Greece/Seleucid; Seleucus I Nicator BCE 312-281

AE 21 mm, 8.82 g, Antioch mint, circa BCE 300-295


O: laureate hd of Apollo r, with wavy locks on back of neck, dotted border.

R: BAΣΙΛΕΩ[Σ on r., ΣEΛEYK[OY] on l., Athena Promachos in Corinthian helmet stg r., brandishing spear and shield, dotted border. Seleucid symbol, inner right, Anchor, flukes upward.

SC 15.1, SNG Spaer 3-5 v, CSE 1, 2 v., CSE 2, 8 v., WSM 911

Greece/Seleucid; Demetrius I Soter BCE 162-150

AE 24 mm serrate (3 mm thick), 14.37 g,  Antioch mint.


SC 1644, HSC 821 (S)
O: laureate hd of Apollo r, hair twisted in long plait on back of neck. Dotted border

R: ΒΑΣΙΛΕΩΣ on r., ΔHMHTPIOY on l., tripod

Controls: none

Greece/Seleucid; Demetrius I Soter BCE 162-150

AE 24 mm serrate (6 mm thick), 18.01 g, Perhaps Antioch mint.

SC 1648 variety unlisted without controls

O: laureate hd of Apollo r, hair flowing down back of neck. Dotted border
R: ΒΑΣΙΛΕΩΣ on r., ΔHMHTPIOY on l., tripod

Controls: none

Greece/Pontos; Amisos, Time of Mithradates VI Eupator BCE 120-63

AE 25mm, 13.46 g c. BCE 115-c. 89/88

BMC 13. 18, 61, Sear 3639

O: Mithradates as Perseus wearing a Phrygian helmet

R: Pegasus grazing l. AMIΣOY and two monograms below.

Pegasus was apparently utilized as a symbol on Mithradatic coinage until about BCE 89/88 when the stag became the prominent symbol.

http://press.princeton.edu/titles/8977.html            This book is an interesting and even fun read if one overlooks the minor editorial errors that ultimately do not detract from the well told story unless you take them too seriously.

Greece/Seleucid; Alexander I Balas BCE 152-145

AR Drachm, 18 mm, 3.59g, Antioch mint, BCE 149/8-148/7

SC 1785.5b, CSE 185, SMA 173

O: Diademed hd of Alexander I r., clean shaven or with sideburn, diadem ends falling straight behind, dotted border.
R: ΒΑΣΙΛΕΩΣ ΑΛΕΞΑΝΔΡΟΥ in two lines on r., ΘΕΟΠATOPOΣ EYEPΓETOY in two lines on l., Apollo std l., on omphalos, testing arrow and resting hand on grounded bow.

Primary control outer left, secondary in ex.
EX: FSR MBS 82 #109 (13-09-2011)

Ancient Coins and the Cultural Property Debate; another installment

http://numismatics.org/wikiuploads/DigitalPublications/WitschonkeTompaFinal.pdf

Greece/Seleucid; Antiochus XII c. BCE 87/6-84/3 Two Bronzes

AE 19 mm, 7.29 g, 12h, Damascus mint c. BCE 85/4-84/3


SC 2478

O: diad and draped bust of Ant XII r with short curly beard, diad ends falling straight behind, dotted border.
R: BACΙΛΕΩC ANTIOXOV EΠIΦANOVC on right ΦΙΛΟΠΑΤΟΡΟC KAΛΛINIKOV on left, Zeus stg l holding Nike and sceptre, dotted border. Contol in outer left.



AE 19 mm, 6.73 g, 12h, Damascus mint c. BCE 83/2

SC 2481


O: diad and draped bust of Ant XII r with short curly beard, diad ends falling straight behind, dotted border.
R: BACΙΛΕΩC ANTIOXOV ΔIONVCΟV on right EΠIΦANOVC ΦΙΛΟΠΑΤΟΡΟC KAΛΛINIKOV on left, Zeus stg l holding Nike and sceptre, dotted border. Contol in ex.

Dealers and Collector Arrested in Smuggling Antiquities

http://www.justice.gov/usao/nye/pr/2011/2011jul14.html

No commentary needed. Two of the dealers you may recognize from Vcoins. Their Vcoins shops are closed.  I don't think selling coins at the present time is their chief concern.

Greece/Calabria; Tarentum c. BCE 315-302

AR Nomos, 20 mm, 7.77 g, 4h

Vlasto 605

 O: Nude warrior on horseback right, holding round shield and two lances in left hand, spear pointed downwards in right; ΣA below


R: TAPAΣ right, Taras astride dolphin left, holding kantharos in extended right hand, trident over left shoulder; AP monogram before; dolphin left below, dot in center left field.



Ex: Tom McAfee dba Tom’s Coins (FL) July 1979


Ex: James Lovette Collection with ANACS Certification #E-0698-D (11-28-1979)

Greece/Seleucid; Antiochus II Theos BCE 261-246

AE 17.5 mm, 3.49 g, Sardes mint c. BCE 261-250 per Newell


SC 520.4a, WSM 1389


O: laur hd of Apollo r. with short curly hair


R: BAΣIΛEΩΣ on r., ANTIOXOY on l., tripod standing on symbol in this case anchor with flukes to left.


