Alphabetic Ancients Game.

This one is an early Celtic half calco from CADIZ, Spain:

GADIR-GADES, CADIZ. 3rd C. BC. Half Calco. AE19, 3.15 g.

Obv. Head of Herakles facing
Rev. Two tunnies (tuna) r. X counterstamp.

Ref. VILL-85.26. I-1338. V-21.9-23. Alf. 653, the same issue Sánchez C. MBC. Scarce. Ex-HSA 10440.

I would love to hear any opinions on who may have been responsible for the counterstamp. I have been advised it may be Visigothic, but others have rejected that theory. Maybe VK might know?

Constantius II (A.D. 337-361)
AE Follis, A.D. 350-355, Antioch, 24.2mm, 5.83g, 165°, RIC VIII 132.
Obv: D N CONSTANTIVS P F AVG. Pearl-diademed, draped and cuirassed bust right.
Rev: FEL TEMP REPARATIO. Soldier spearing fallen horseman; Î" in left field, ANZ in ex.

Germanicus struck under Caligula

Sorry for the link, have no time to shrink photos.
http://www.tantaluscoins.com/coins/107014.php
Bronze As
GERMANICVS CAESAR TI AVG F DIVI AVG N - Bare head left
C CAESAR DIVI AVG PRON AVG P M TR P IIII P P - around large SC
(40-41AD)
Wt./Size/Axis: 8.53g / 28mm / -

Caracalla, 198-217A.D. Stobi, Macedonia. AE23, BMC 16, S -, AMNG -, SNG Cop, SNG ANS -. 6.14g, 23mm, 211 - 217 A.D.

Obv. ANTONINVS PIVS AVGV, laureate head right.
Rev. MVNICS-TOBE, Nike advancing right holding wreath and palm over shoulder.

Scarce.



Unfortunately this one went on to develop bronze disease. It's in the end stages of treatment, but much of the green patina is lost. It still has a nice chocolate brown patina intact, which lay beneath. I like the reverse Victory.

Using the English version of the name of the ruler, here is one of the standard coins of the middle ages, the "Prager Groschen":




Gros of Charles I of Bohemia (1346-1378), also Holy Roma Emperor (1355-1378) minted in Kuttenberg (Kutna Hora)

Obverse: +DEI:GRATIA REX:BOEMIE around +KAROLVS.PRIMVS around royal crown
Reverse: *+*GROSSI PRAGENSES around Bohemian lion left

Bohemia was a kingdom just outside the territory of the Holy Roman Empire and was more or less what the Czech Republic is now:



The Bohemian crown together with the Hungarian crown gave the Austrian Archdukes the right to claim the title Emperor some time later.
Kuttenberg (Kutna Hora on the map) was a mining town where the silver was mined and the coins were minted, but were named after the capital city Prague (Praha on the map).

On a lighter note:
Prague was the first place where people could get an academic degree in beer brewing and the style of beer from Pilsen ('P l z e n' on the map) is quite famous. [Auto correct doesn't like the first 3 chars of the Czech name of Pilsen. ]

Btw, trying to stay away from Roman/Byzantine coins to reduce the competition, but where are the Byzantine Constantines and where is Carausius.

OK a little early, but I have to go to bed.
Posted Germanicus struck under Caligula, now for the boy himself.
http://www.tantaluscoins.com/coins/107012.php
Bronze As
C CAESAR AVG GERMANICVS PON M TR POT - Bare head left
VESTA above, S C across field, - Vesta seated left, holding patera and sceptre.
Mint: Rome (37-38AD)
Wt./Size 9.42g / 28mm

Cavallo from L'Aquila by Charles VIII of France (1483-1498)

Obverse: KROLVS.D.'K'.G.REX.FRR around coat of arms
Reverse: CIVITAS*AQVILANA around cross with rays, eagle below

Ok just one more C for me. The ill-fated son of Constantine who was his favorite before Constantine ordered him (and Crispus' step mother, Constantine's wife) put to death for still undetermined reasons.



A bronze coin of Crispus minted between 321-322 AD in London.

Obverse: Crispus as a young Caesar (junior emperor) wearing a crested helmet and full armor, with the inscription CRISPVS NOBIL C = "Crispus, Most Noble Caesar".

Reverse: an altar, drawn with the ancients' best attempt at perspective, with a globe on top. The altar is inscribed VOTIS XX = "Vows for 20 years' rule", and the inscription around the edge of the coin is BEATA TRANQVILLITAS = "Beautiful Tranquility".

Attribution: RIC 7 London 230