ROMAN/ Gratian CE 367-383

AE Maiorina; 22 mm, 5.49 g, 12h, Aquileia mint, CE 379-383

RCV 20007

O: diad dr cuir bust r, DN GRATIA-NVS PF AVG

R: Arcadius stg facing with hd r holding orb and standard REPARATIO REI PVB/SMAQS

 

Ex: Numispechincha/Armando Veludo/Porto, Portugal

cf. duplicate acquired in 2004 

ROMAN/ Arcadius CE 383-408

AE Maiorina; 21 mm, 4.29 g, 1h, Nicomedia mint, CE 393-395

RCV 20794

O: diad dr cuir bust r, DN ARCADI-VS PF AVG

R: Arcadius stg facing with hd r holding orb and standard GLORIA ROMANORVM/SMNB

 

ROMAN/ Theodosius I CE 379-395

AE Maiorina; 21 mm, 4.95 g, 11h, Cyzicus mint CE 393-395

RCV 20491

O: diad cuir dr bust r,  DN THEODO-SIVS PF AVG

R: Theodosius stg facing with hd r holding standard and globe, GLORIA ROMANORVM/SMKA

Modern Copy of Antiochos I Tetradrachm

Cast Copy Tetradrachm; 28 mm, 10.4 g, 12h, Controls would indicate a Seleucia on the Tigris mint

 SC 379.3a type

The coin has a beveled and filed edge not found on original tetradrachms, as well as being at least 6.5+/- g under weight. 

The original is minted in silver and weighs in the range of 17 g. This example is posted here as a reference to assist collectors who are interested in this series and are concerned about what they are purchasing. 

Caveat Emptor is indeed the best policy. Purchase from knowledgeable and reliable dealers who provide lifetime guarantees for the items they sell. Before starting any collection, read about the area of interest and purchase books related to coins, learn everything you can. Knowing the average weight of an authentic item can save you from making a bad purchase. Granted there are some items that are authentic and underweight due to having been in the ocean or clipped at some point in time. As you progress in your knowledge you will have a better idea as to what you are purchasing.

Also, inquire as to the item's provenance. If the item has a traceable history the likelihood of it being a problem is slim. 

ROMAN/ Magnus Maximus CE 383-388

 AE 2, 23 x 21 mm, 3.97 g, 5h, probably Lugdunum mint c. CE 383-386

RCV 20649 var.

O: diad, draped bust r. DN MAG MAX[IMVS P]F AVG

R: Maximus in military attire stg l raising with r hand a turreted female figure  who kneels before him and holding Victory on a glob in l. REPARARATIO -REIP[VB]

Mintmark in ex appears to be LVG or some portion of it.

GREEK/Sicily; Mamertinon c. BCE 220-200

 AE Pentonkion, 25 mm, 10.89 g, 1h, Messana mint

SNG ANS 440

Sear 1144

O: laur hd of Zeur r

R: [MAMEPTINΩN] helmeted naked warrior charging r, holding spear and large round shield with Π in lower right field.

INDOGREEK/Baktria; Eukratides c. BCE 171-145

AR Obol, 10 mm, 0.52 g, 11h, mint of Baktra or an uncertain mint in the Paropamisadai or Gandhara, c. BCE 162-145

Bopearachchi 9B

O: helmeted head of Eukratides r, dotted border

R: piloi of the dioscuri with [BAΣ]ΙΛΕΩ[Σ] to right, EYKPATIΔ[--] on left with ΠΓ in lower field.

Ex: Pars Sku G045

  

GREEK/Seleucid; Alexander II Zabinas BCE 128-123

 AR Drachm; 17 mm, 3.42 g, 1h, Antioch mint

SC 2221.3c

O: diad hd of Alexander II r., diadem ends falling straight behind, dotted border.
R: BAΣΙΛEΩΣ on r., AΛEΞANΔPOY on l., filleted double cornucopiae oriented to r.

Primary control in mongram of HΔP inner l. above.
Secondary control inner l., below: AΦ

GREEK/Seleucid; Antiochos VIII "Philometor" BCE 121-96

 AE 17 mm, 5.45 g, 12h, Antioch mint SE 202/BCE 111-110

SC 2308 (R, 19 known examples)

O: radiate hd of Antiochos r dotted border

R: [Β]AΣIΛE[ΩΣ] /ANTIOX[OY] on right, ΦIΛOMHTOP[OΣ] on l., Eagle stg l., [BΣ] underneath for SE date.

Control on outer left.

  
This is another 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 previously known examples on his website found http://seleukidtraces.info/information/ni_antiochos_philometor.html.

There were 17 that he was aware of, with this example as illustrated there were 18 and with another that belonged to Tom Kirby being sold at auction recently, that was 19. If any reader is aware of additional unaccounted for examples, please email us at the email noted in the upper left of this page. 

ex: Zurqieh (UAE) 2022

GREEK/Seleukid; Timarchos c. BCE 164-161

AE 27 mm, 17.16 g, 12h, Ekbatana mint

SC 1595 (R2-R3)

O: diad bust of Timarchos r. dotted border

R: [BA]ΣIΛEΩΣ on the rt, [M]EΓAΛOY/[TI]MAPXOY on left, Nike adv l holding wreath and palm branch. No control marks and no evidence of dotted border.

 

 

Ex: Zurqieh UAE

For a discussion of the dating of the reign of Timarchos please refer to:

Jens Jakobsson, Dating of Timarchus, the Median Usurper. a Critical Review - DocsLib

Jakobsson, J., "Dating of Timarchus, the Median Usurper, A Critical Review" Ancient History Bulletin 30 (2016); 15-26.

GREEK/IONIA; Smyrna. Mithradates VI of Pontus BCE 85-75

AE 25 mm, 13.38 g, 12h.

Milne, Autonomous period XV, 340

Callataÿ pl. LI, Q

SNG Copenhagen 1206

O: diad hd of Mithradates VI r

R: Nike stg r holding wreath and palm frond. ΣΜΥPNAIΩΝ on rt, EPMOΓENHΣ/ΦΡΙΞΟΣ on l.

Hermogenes Phrixos as magistrate. Flan preparation marks are still extant.

 

Ex: Dr. Busso Peus Nachfolger Auction 366 lot 183 (25 Oct 2000) estimation 350,-DM.

Ex: Sigmund Collection

Ex: CNG 512 lot 154 (23 March 2022)

Ex: Praefectus Coins (BC Canada) SKU GRA6368

Mithradates Kingdom at it's peak after BCE 88

UK/ Charles III 2022-date

 CuNi 50p, 27 mm, 8.00 g, Royal Mint, September-December 2022. mintage estimated at this time to be between 4.9 to 9.6 million pieces.  

Euro Zone; Croatia 2023

€2

€1

                                         

50, 20  & 10 cents

 1, 2 & 5 cents

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”

 

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

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.

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