ROMAN/Gratian CE 367-383

 AE 4, 14 mm, 1.17 g, 12h, Cyzicus mint c. CE 383

RIC 22a

RCV 20161

O: DN GRATIANVS PF AVG diad draped cuir bust r.

R: VOT/XX/MVLT/XXX in ex SMKΔ

Ex; W. Esty

A visit to Ireland

 2016 €2 Commemorative of the 1916 Easter Rising obtained in change, and was the only commemorative, other than a 2007 Austrian €2 commemorating the Treaty of Rome that we were able to come across in our limited currency transactions. 

We really didn't utilize a lot of currency or coins during this visit, most transactions were via CC, so the opportunity to observe coin use was limited. Even a visit to a Dublin coin dealer in the South George St Arcade in Dublin found very expensive prices for all sorts of coins. Particularly coins that are available on the market (VCoins for example) for $30-$35 for a reasonably good and common mint Khushru II Sasanian drachm was selling for €150. 

Other coins were similarly priced. The only Irish Euro Commemoratives being sold consisted of the 2016 example. There were stamps being sold as well as pick out box coins, worldwide and local for €1 and €2 each.

The 1916 Easter Rising was made real by a visit to the GPO on O'Connell St, which was the HQ for the Rising. Unfortunately, we didn't have time to go in, but passed it several times in vehicles and walked by it once where we were able to see the remaining visible damages from the Rising. The columns at the front of the GPO still show dramatic damages from the bullets and ordinance fired between the British and Republican forces at that time. 

Facade of the GPO Dublin

Photos of two columns at the GPO revealing battle damages from the 1916 Easter Rising

GREEK/Seleucid; Alexander I Balas BCE 152-145

AR Drachm; 17.4mm, 4.08g, Ecbatana mint c. BCE 150-148/7

SC 1871 (R2)

O: diad portrait of Balas r.

R: Apollo seated on omphalos; [BAΣ]IΛEΩΣ [AΛ]EΞANΔPOY on rt, ΘEOΠATOPOΣ EYEPΓETOY

Control mark on far left.

Ex: Zuzim

Hephthalite c. 6th to 7th Century CE

 AR drachm, 27 mm, 2.86 g., North Tokharistan

Göbl 82a (countermark 82a)

Zeno type 28789

Type of Peroz CE 457/9-484

Countermark on obs at 10-9 o’clock , Sogdian word “TKYN”

Cf. Göbl Hunnen 283 ff

Mitchener 1450