Indo-Greek; Menander BCE 160-145

AR Drachm, 17 mm, 2.38g, -------- mint?

M. ---; Bopearachchi ----

OBS: BAΣΙΛΕΩΣ ΣΟΤΗΡΟΥ MENANΔΡΟΥ Diad. Bust of Menander rt. Inscription around

REV: Kharoshthi legend “Menadrasa Maharajasa Tratarasa”

Monograms.

Athena left.

Greece/Seleucid; Demetrius II BCE 129-125

AE 17 mm, 5.97 g, 1h, Antioch mint BCE 129-128.

SC 2170.1g, SNG Spaer 2171

O: laureate hd of Zeus r., dotted border

R: ΒΑΣΙΛΕΩΣ ΔHMHTPIOY in two lines on the r., ΘEOY NIKATOPOΣ in two lines on l., Nike adv l., holding wreath and palm branch.

Controls: Ξ inner left, palm branch lower left

Greece/Ptolemaic Egypt; Ptolemy I Soter BCE 305-282

AE Hemiobol 15 mm, 4.2 g Tyre mint, Struck after 294 or 289/8 BCE

Svoronos 630 (Ptolemy II); Weiser -; SNG Copenhagen -; Cox, Excavations at Curium, ANSNNM 145, 73 (Ptolemy II); Lorber, “Ptolemaic Bronze Coinage of Tyre”, INJ 16, p. 14, 1

O: Diademed head of Alexander right

R: ΠΤΟΛΕΜΑΙΟΥ ΒΑΣΙΛΕΩΣ Eagle standing left on thunderbolt, wings displayed; in left field, club and monogram ΠΑ

Bar-Kochba Treasure Chest Discovered in Judean Hills

Examples of coins found in this hoard (top 3 and bottom left are Bar Kokhba era, bottom center is a coin of Hadrian [Gaza?] and an aureus of Tiberius)

Here's the link: http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/133354 or another with similar info (and less hyperbole):
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/09/090909095100.htm

Here is the J'lem Post's coverage: http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?pagename=JPost/JPArticle/ShowFull&cid=1251804529782

I would also post Ha'aretz' but their coverage was very poor and included horribly incorrect info such as the hoard included Roman gold coins "minted in Israel as well as throughout the Roman Empire." Perhaps the reporter needed space filler knowing that the average reader wouldn't fact check, just like the Ha'aretz editor.

Great pix of some of the coins found in situ and after cleaning (in the first article posted). Other than a couple statements verging on hyperbole, the article is generally OK, though it may be the largest find of the period found by archaeologists, not the largest if private finds are considered and one consults Mildenberg.

"Prof. Frumkin pointed out the significance of the particular cave, near the site of ancient Beitar, which was the site of the “last stand” of the rebels led by Bar-Kochba in their struggle against Roman rule in Judea from 132-35 CE. "

Greece/Seleucid; Antiochus VII Sidetes BCE 138-129

AR Tetradrachm, 30 mm, 16.74 g, Antioch mint.

SC 2061.1m, SMA 275

O: diad., hd of Antiochus VII r., diadem ends falling straight behind, fillet border.

R: BAΣΙΛEΩΣ ANTIOXOV in two lines on r., EVEPΓETOV on l., Athena stg l resting l hand on grounded shield and extending r beyond royal epithet, where she supports Nike l. extending wreath into border spear standing vertical behind her, laurel wreath border.

Primary control in monogram (outer l above): ΔΙ
Secondary controls (outer l below): AI

Greece/Seleucid; Alexander II Zabinas BCE 128-122

AR Drachm, 15 mm, 4.14 g, Antioch mint

SC 2221.3a, SMA 342, CSE 306

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: Δ

Greece/Seleucid; Seleucus VI Epiphanes Nicator BCE c. 96-94

AR Hemidrachm, 13.9 mm, 1.741 g, Antioch mint, BCE 95-94

SC 2419, CSE 376 (obs die link with this coin)

O: diademed hd of Seleucus VI r, with short curly beard, diadem ends falling straight behind dotted border.

R: BAΣΙΛΕΩΣ ΣΕΛΕVΚOV in two lines on r., NIKATOPOΣ in two lines on l., filleted double cornucopiae, oriented to r.

Primary control (outer l.): PK monogram above A
Secondary control (between fillet and cornucopiae tip): C

It appears that SC is incorrect in referencing SC 2419 with CSE 367, when 367 is clearly SC 2420 and the coin illustrated for SC 2419 in the SC plates is actually CSE 376.

