cf. Royal Mint unveils 5th Coin Portrait 2 March 2015
20150307
Great Britain/Elizabeth II CE 1952-2022 Bullion Coinage/ and news re New Coin Portrait starting later in 2015
cf. Royal Mint unveils 5th Coin Portrait 2 March 2015
20150222
A Comment on the importance of Provenance with a good Provenance
"Far too little attention has hitherto been bestowed upon the
provenance of ancient coins. The intervention of the coin dealer between the
finder and the purchaser is often quite sufficient to obscure or obliterate
entirely all evidence of provenance. Coin collectors have also been too often
oblivious of the scientific importance of placing on record the sources of
their acquisitions."
Numismatic Chronicle 1906, page 3
This quote was written nearly 110 years ago and the comment is as timely now as it was then. I maintain the provenance of each and every item I acquire whether a pedestrian example of a common coin or a more important example, and on some pieces have even reconstructed the provenance when possible (cf. Bar Kochba Zuz for example or CSE 514 both of which were sold without provenance).
When it comes to selling these coins one day each will be provided at a minimum with the source of my acquisition, and more information if possible as some dealers are kind and conscientious enough to provide the info when asked.
Obviously, I cannot control what a future caretaker does with this information but it will be provided and perhaps those who have a concern for posterity will continue the chain of transmissions that began with some of these coins as far back as the early 19th century (cf. Aurangzeb or the Tragilos piece from the Weber Collection as such examples).
GREECE/Seleucid; Seleucus II Callinicus BCE 246-226
AE 17 mm, 3.44 g, 12h, Sardes
mint, before c. 242 BCE
SC 660.5a
WSM 1661
HSC 345
O: hd of Athena r. in
crested Attic helmet dotted border
R: BAΣIΛEΩΣ on r., ΣEΛEYKOY on l., Apollo stg l., testing arrow
and resting l. hand on grounded bow. Primary controls outer l and secondary
outer r.
Ex: D. Alighieri Collection
GREECE/Seleucid; Seleucus I Nikator BCE 312-281
AE 13 mm, 2.41 g, 12h, Susa
mint?, late 280’s BCE
SC 192 type
HSC 107
O: winged hd of Medusa r.
R: BAΣIΛEΩΣ above, ΣEΛEYKOY below, bull butting r.
Ex: D. Alighieri Collection
20150221
USA/Barber Quarter CE 1892-1916, a buried single find
KM #114
In 1984, I was helping a friend remove a stump from his backyard and while washing off some of the roots that had been about 2-4"(5-10cm) below grade so we could remove them, I noticed a glint in the sunshine. We stopped our work momentarily and washed off what turned out to be a 1915 quarter that based upon wear likely circulated for some time before being lost at the base of his old oak. The property where the coin was found had a house on it that dated from 1848 so it was possibly lost by someone who lived there in the late 1920's or 30's perhaps. My friend told me to keep the piece and I've had it these thirty years as a memento from that day and the oldest coin I've found on purpose or by accident in the USA. The patina is much nicer in hand and is as found.
Saudi Arabia/King Khaled خالد بن عبد العزيز CE 1975-1982
CuNi (30mm. 10g) 100 Halala/1 Rial AH 1396/CE 1976 mintage 250,000
KM #52
O: crossed swords and palm tree at center, above Khaled bin 'Abdul'aziz as-Sa'ud. below: Malik al-Mamlakah al-'Arabiyyah as-Sa'udiyyah
R: legend avove inscription in circle dividing value. above: ma'ah halalah center circle riyal wahid
INDO-SCYTHIAN/Azes II c. BCE 58-12
O: BAΣIΛEΩΣ BAΣIΛEΩN MEΓAΛOY/AZOY; King mounted on horse r
holding whip, Kharoshthi letter “bu” at right field.
