augustus BCE 27- CE 14


 Colonia Patricia (Cordoba)

AE Quadrans, 17 mm, 2.69 g, 3h

RPC I, 131

O: bare hd portrait of Augustus left with insc proceeding from left to right [PER C]AE AVG

R: Priestly implements with inscription [COL] PATR

 


Ex: Numismatica Prados, Sevilla, Spain



GREEK/Seleucid; Antiochos I BCE 281-261


AR Drachm; 4.07 g, 16 mm, 6h, Aï Khanoum mint c. BCE 266-261

SC 439.1

O: diad hd of Antiochos r.

R: BAΣIΛEΩΣ on right and ANTIOXOY on left, o in left field under Apollo’s arrow and adjacent to the T in ANTIOXOY. Apollo std l on omphalos holding arrow and leaning on a bow.



Ex: Tamco Numismatics (Sweden)

20220816

CRUSADERS, Antioch. Tancred. Regent, CE 1101-1103, 1104-1112


 

Æ Follis (20mm, 3.04 g, 6h). Second type.

Metcalf, Crusades 63-70

Schlumberger, p. 45 and pl. II, 7

CCS 4a

O: + KЄ BHΘ TO HΓ TΩ ΔOYΛΩ TANKP, facing armored bust, holding upraised sword

R: cross of four pellets above / Cross crosslet; IC | XC/NI | KA in quarters, fleurons at base of cross.

20220813

ROMAN/Septimius Severus CE 193-211


AR Denarius; 18 mm, 3.05 g, 6h, Laodicea mint c. CE 199

RSC 21

RIC 500

RCV 6259

O: laur bust of Severus right L SEPT SEV AVG IMP XI PART MAX

R: Aequitas stg l, holding scales and cornucopiae, AEQVITATI AVGG

20220804

ISLAMIC/Dubaysid; ‘Izz ad-Din Abu Bakr al-Dubaysi AH 541-551/CE 1146-1156 EX MARDIN HOARD et al


 AE Follis 25 x 27 mm, 8.10 g, al-Jazirah mint ND

Album 1955 (S)

Lowick MH 13

Host coin is Sear Byzantine Anonymous Class A3 SB 1818 attributed to Constantine VIII CE 1025-1028

O: one countermark in a circle reading عز

From the dealer’s write up:

This counterstamp is attributed to Izz al-Din, governor of al-Jazirah appointed by Sayf al-Din Ghazi I of al-Mawsil (Mosul). Izz al-Din revolted upon Ghazi's death and took al-Jazirah as independent ruler, a period during which he presumably countermarked circulating coins in his name. This example is struck on a Byzantine anonymous follis attributed to the reign of Constantine VIII, 1025-1028 A.D. This countermark was present on 473 coins in the Mardin Hoard.

The Mardin Hoard was a large group of copper coins found before 1972 in the vicinity of Mardin in modern-day southeastern Turkey. The hoard consisted of at least 13,500 pieces, including around 2,200 Byzantine folles countermarked by local Islamic rulers, as reported by N. M. Lowick, author of 'The Mardin Hoard,' a 1977 book published to document the countermarks found on the coins. The hoard was important in further understanding patterns of circulation and countermarking of Byzantine coins still being used in lands recently claimed by Islamic rulers. Most examples are heavily worn from circulation and many are countermarked several times, some on top of each other.


Ex: Mardin Hoard 1972


Ex: A. H. Baldwin & Sons original purchaser of the hoard 


 Ex: William F. Spengler (1923-2005) Collection



ROMAN/Philip II as Caesar, CE 244-247


 AR Antoninianus, 22 mm, 3.6 g, 7h, Roma mint c. CE 245-246

RIC 219

RCV 9240 v

O: rad and draped bust r, M IVL PHILIPPVS CAES

R: Philip II stg l in military attire holding globe and resting on spear, PRINCIPI IVVENT


Ex: Davisson's Ltd, (Cold Spring MN) Auction Seven lot 142 (21 August 1996)



This altar was erected by the citizens of Girona, Spain in honor of Philip II. The altar was preserved due to its reuse as the foot of the high altar in Sant Marti Sacosta.

The inscription reads:
M IVLIO
PHILIPPO
NOBILIS
SIMO CAE
SARI
R P GER

When translated should read: "To M. Julius Philippus, most noble Caesar, the people of Girona (Gerunda)"

This altar is now located in the Archaeology Museum of Girona and was photographed by us in 2018. The Archaeology Museum is housed in a beautiful Romanesque Abbey whose cloisters should not be missed. 

