ROMANIA; Mihai (1921-2017) CE 1927-1930 & 1940-1947

Nickel clad steel, 100 Lei, 28 mm, 8.46 g, mintage 21,289,000

KM 64

O: hd r, MIHAI REGELE ROMANILOR

R: crown divides wreath with date and value 100 LEI/1944

edge: NIHIL SINE DEO

I had once known a college professor by the name of Jacques Vergotti (1915-1999) who had been an aide de camp to King Michael and used to talk about his time with the King and encountering people like Averell Harriman and Soviet Foreign Minister Andrei Vishinsky among others. He was among those placed on a train to be exiled with the King in 1947 by the authorities in Bucharest. A biography of Vergotti appears in the Romanian version of Wikipedia:

 Jacques Vergotti - Wikipedia. 

His papers are at the Hoover Institution Library in CA and the bio found there reads: "Jacques M. Vergotti was born in 1915. A Major in the Romanian Army, he served as aide to Michael I, King of Romania, between 1941-1947. He witnessed the last year of the Romanian monarchy and the palace coup of December 30, 1947, when the King was overthrown and the Popular Republic of Romania was proclaimed. He was one of the few people allowed to leave the country together with the King, whose aide he was for one more year. He then emigrated to the US and has lived there since."

Mihai on l, Vergotti on r

ROMAN/ Issues of Constantine I in commemoration of the founding of Constantinople CE 330-337

Bi reduced Centenionalis; 16 mm, 2.32 g, 5h, Treveri mint CE 333-334

RCV 16446

O: helmeted bust of Constantinopolis l, [CONSTAN]TINOPOLIS (appears as struck)

R: Victory stg l, r foot on ship’s prow, holding a scepter and shield in ex. TRP and a branch.

 

Ex: K. Dorney

ROMAN/ Constantine II, as Caesar CE 317-337

Bi Reduced Centenionalis; 18 mm, 2.38 g, 12h, Constantinople mint CE 333-335

RIC 81

RCV 17339

O: laur dr cuir bust r. CONSTANTINVS IVN NOBC

R: two soldiers standing facing each other on opposite sides of two standards in the center field. GLOR-IAE EXERC-ITVS/.CONSΓ

Ex: Ken Dorney

Statue of Constantine II as Caesar in the Campodoglio in Roma

1000th Post!!! ROMAN/ Arcadius CE 383-408

AE Half Centenionalis; 12 mm, 1.25 g, 5h, Alexandria mint, CE 388-395

RCV 20854

O: diad dr cuir bust r, DN ARCADIVS PF AVG

R: Victory adv left holding trophy in rt and a captive in left SALVS REI-PVBLICAE/ALEΓ, + in left lower field.

 

Ex: Victor’s Imperial Coins

This is a milestone post, the 1,000th post since we started this blog in 2007. Perhaps there are as many or maybe more coins posted than there are posts. We also hope that the 238,384 visitors since 2007 to this afternoon, have found items here that assisted in classifying their coins, and found the site interesting and informative, though I wish I had the time to provide more information other than the data related to the individual coins most of the time. I am still doing my best to provide provenance information when available as that is an important goal in ethical collecting. 

Unfortunately, that information is often only as good as the source, sometimes we can locate the provenance from other sources independently, but if the dealer or prior collector (the most important primary sources) did not record the information, that information could possibly be lost to posterity by omission, but sometimes, I am sorry to say also by commission. 

On to the next thousand posts as time permits. 

ROMAN/ Arcadius CE 383-408

AE Maiorina; 21 mm, 4.77 g, 12h, TBD eastern mint, CE 393-395

RCV 20792-93, 20795-97

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

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

 

 

Ex: Numispechincha/Armando Veludo/Porto, Portugal

ROMAN/ Gratian CE 367-383

 AE Maiorina; 21 x 22 mm, 4.94 g, 6h, Antioch mint, CE 379-383

RCV 20012

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/ANTA

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.