R: Zeus stg l, holding Nike aloft in outstretched r hand,
holding scepter in l., Nike holding a diadem, monogram at l, Kharoshthi ltr “stra”
r. topped with Greek B, Kharoshthi legend around maharajasa rajarajasa mahatasa/Ayasa
INDIA/Kushans; Vima Kadphises c. CE 113-127
AE 28 mm (Tetradrachm or unit), 16.4 g, 11h
Göbl 762 type
O: King stg facing
sacrificing at fire altar at left, club and tamgha in right field and axehd
shafted trident in left field. [BACIΛEYC BACIΛEWN CW]THP MEΓAC OOHMO KA[ΔΦICHC]
R: Shiva stg facing holding trident and deerskin, bull Nandi
stg behind to right. Kharoshti legend; Maharajasa rajadirajasa sarvaloga
isvarasa mahisvarasa Vima Kathphishasa tratara
INDIA/Kushans; Huvishka c. CE 151-190
AE 25mm (Tetradrachm or unit), 15.14 g, 12h
Göbl 881 type
O: King riding elephant to right, holding elephant goad. Bactrian
legend around:
“King of Kings Huvishka Kushan”
R: Athsho, God of metals and fire stg l. Bactrian legend to
right, tamgha in field to left.
INDIA/Kushans; Vasudeva I c. CE 190-230
Göbl 1004 type
O: Crowned diad king stg facing nimbate, holding trident and
sacrificings at altar to left.
Second trident above altar, Bactrian legend around: “King of
Kings Bazodeo Kushan” nandipada in r. field.
R: two armed Shiva stg facing holding trident and diadem,
bull Nandi stg l behind, Bactrian legend left but not legible on this example. Tamgha
at right.
20150218
ISLAMIC/Seljuq of Rum; Kaykhushru II (غياث الدين كيخسرو بن كيقباد) CE 1236-1245
AR Dirham; 22 mm, 2.93 g, 12h, Sivas mint, AH 639/CE
1241-1242
Album 1218
O: الامام المستنصربالله اميرالمؤمنين
al-Imam al-Mustansir billah Amir al-Mu’minin, sun face, lion and stars
al-Imam al-Mustansir billah Amir al-Mu’minin, sun face, lion and stars
“the Imam al-Mustansir billah, Commander of the Faithful”
Mustansir ruled from CE 1226-1242.
R: السلطان \ الاعظم \ كيخشرو \ بن كيقبد
in field as-Sultan/al-a’zam/Kaykhushraw/bin Kayqubad
in field as-Sultan/al-a’zam/Kaykhushraw/bin Kayqubad
“The Greatest Sultan Kaykhushraw b. Kayqubad”
ضرب هذا الدرهم \ سوس في \ سنة تسع \ وثلثين و ستمائة
Around outside of square duriba hadha’d-dirham/ Siwas
fi/sana tis’a/wa-thalathin wa-sittamia’a
“This dirham was struck at Sivas
For information on the Sun & Lion depiction please refer
to the following web page:
accessed from http://kids.britannica.com/eb/art-677/Rum-Seljuq-sultanate 18 Feb 2015
20150215
RUSSIA/Peter I, "the Great" CE 1689-1725
For info on the full inscription please refer to http://www.calgarycoin.com/reference/peterwiremoney/peterwiremoney.htm
The name "PET[R]" can easily be read in the third line.
The full inscription states in English "Tsar and Great Prince Petr Alekseevich of all the Russias"
(Tsar i Velikii Knyaz' Petr Alekseevich V'sey Rossii)
RUSSIA/Three Five Kopeck pieces of Catherine II CE 1762-1796
all large coppers 40-42mm in diameter and each exceeds 50 g in weight. and about 4-5mm in thickness.
each was minted at the Yekaterinberg mint designated by the mm of EM on the obs. and has the accompanying denomination inscribed as ПЯТЬ КОПѢЕКЬ under the imperial eagle.
The initials of Catherine appear in the center of a wreath with the date of the coin to the right and left.
each was minted at the Yekaterinberg mint designated by the mm of EM on the obs. and has the accompanying denomination inscribed as ПЯТЬ КОПѢЕКЬ under the imperial eagle.
The initials of Catherine appear in the center of a wreath with the date of the coin to the right and left.
1769 42mm C 59.3
1777 42 mm C 59.3
1780 40mm C 59.3
according to the dealer who sold these pieces, they came from a hoard found outside St. Petersburg but no further details were provided as to the date of the find or that it consisted of anything other than 5k pieces.