ROMAN/Procopius CE 365-366


 AE 3, 20 mm, 2.76 g, 12h, Nicomedia mint, 28 September CE 365 to 27 May CE 366

RIC 10

RCV 19884

O: diad bust left, DN PROCO-PIVS PF AVG

R: Procopius in military attire stg facing hd r, holding labarum and resting on shield, XP monogram in upper field r, REPARATI-O FEL TEMP in ex. SMNA

from Ammianus Marcellinus XXVI:9:11

Procopius departed this life at the age of forty years and ten months. Personally he was a tall man and not bad looking; he was somewhat dark complexioned, and walked with his gaze always fixed on the ground. In his secretive and gloomy nature he was like that Crassus who, as Lucilius and Cicero declare, laughed only once in  his life; but the surprising thing is, that throughout all his life he was not stained with bloodshed.

20220720

ROMAN EGYPT/Claudius CE 41-54

Bi Tetradrachm, 26 mm, 12.98 g, Alexandria mint, RY 2= CE 41-42

RPC 5116

Emmett 74.2

Dattari 121-2

Milne 65-67

O: laur bust of Claudius r, TI KΛAYΔI KAIΣ ΣEBA ΓEPMANI AYTOKP

R: Messalina standing left  leaning on column holding infants Claudia and Britannicus in outstretched right hand and grain ears with left, lituus in left field.

MEΣΣAΛINA KAIΣ ΣEBAΣ

 

Ex: CNG 518 lot 363 (15 June 2022)

 

20220718

ISLAMIC/Dubaysid; ‘Izz ad-Din Abu Bakr al-Dubaysi AH 541-551/CE 1146-1156 EX MARDIN HOARD

AE Follis 29 mm, 7.10 g, al-Jazirah mint ND

Album 1954-1955 (S)

Lowick MH 12 & 13

Host coin is Sear Byzantine Anonymous Class H SB 1880 attributed to Michael VII Ducas CE 1071-1078

O: two countermarks, one in circle reading عز and then another in a rectangle reading عدل عز

From the dealer’s write up:

This example features two counterstamps, both attributed to Izz al-Din, governor of al-Jazirah appointed by Sayf al-Din Ghazi I of al-Mawsil (Mosul). Izz al-Din revolted upon Ghazi's death and took al-Jazirah as independent ruler, a period during which he presumably countermarked circulating coins in his name. This example is struck on a Byzantine anonymous follis attributed to the reign of Michael VII, 1071-1078 A.D. These two countermarks were found applied together on 212 coins in the hoard. 

The Mardin Hoard was a large group of copper coins found before 1972 in the vacinity of Mardin in modern-day southeastern Turkey. The hoard consisted of at least 13,500 pieces, including around 2,200 Byzantine folles countermarked by local Islamic rulers, as reported by N. M. Lowick, author of 'The Mardin Hoard,' a 1977 book published to document the countermarks found on the coins. The hoard was important in further understanding patterns of circulation and countermarking of Byzantine coins still being used in lands recently claimed by Islamic rulers. Most examples are heavily worn from circulation and many are countermarked several times, some on top of each other.


for more info, please cf. Mardin Hoard - NumisWiki, The Collaborative Numismatics Project (forumancientcoins.com)

 


20220711

ROMAN; Julian II CE 360-363


 AE 3, 18 mm, 2.88 g, Roma mint CE 362-363

RIC 329

O: Helmeted cuir bust left DN FL CL IVLI-ANVS PF AVG

R: inscription in wreath VOT/X/MVLT/XX in ex VRBROM P

20220707

EURO CURRENCY Second Generation 2013-present


2013  Size 120 x 62 mm

Motif: Classical Architecture. The gate is a style element from Greco-Roman antiquity.

Signed by M. Draghi  2011-2019

Leuchtturm Catalogue Euro #LM-B8 Dr

Printing Code=M (Valora S.A., Portugal)


    

2014  Size 127 x 67 mm

Motif: Romanesque Architecture. The Romanesque archway is a stylistic element from the Early Middle Ages.

Signed by Ch. Lagarde  2019-date

Leuchtturm Catalogue Euro #LR-B TBD Dr

Printing Code=R (Bundesdruckerei GmbH, Germany)


    

2015  Size 133 x 72mm

Motif: Gothic Architecture.

Signed by Ch. Lagarde  2019-date

Leuchtturm Catalogue Euro #LE-B TBD Dr

Printing Code=E (Francois Charles Oberthur Fiduciaire, France)




2017  Size 140 x 77mm

Motif: Renaissance Architecture.