Primary control: off flan but P is partially seen on far left.


Secondary control: M I Λ outer r

3,000 Roman 3rd Century coins found in Montgomery field

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-mid-wales-14307381

ROMAN/Vespasian CE 69-79 Ex: North Suffolk Hoard (UK) 2009

AR Denarius, 18 mm, 3.2 g Rome mint CE 70-71

RIC 46, RCV 2312, RSC 561


O: [IMP] CAES VESP AVG PM, laur bust r.


R: TRI POT, Vesta std l. holding simpulum.

Ex: North Suffolk Hoard (UK), 2009 PAS SF-413CE5 (deposit sometime after CE 83)


http://finds.org.uk/database/artefacts/record/id/255180

Coin #201


http://www.edp24.co.uk/news/roman_coin_hoard_found_in_north_suffolk_to_be_auctioned_1_818458



Ex: Morton & Eden Auction 49 (9 June 2011) portion of lot 348


“This hoard of 206 Roman silver coins was discovered by metal detector users John Halles and Norman Howard in April and May 2009. The coins appear to have been concealed in a small pit in the ground with no evidence of a container present. The earliest coins date to the 2nd century BC and the latest to the reign of Domitian, around AD 82-83. Of special interest are denarii of the Imperatorial period including issues of Pompey, Julius Caesar and Mark Antony as well as Imperial denarii of Augustus, Caligula, Claudius, Nero and the emperors of the Civil War of AD 68-69, Galba, Otho and Vitellius.

Nine coins have been purchased by the British Museum and the remainder are offered here. A synopsis of the hoard has been published in the 2010 edition of The Numismatic Chronicle, p. 409 no. 8. The coins are mainly offered in the condition in which they were discovered although some of the better preserved examples have been lightly cleaned to remove encrustation. All coins are identified in paper envelopes.” – from the Auction catalogue

Greece/Macedon; Alexander III BCE 336-323 (Posthumous)

AR Drachm, 18 mm, 4.2 g, 12h, Magnesia ad Meandrum mint c. BCE 282-225


Price 2009, Müller 1130

O: Hd of young Herakles r in lion skin hddress, 5 mm test cut diag at one o’clock

R: [A]ΛEΞANΔPOY on r, Zeus enthroned l., holding eagle and scepter .
Meander in ex, control to outer l field.

Greece/Seleucid; Seleucus I Nicator BCE 312-281

AR Drachm, 17mm, 3.96 g, 11h, Seleucia II mint c. BCE 296-295



SC 140.3 , HSC 29g (R1 though more likely an R2 due to ltd sources), ESM----

O: Hd of young Herakles r in lion skin hddress, dotted border

R: [Σ]EΛEYKOY on r, Zeus enthroned l., holding eagle and scepter, dotted border. Anchor with inverted flukes to outer left. Controls: Θ before Zeus’ legs and monogram under throne.

Roman Egypt; Numerian, as Caesar CE 282-283

Potin Tetradrachm; 19 mm, 7.62 g, 12h, Yr. 2=CE CE 282-283


RCV 12272, Emmett 4013 (4)

O: laur, dr bust r., A K M A NOVMЄPIANOC KC


R: L B, Athena std l on throne , holds Nike and spear

Roman/Diocletian CE 284-305

AE Follis, 10.01 g, 26 mm, 6 h, London mint c. CE 300-305

RIC VI, 6a, RCV 12760 var.


O: laur, cuir bust r. IMP C DIOCLETIANVS PF AVG
R: Genius stg l holding cornucopia and patera, [GENI]O P[O-]P ROMANI (visible but lightly struck and gouge in Genius’ midriff)

Ex: A.G. & S. Gillis, S. Yorkshire, England, purchased by Vogelaar 14 August 1992 for ₤ 11

Ex: J.S. Vogelaar (1949-2010) Collection #635


Ex: CNG EA 204 (11 Feb 2009) lot 295.2

Ex: Warren Esty (MT)



Greek/Seleucid; Antiochus VII Sidetes BCE 138-129

AR Drachm, 18 mm, 3.97 g, Uncertain Mint 103, probably in Syria (though the celator for the reverse die appears to have a relationship of some sort with Cilicia and Antioch proper due to similarities noted in other coins from those locations).


SC 2082.2 variety, SNG Spaer 1991 variety, CSE 2.609 (obs die match with this example), HSC 1080e (R3) variety. Unpublished. Upper control is clearly different from published examples. 


O: diad. Hd of king r.

R: Nike adv. L holding wreath and palm branch. Control marks on outer left. [BA]ΣIΛΕΩΣ [A]NTIOXOY in two lines on right, [E]YE-PΓETOY on left

ex: HJ Berk stock

This is an example of the same coin from the same dies that was recently offered at auction by Roma Numismatics Ltd, E-Sale 5, lot 447 (8 Feb 2014) estimate was 30 GBP and it realized 110 GBP. 3.79 g, 18mm, 12h. This example was misidentified in the auction description.

David Hendin's Excavation Blog

http://www.davidhendin.blogspot.com/