Greece/Seleucid; Antiochus VI Dionysus BCE 144-142

AE 19 mm, 4.32 g., Marisa (Maresha) mint

SC 2028.1, SNG Spaer 2111v, CSE 830, Babelon 700

O: laureate hd of Apollo r., hair knotted at back, wavy locks escaping down neck, dotted border.

R: [ΒΑΣΙΛΕΩΣ] on r., ANTIOXOY on l., Tyche stg r., in profile, extending r. hand with phiale(?) and holding cornucopiae over shoulder, dotted border.

Controls (inner l.):
H
Δ
Λ
M

Ex: Ira Ettinger Collection

Greece/Seleucid; Antiochus VIII BCE 121-96

AR Tetradrachm, 28 mm, 15.64 g, 12h, Antioch mint (third reign) BCE 109-96

SC 2309.2e; SMA 408

O: diad., hd r, diadem ends falling straight behind, fillet border.

R: BAΣΙΛΕΩΣ ANTIOXOV in two lines on r., EΠΙΦANOVΣ on l., Zeus enthroned l., holding Nike and resting on sceptre, laurel and wreath border.

Primary control outer l: P/E above A
Secondary control under throne

EX: CNG EA 213 (01 July 2009), portion of lot 581, CNG noted that all coins had find patinas. All were average VF.

Medieval English Coins with interesting provenances

Not quite my usual post, though I have always had a weakness for interesting stories and these are examples for sure:


Henry III (1216-1272), Penny, 1.44g., Voided Long Cross Coinage, Class 3b, (1248-1250), London - Nicole, crowned facing bust of Henry, i.m. star, HENRICVS REX III, rev., voided long cross with trefoil of pellets in each angle, NICOLE ON LVND, [Nicholas of St. Albans] (N.987; S.1363)

Provenance: Old Spink stock ticket in the hand of Douglas G. Liddell (1918/9-2003, see info below).
Ex Stepengley/Steppingley Church Hoard, Bedfordshire, September 1912.

(deposition c. CE 1270 according to Michael Dolley & W.A. Seaby “The Anomalous Long Cross Coins in the Anglo-Irish Portion of the Brussels Hoard” p. 294, Mints, Dies and Currency: Essays Dedicated to the Memory of Albert Baldwin By R. A. G. Carson, 2006)

Hoard consisted of 518 coins (2 Short Cross, 485 Voided Long Cross, 13 Irish Voided Long Cross, 16 Scottish Voided Long Cross and Stars, 2 Lippe Sterling imitations), found in the Church of St. Lawrence at Steppingley, (Thompson Directory #342, also NC 1914).




Tomb of Henry III at Westminster Abbey


St Lawrence Church , Steppingley

The church of St. Lawrence, rebuilt in 1860 by the Duke of Bedford and the rector, is a building of local sandstone in the Early Decorated and Perpendicular styles, consisting of chancel, nave, north aisle and a tower containing 4 bells : it is seated with open oak benches for 240 persons. The register dates from 1562, but is continuous only from 1647.

13th Century: The church consisted of a chancel, nave, north and south porches and west tower. It was said to be the smallest church in the county. The Gentleman's Magazine of 1849 said "it is probably the smallest in the county with a low tower not rising above the neighbouring hayricks."


1858-60: The east wall of the chancel collapses and brings down most of the church with it. The Duke of Bedford agreed to rebuild the church and commissioned Henry Clutton. Work began in December 1858 and the new church was opened on the 19th October 1860.

1912: During restoration work on the church a hoard of 13th century silver coins were found beneath the chancel floor.

from: http://www.galaxy.bedfordshire.gov.uk/webingres/bedfordshire/vlib/0.digitised_resources/steppingly_timeline.htm


from: Lawrence, L.A. & Brooke, G.C. “The Steppingley Find of English Coins” Numismatic Chronicle 1914 (page. 60)[ full article pp. 60-76] This coin falls under types 231-258 listed in the catalogue of which there were six of this variety noted.