Signed by Ch. Lagarde  2019-date

Leuchtturm Catalogue Euro #LU-B TBD Dr

Printing Code=U (Central Bank of France)


 

20220705

ROMAN/Jovian CE 363-364


 

AE 1, 27 mm, 8.61g, Antioch mint

RIC 228

RCV 19215

O: diad., cuir., draped bust right DN IOVIAN-VS PF AVG

R: Jovian in military attire stg facing with hd r, holding standard and Victory on a globe, mint mark in ex. VICTORIA-ROMANORVM/ANTA

From Ammianus Marcellinus XXV:10: 14-15  “He walked with a dignified bearing; his expression was very cheerful. His eyes were gray. He was so unusually tall that for some time no imperial robe could be found that was long enough for him. He took as his model Constantius, often spending the afternoon in some serious occupation, but accustomed to jest in public with his intimates.”

So too he was devoted to the Christian doctrine and sometimes paid it honour. He was only moderately educated, of a kindly nature, and (as appears from the few promotions he made) inclined to select state officials with care. But he was an immoderate eater, give to wine and women, faults which perhaps he would have corrected out of regard for the imperial duty.”

20220629

GREEK/SELEUCID; Imitation of Demetrios I Drachm from Commagene, First Century BCE

AR imitation drachm 16.5 mm 0.66 g 8h

Hoover, AJN 10, pp. 91-93, Series IV A (R3)

SC 1774

O: diad. Hd of ruler r, dotted border

R: barbarous inscription, cornucopia, no controls.

 

Cf. Oliver D. Hoover “Notes On Some Imitation Drachms Of Demetrius I Soter From Commagene” AJN 10 (1998), pp. 71-94.


Ex: W. Esty

Ex: Agora Auctions 67 (20-06-2017) lot 83

 

20220616

GREEK/SELEUCID; possible Co-regency period of Seleukos I & Antiochos I BCE 294-281


 AR Drachm; 3.91 g 18 mm, 1h, Uncertain Mint 16 in Drangiana or W. Arachosia

SC 246.1b

O: Herakles bust r.

R: Zeus std on low throne with eagle and sceptre, monograms to left field and under throne, inscription beginning in ex and wrapping around the right side field reading BAΣΙΛΕΩΣANTIOXOY



20220526

ROMAN EGYPT; Antoninus Pius CE 138-161 Ex: Dattari

Bi Tetradrachm, 23.96 mm, 11.58 g, Alexandria mint Regnal year 3 CE 139-140

Emmett 1377

Similar obs to RPC 16711 though no matching reverse, and second of two examples of this obs die . 

Reverse: L ΤΡ-Ι-ΤΟV, Dikaiosyne seated left, holding scales and cornucopiaObverse: ΑVΤ Κ Τ ΑΙΛ ΑΔΡ ΑΝΤѠΝΙΝΟϹ, bare partially draped bust right

 

Ex: CNG Triton XI (7 January 2008), lot 1759 (part)

Ex: Garth Drewry Collection

Ex: Harmer Rooke Auction (13 December 1972), lot 1955 (part).

Ex: Giovanni Dattari Collection (1853-1923)

 

ISLAMIC; Umayyad; 'Abd al-Malik CE 685-705

AE Fals; 20 mm, 3.08 g, Hims mint c. CE 690-697/AH 70-77

Album 3539

O: لعبدالله عبدالملك اميرالمؤمنين

stg caliph facing

R: لا اله الا الله وحده محمد رسول الله

transformed cross on three steps to the right  بحمص to the left  ضرب

 

20220514

ISLAMIC/Umayyad; 'Abd al-Malik CE 685-705


 AE Fals; 19 mm, 2.17 g, Qinnasrin mint c. CE 690-697/AH 70-77

Album 3530

ICV 138

Goodwin 233

O: لعبدالله عبدالملك اميرالمؤمنين

stg caliph facing

R: لا اله الا الله وحده محمد رسول الله

transformed cross on three steps to the right  واف to the left  بقنسرين

20220418

ROMAN; Julian II CE 360-363 ex: East Harptree Hoard 1887

AR Siliqua; 17 mm, 2.10 g, 12h, Lugdunum mint c. CE 361

RIC VIII 227

RSC V 163b

RCV 19122

O: diad draped bust r, unbearded, FL CL IVLIA--NVS PP AVG dotted border

R: VOTIS/V/MVLTIS/X within wreath, in ex. PLVG, dotted border


Ex: East Harptree Hoard, 1887/Robertson IRBCH 1424, cf. John Evans NC 1888 pp. 22-46 "On a hoard of Roman coins found at East Harptree, near Bristol". https://www.jstor.org/stable/42682582