20150214
Five Centenionali of Theodosius I CE 379-395
All Obs inscribed DN THEODO-SIVS PF AVG unless otherwise
described
All Rev inscribed CONCOR-DIA AVGGG unless otherwise
described
AE 18 mm, 2.6 g, 6h, Nicomedia
mint c. CE 379-383
CHK 2366
RIC IX 31b (S)
RCV 20527
O: diad draped cuir
bust r
R: Constantinopolis
turreted, std facing hd r, holding
scepter and cornucopiae with rt foot on prow
Palms in field to right and left
mm in ex. SMNΓ
AE 18 mm, 2.39 g, 11 h, Constantinople
mint, c. CE 379-383
CHK 2128 v
RIC IX 57d
RCV 20531
O: as previous
R: as previous except Constantinopolis is helmeted.
O in left field
mm in ex. CONSA
AE 18 mm, 2.48 g, 6 h, Constantinople
mint, c. CE 379-383
CHK 2128 v
RIC IX 57d
RCV 20531
O: as previous
R: as previous except Constantinopolis is helmeted.
O in left field
mm in ex. CONSB
AE 16 x 19 mm, 2.83 g, 6 h, Alexandria mint, c. CE 379-383
CHK 2872-2873
RIC IX 11 (S)
RCV 20535
O: as previous
R: as previous except Constantinopolis is helmeted.
mm in ex. ALEΓ
AE 17 mm, 2.6 g, 5 h, NM, c. CE 379-383
RCV 20529-20535var
O: DN TNEODO-SIVS PF AVG
R: as previous except Constantinopolis is helmeted.
mm in ex. indeterminate
20150213
Cilician Armenia/Hetoum I CE 1226-1270
AE Kardez 26 mm, 4.01 g, Sis mint
CCA 1365 type
O: ՀԵԹՈՒՄ ԹԱԳԱՒՈՐ ՀԱՅՈՑ
Hetoum King of the Armenians, rider on horseback to the right
R: ՇԻՆԵԱԼ Ի ՔԱՂԱՔՆ Ի ՍԻՍ
R: ՇԻՆԵԱԼ Ի ՔԱՂԱՔՆ Ի ՍԻՍ
Struck in the City of Sis, large cross in center with stars in each quadrant
20150208
ROMAN Provincial; Moesia Inferior; Nicopolis ad Istrum, Septimius Severus CE 193-211--depiction of Aesculapius
AMNG 1382 variety ICTPΩ
O: [------CEYH]POC, laur. hd rt.
R: NIKOΠOΛIT ΠPOC ICTP, Aesculapius stg facing hd left holding caduceus
ROMAN/Gordian III CE 238-244 Fortuna Redux with anchor?
AR Antoninianus, 26 mm, 4.02 g, 6h, Antioch Mint CE 243-244
slightly double struck obs on oversized flan,
slightly double struck obs on oversized flan,
RCV 8613
RSC 98a
RIC 210
RSC 98a
RIC 210
O: IMP GORDIANVS PIVS FEL AVG
R: FORTVNA REDVX, Fortuna std l, holding cornucopia in her left arm and an anchor with her right hand.
It should be noted that what has been described in all the sources related to this particular depiction is that Fortuna is holding a rudder as she had been depicted in the past. In this particular coin it is clear that she is holding what appears to be an anchor. A Seleucid style anchor at that. Maybe due to the fact that the Emperor and his army relieved Antioch from a Persian threat, the anchor symbol so long associated with the history of the region was utilized at this time to specify that the returning good fortune is specifically Antioch's?
Note the detail on the rudder as depicted in this photo obtained from the net of a denarius of Geta. Either the celator was just taking a short cut in his depiction or in fact he was depicting an old symbol familiar to the region.
It should be noted that what has been described in all the sources related to this particular depiction is that Fortuna is holding a rudder as she had been depicted in the past. In this particular coin it is clear that she is holding what appears to be an anchor. A Seleucid style anchor at that. Maybe due to the fact that the Emperor and his army relieved Antioch from a Persian threat, the anchor symbol so long associated with the history of the region was utilized at this time to specify that the returning good fortune is specifically Antioch's?
Note the detail on the rudder as depicted in this photo obtained from the net of a denarius of Geta. Either the celator was just taking a short cut in his depiction or in fact he was depicting an old symbol familiar to the region.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)