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Douglas G. Liddell (1918/9-2003)

Mr Liddell was a former Managing Director of Spink and one of the biggest influences in British Numismatics, from his induction into Spink in 1946 right through to retirement in December 1987. He was made a Director of the company on the 1st June 1965 and Managing Director from 1977.

www.spink.com/news/newsletters/2003/200305coin_news.asp

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Henry VI, first reign 1422-1461

AR Groat, 25 mm, 3.4 g, Calais mint Annulet issue 1422-1427

North 1424; SCBC 1836

O: Crowned facing bust in tressure of arches; pine cone stops, +HENRIC' DI' GRA' REX ANGLIE Z FRANC

R: Long cross; three pellets in each quarter. VILLA CALISIE, double saltire stops, POSVI DEVM ADIVTORE MEVM

Auction notes: Near Fine, toned

Ex: Reigate Hoard (closed after 1455 likely during the War of the Roses), 1990

Ex: Glendining & Co, 8 December 1992

Ex: VAuctions 237, lot 85 (closed 19 November 2009)

THE REIGATE HOARD OF
ENGLISH SILVER

In 1985 Roger Minty took up metal detecting and living in Reigate already knew of a hoard of 987 medieval coins which had been discovered there in 1972. For five years Roger carried on his hobby finding the usual everyday items such as musket balls, buttons, rings and various other items. On Saturday 22nd September 1990 Roger had two hours to kill before it went dark and so decided to go to a nearby field. A medieval trackway ran about 50 yards away and as the field was shortly to be developed, Roger felt it was worth 'one last go'. Almost as soon as he started detecting Roger picked up a massive signal but thought his detector had gone out of tune. He retuned the machine and moved on. After an hour or so he'd found nowt but junk and found himself over the massive signal again. This time he decided to dig the signal, it was going dark and he didn't have time for more detecting anyway. Six inches down he encountered hard cracked clay and carefully removed two blocks. He removed more earth and bits of pottery then found two medieval groats. Pulling away at the pottery in the hole revealed masses of coins stacked vertically in concentric circles at the botom of the hole. It was a medieval coin hoard. By 10.45 pm that night Roger had a heavy bucketful of medieval coins, silver and gold, containing about 2500 coins! Roger and the local archaeologist spent all the next day digging and checking the hole. In all they retrieved 6,701 coins, 135 gold and the rest silver. The hoard dated from 1272 to 1455 (as did the 1972 hoard) and contained gold nobles, half-nobles and quarters and silver groats, half-groats and pennies. It is the largest post-1351 UK hoard on record. One coin, a Henry 6th Leaf Trefoil half-noble, was previously unrecorded. Also in the hoard were 10 French gold saluts, 21 Scottish silver coins and 6 other non-English issues.

Source:

http://www.whites.co.uk/component/story/title/the-reigate-hoard.html

 

Edward I (1272-1307), Penny, 1.15g., 2nd Coinage, Dublin mint, (S.6246-6253), poor

Ex: Llanddona Hoard cf.

http://yorkcoins.com/llanddona_hoard.htm   for more info.

2011.05.16

Elizabeth I (1558-1603)

AR Shilling (31 mm, 5.37g) Second Issue 1560-1561, Tower mint, m.m. Martlet, bust 3C


S. 2555 v


O: ELIZABETH DG ANG FRA ET HIB REGINA crowned bust left


R: POSVI DEV. ADIVTOREM MEV. large cross over COA



Elizabeth I 1558-1603

AR Half Groat, 16 mm 1.03 g. fifth issue, c. 1590-1592 mm hand

S. 2579

O: E.D.G. ROSA SINE SPINA, crowned bust left, two pellets behind
R: CIVITAS LONDON, shield on long cross fourchée

John Lackland (1199-1216), Short Cross Cut Half Penny, 0.59g., class 5b (1205- Ricard B - London), S. 1351

Greece/Seleucid; Antiochus VI Dionysus BCE 144-142

AE 18 mm, 3.51 g., Marisa (Maresha) mint

SC 2028.1, SNG Spaer 2112v, CSE 830, Babelon 700

O: laureate hd of Apollo r., hair knotted at back, wavy locks escaping down neck, dotted border.

R: ΒΑΣΙΛΕΩΣ on r., ANTIOXOY on l., Tyche stg r., in profile, extending r. hand with phiale(?) and holding cornucopiae over shoulder, dotted border.

Controls (inner l.):
H
Δ
Λ
M

NOTE: This coin was never received from the dealer who posted it REGISTERED on August 28, 2009 through Deutsche Post, it was received by the USPS on August 29, 2009 and never received by me, it was lost (which is difficult to believe) or stolen though it appears only after it entered the USPS stream where it is supposed to be under "lock and key" as Registered mail. If you come across this coin, please contact me at yofijr@hotmail.com.