Ex: Spink 16006 (27-09-2016) possibly part of one of the lots between 2966-2977

Ex: Triton XXI (08 Jan 2018) portion lot 1583




 

20220407

FRANCE; Bourbon; Louis XIII CE 1610-1643


AR 1/12th Ecu, 20 mm, 2.16 g, 6h, Paris mint 1643-A

KM 166.22

O: LVDOVICVS XIII DG FR ET NAV REX, laur, draped bust rt. 

R: SIT NOMEN DOMINI BENEDICTVM 1643 A, coat of arms crowned.

  

20220324

BYZANTINE; Constantine VII and Zoe CE 914-919


AE Follis, 6.38 g, 26 mm, 6h.

SB 1758

O: Constantine stg on l facing, Zoe on rt facing, cross between them. +CONSTANT CE ZOHb’

R; inscription in five lines 

+Cons

tantino

CE ZOH bA

SILIS RO

MEON

RUSSIA; Romanov Dynasty; Mikhail Feodorovich CE 1613-1645


 AR Kopeck 0.46 g 13 mm, Moscow mint

O: horseman riding rt spearing, inscription MOC under horse.

R:  ЦAPb И BEЛИKИЙ KHЯЗЬ MIXAИЛ ФЕДОРОВИЧ BCEЯ PУCИ

RUSSIA; Boris Godunov CE 1598-1605


 AR Kopeck, 0.66 g 14mm, possibly minted in 1601 in Novgorod

O: horseman rt with spear

R: inscription “Tsar and Grand Duke Boris Fedorovich of all the Russias” 



20220305

BYZANTINE; Amorian Dynasty; Theophilos CE 829-842


 

AE Follis; 28 mm, 6.69 g, 6h. minted after CE 835 after a shortlived victory over the Abbasids.

SB 1667

O: three-quarter length figure facing wearing loros and crown surmounted by tufa, holding a labarum in his right hand and a globus cruciger in his left.  ϴϵοfIL’ bASIL’.

R: inscription in four lines   

+ϴϵο

FILϵ AVG

OVStϵsv

nIcAs



20220108

Three Examples from the Mildenhall Hoard (Suffolk, UK) c. 1833; Robertson 726


 Postumus CE 259-268 

Bi. Antoninianus, 3.19 g, 19 x 20 mm, 12h, Cologne mint, c. CE 260-265.

RSC 215b

RCV 10966

O: rad., cuirassed bust r, IMP C POSTVMVS PF AVG

R: Pax stg. l holding scepter with r. arm outstretched PAX AVG

as with all these examples the reverse die appears to exhibit more wear than the obs. die. 


Gallienus CE 253-268 (sole reign CE 260-268)

AE Antoninianus, 2.48 g, 18 x 20 mm, 12h, Roma mint, CE 262-263

RSC 265

O: rad bust r, GALLIENVS AVG

R: Fortuna stg l, holding rudder and cornucopia, FORTVNA REDVX with S in lower right field. 

Victorinus CE 269-271

AE Antoninianus, 2.44 g, 19 mm, 6h, Mainz or Trier mint, CE 270-271.

RCV 11176

O: rad cuir. bust r. IMP C VICTORINVS PF AVG

R: Pietas stg l sacrificing over altar and holding box of incense, PIETAS AVG. 

a very nice portrait of Victorinus even with the adhesion from the hoard. 

Anne S. Robertson records this hoard in her "An Inventory of Romano-British Coin Hoards" as #726 (p. 168). 

The hoard was found c. 1832 and reported by Sir Henry Bunbury in 1833. Robertson further notes that in 1953, "the coins...were cleaned, and found to comprise 1 den, and 1285 ant". 

The earliest coin in the find was a denarius of Caracalla the latest was a radiate of Aurelian, with the overwhelming majority coming from the reigns of Tetricus I & II (approximately half the remaining hoard) and then Victorinus and Claudius II (about a quarter of the hoard), with Gallienus rounding out the hoard with 182 examples as well as small numbers of rarer examples such as Marius and the like. There were a number of barbarous radiates also noted from the hoard. 

Robertson recorded the hoard in detail in the Numismatic Chronicle 1954, pp. 40-52, with a plate recording the barbarous examples.