My First Animal On A Coin.

Thanks Jim, I found the extracts you posted most interesting..
We also have to remember these were not African lions taken from the savanna, although some probably were, but the European lion that was indigenous to the eastern and southern regions of modern day Europe. It disappeared from Macedonia around the first century AD, Thrace 2nd century AD and in Thessaly it hung on until around the 4th century AD....

That's a great looking coin Jim
Lovely portrait and super detail on the reverse.
Good detective work too...
I did find this one (AE19 5.67gr) that the seller has as SNG France 1576?
No where near as nice as the op!

Thanks, Paul. It looks like you did a good bit of detective work yourself, as I didn't see the SNG France 1576 reference.

Both SNG France 1576 and RPC I, 3512 seem to cover all the date variations. RPC I, 3512a starts with an A in the left field and the coin date marks run up to RPC I, 3512t with ΚΑ in the left field.

The coin you posted definitely has the Θ date mark too, but it is not included in the above series. There is a variant with the Θ and a palm branch in the right field, and another with the ΘI date mark, but there is not one in the list with Θ on it's own! Another bit of a mystery. I think I'll submit the images of the coin to the university web site and see what they make of it.

Thanks again for posting your findings, and it's nice to both both references.

The St.George coin posted by january1may reminded me of the very first "coin" that inspire my interest in the hobby. I put the word 'coin' in quotes because I believe it's a religious medal based on a Georgstaler.

I found this in a neighbor's yard while playing a kid's game of some sort. Knights on horseback slaying dragons. It fired my young imagine and spurred my interest in coin collecting. 24.5mm round...but a thin 1.2mm thick. Still awesome after all these years!

What a nice story, Mike. I dare say that this is one coin that you will never get rid of.


Below is the university's image of the coin reverse showing the palm branch, Paul. On looking at the page again it does say that the mark is for local year 9.

Now that you mentioned it, I do see a faint edge of a palm branch on the image you posted.

The reverse of my coin does appear to be well centred, and though there is no obvious sign of a palm branch, it is possible that it could be off flan? After all, it is dated to local year 9.

With regard to the previous Pisidia Isinda. Civic Issue coin.


All things taken into account, I'm going to reference the coin in my database as the following, Paul. SNG France 1576var; RPC I, 3512i (palm branch?)

Another coin with a horse reverse, but this time the obverse features a portrait of Alexander the Great, and on the reverse Alexander on his horse Bucephalus.

Everyone will be familiar with the story of Philip II being offered a remarkable horse from the stud of Philonicus the Pharsalian for thirteen talents. (A huge amount of money in those days.) As nobody could control the animal Philip wasn't interested, but his son, twelve year old Alexander said that he could, and he surprised everyone by subduing the horse. Bucephalus was to become one of the most famous horses in history, and on his death at around thirty years of age Alexander built a city round his tomb, calling the city Bucephala.

The name Bucephalus is a combination of the Greek words "bous," meaning ox and "kephalos," meaning head. There are differing opinions on how Bucephalus got his name. For example:
1) Arrian's History of Alexander's Expedition says: "He was strong, and beautiful in Body, and of a generous Spirit. The Mark by which he was said to have been particularly distinguished, was a Head like an Ox, from whence he receiv'd his Name of Bucephalus: Or rather, according to others, because he being Black, had a white Mark upon his Forehead, not unlike those which Oxen often bear."
2) Pliny (the Elder.) in "The Natural History of Pliny" states: "King Alexander had also a very remarkable horse; it was called Bucephalus, either on account of the fierceness of its aspect, or because it had the figure of a bull's head marked on its shoulder.

On the original tag it reads: "Apparently unrecorded but cf. AMNG III 388 (rev. legend); BMC Macedonia p. 23, 105 (same); SNG Hunterian 737 (horse cantering); SNG Cop 1355 (Elagabalus). Ex Dr. Hubert Lanz, Munich."

In Wildwinds there is a coin with the obverse and reverse legends the same as my coin with the reference SGI 4808.2. However the reverse description says, "Alexander riding right on Bucephalus, cloak billowing behind, spear raised." There is no sign of a spear on my coin.

Koinon of Macedon. Autonomous issue of c. A.D. 231-5. Triassarion.
Obverse: Diademed head of Alexander the Great. Obverse legend: AΛΕΞΑΝΔΡΟΥ. Reverse: Alexander, cloak flying, riding right on leaping Bucephalus. Reverse legend: KOINON MAKEΔONΩN NEΩ(K). Bronze. Diameter: 27 mm. Weight: 15.34 gr.
Reference SGI 4808.2?

Thanks, Paul.

I have admired these small coins from Apollonia (modern day Sozopol), with the head of a Gorgon and the rather elegant anchor for some time. This one fitted the bill with it's near perfect little crayfish on the reverse. The face of Medusa is not as scary as most, and though the description says "hair in ringlets", on close examination each ringlet appears to have a serpent's head.

Apollonia Pontica was originally named Antheia when it was founded by Milesians around 610 BC. Ancient authors identify the philosopher Anaximander as the founder of the city. The name was changed after the temple to Apollo was built containing the colossal statue of Apollo by Calamides. Pliny the Elder wrote that it stood 20 cubits, (which would be approximately 9 metres), and cost 500 talents. The statue was taken to Rome after Marcus Lucullus attacked and destroyed the city. For his achievements, he was awarded a triumph which he held in 71 BC.

As the anchor would indicate, they had a strong navy with naturally protected harbours, and an extensive maritime trade.

Strabo wrote:
"If we set out from the Sacred mouth of the Danube, having on the right hand the continuous line of the coast, we find at the distance of 500 stadia, Ister, a small town founded by Milesians; then Tomis, another small town, at the distance of 250 stadia; then Callatis, a city, a colony of the Heracleotæ, at 280 stadia; then, at 1300 stadia, Apollonia, a colony of Milesians, having the greater part of the buildings upon a small island, where is a temple of Apollo, whence Marcus Lucullus took the Colossus of Apollo, the work of Calamides, and dedicated it as a sacred offering in the Capitol."

Thrace: Apollonia Pontica, Silver Drachm, c. 390 B.C.
Obverse: Head of Medusa facing, hair in ringlets, tongue extended. Reverse: Anchor inverted with crayfish at left. and A (=Apollonia) at right. Silver. Diameter: 12-13mm. Weight: 2.81gm.
Note:
Ex Professor James Hartley Nichols collection. Very rare variant, unrecorded for this less grotesque portrait and drachm under the Phoenician weight standard of the 4th century.