Two Coins from the Blackmoor Hoard (UK 1873) Robertson #914

Tetricus I (CE 270-274) AE Antoninianus, 20 mm, 2.77 g, Mainz or Trier mint CE 273-4

RCV 11237, RIC 80, C. 54, Hunter 16.

O: IMP TETRICVS PF AVG, rad, cuir bust r.
R: HILARITAS AVGG, Hilaritas stg l., holding long palm and cornucopiae.

Quintillus (CE 270) AE Antoninianus, 19 x 17 mm, 1.57 g, Rome mint.

RCV 11456, RIC 35, C. 73, Hunter 22.

O: IMP C M AVR CL QVINTILLVS AVG, rad, cuir, draped bust r.
R: VIRTVS AVG/ B in field, Mars or Virtus stg l, resting on shield and spear, officina mark in field.

In the Blackmoor Hoard, 34% of the 29,788 coins found consisted of issues of Tetricus I, and 0.0063% of the coins found consisted of issues of Quintillus. (10,195 Tetricus issues found vs 188 Quintillus issues).

ON A HOARD OF ROMAN COINS FOUND AT BLACKMOOR, HANTS. by Selborne

On the 30th October, 1873, two earthenware vases (I suppose "ollse"), containing altogether, as counted by me, 29,802 coins, and which must have originally contained a still larger number, were dug up in Blackmoor Park. The spot where they were found is in the parish of Selborne, half-way between Alton and Petersfield, on the western border of Woolmer Forest, about a quarter of a mile N.W. of Woolmer Pond, and close to the point where the Gault clay, which lies below the hills connecting the North with the South Downs, joins the Lower Green sand of the forest. Within a mile of the same spot, in another part of Woolmer Forest, a considerable number of broken swords and spear-heads, &c. (all of bronze) were found one or two years before ; and at the latter place, a year afterwards, about one hundred coins of the Tetrici and Victorinus, with a few of Gallienus, were also found. In the grounds of Blackmoor House many fragments of Roman pottery, with some entire and some broken sepulchral and other vases, and a bronze enamelled cup, with bronze and iron axe-heads, and other articles in metal, have also lately been found ; and in the last century large numbers of Roman coins, of Commodus and earlier emperors, were found in the bed of Woolmer Pond ; where a few, of the same period, have also been picked up within the present century.
The two pots, in which the 29,802 coins were found, were both of the same size and form : pear-shaped, rather more than a foot high, with a maximum diameter of about a foot. The exterior ornamentation (which was slight and simple) was not the same in both. The upper parts were broken, and the lids or covers were missing. The coins in them were closely packed, and caked together with dirt and verdigris ; so as to make it necessary to have those specimens which were worthy of special attention and study {the best of which are now collected in a cabinet at Blackmoor) cleaned.
from the NUMISMATIC CHRONICLE 1877, pp.90+
The Blackmoor hoard consisted of 29,773 coins dating to around AD 296. A battle in that year, probably at Woolmer, saw the troops under Emperor Constantius Chlorus defeat the army of the usurper Allectus to retake control of Britain. The hoard may have been the paychest for Allectus's troops abandoned after their defeat.

According to Robertson’s Inventory (pp.223-224):

“In 1975, the 4th Earl of Selborne decided to sell what he still had left of the hoard. Before it was auctioned by Messrs. Christie on 9 December 1975 he generously lent it to the British Museum to study for some four months and presented a selection of coins from the hoard to the Museum. Although by 1975 the find had been considerably depleted from its original total through the practice of its successive owners of making gifts from it on various occasions, there were still over 22,000 examples to be recorded. Another problem was that only about a third of the coins had been cleaned at the time of the discovery, and since the uncleaned coins were covered with a thick deposit which made them very difficult to identify it was necessary to clean them all before any work could be carried out on them….”


from Abdy, R. Romano-British Coin Hoards p. 3 ( Shire 2002)

Greece/Seleucid; Antiochus III BCE 223-187

AE 21 mm, 8.92 g, 21 mm, 11h, Uncertain Mint 59, Military mint in Coele Syria, Producing Elephant bronzes during the Fifth Syrian War, From BCE 202-198

SC 1084e, ESM 656, SNG Spaer 819-821

O: Laureate hd r. of Antiochus III as Apollo, dotted border.
R: BAΣIΛΕΩΣ above, ANTIOXOY below, Elephant r. with mahout, dotted. border.

Symbol to l: tripod
Controls under Elephant’s belly: Obliterated by c/m.
Countermarks: Horse Hd in rectangular punch under elephant’s belly, Anchor in rectangular punch usually above elephant’s hindquarters.


Cf. SC I, pp. 411-412 for additional information.

According to SC I, Appendix 2, pp. 66-68, "The...bronzes were apparently countermarked first with a horse head, and later with an anchor, to make them "equivalent" to later issues of similar type that had these symbols in the die. The countermarking was probably an aspect of currency regulation by the military: The Seleucid army needed to impose the use of this fiduciary coinage on the population of Ptolemaic Coele Syria during the Fifth Syrian War in order to ensure provisions for its troops." (p. 66)

Greece/Seleucid; Antiochus IV Epiphanes BCE 175-164

AR Drachm, 17 mm, 4.06 g., Ecbatana mint

SC 1548, Babelon 520, CSE 1213-1214, LeRider Suse p. 330, B20, pl. lxiv, 7-8.

O: diademed hd of Antiochus IV r., with older features, thin diadem ends waving in parallel behind, dotted border.

R: [BAΣ]ΙΛΕΩ[Σ] on r., ANTIOXOY on l., Apollo std l., on omphalos, testing arrow and resting hand on grounded bow. Die defect over BAΣ.

Mintmark: horse’s head (outer l.)

Control in ex: ΔK

Tantalus ID#35513

Greece/Seleucid; Seleucus IV Philopator BCE 187-175

AR Drachm, 16 x 18 mm, 4.1 g., Ξ/AP mint, in Northern Media or Hyrcania

SC 1361.3, CSE 1198 (same obv. die), LeRider Suse p. 326, B6, pl. lxii, 1; SNG Spaer 947-948.

O: diademed hd of Seleucus IV r., older portrait with large hd of coarse style, short diadem ends curving downward and behind.

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

Primary control: Ξ/AP (inner l.)

Secondary controls: on outer l., and outer r.

Tantalus ID#35514

Greece/Seleucid; Philip I Philadelphus BCE c. 95/4-perhaps 76/5

AR Tetradrachm, 25 mm, 14.58g., Antioch or another Eastern mint, lifetime of Philip or posthumous.

SC 2464c

O: diademed hd of Philip I r., with bulging eyes and pouting lips, and an especially pronounced aquiline nose. diadem ends falling straight behind, fillet border.

R: Zeus std l., holding Nike and sceptre, laurel wreath border. [ΒΑ]ΣΙΛΕΩ[Σ] ΦΙΛΙΠΠO[Y] in two lines on the r., ΕΠΙΦAΝΟΥΣ ΦΙΛΑΔΕΛΦO[Y] in two lines on l.

Primary Control: T in ex.
Frozen control under throne.

cf. SC II pp. 604-605 for further info on this type.

Tantalus ID#35515

Greece/Seleucid; Antiochus IX Cyzicenus BCE 114/3-95

AE 18 mm, 6.0 g, Antioch mint, BCE 113-112/SE 200

SC 2364.2b

O: diad hd of Antiochus IX r, with short curly beard, one diad end waving up behind, the other falling forward over shoulder, dotted border.

R: ΒΑΣΙΛΕΩΣ ANTIOXOY in two lines on r., ΦIΛOΠATOPOΣ on l., winged thunderbolt placed vertically.

Dated: Σ= SE 200 inner bottom left.

Controls: N with line above.
Symbol: aphlaston

Roman Egypt, Vespasian CE 69-79

AE Hemidrachm, 28.9 mm, 12.297 g, Alexandria mint, LA= July CE 69-August CE 69

Dattari 396 (this coin), Geissen 271, BMC Alexandria p. 32, 269; Emmett 211 (R4)

obverse AΥΤ TIT ΦΛΑΥΙ OΥEΣΠΑΣΙΑΝ KAIΣ, laureate head right, date L A (year 1) before;

reverse bust of Nilus right, wreathed with papyrus, cornucopia on left shoulder


EX: Giovanni Dattari (1853-1923) Collection author of Numi Augg. Alexandrini. (Cairo, 1901)

Ex: Colisseum Coin Exchange

Ex: Forum Ancient Coins