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Pillar of the Community
United States
7060 Posts |
Slow night on the board, so I'll make mention of a nice surprise I had about an hour ago. I have been immersed in research for a paper that I will be submitting to a new publication on ancient numismatics. Whether or not it gets selected for publication, I can say that I've enjoyed the research and have learned a lot along the way. Last night, to aid my research, a coin buddy loaned me his copy of Michael Mitchiner's tome Oriental Coins and Their Values, Vol. 2: The Ancient and Classical World, 600 B.C. - A.D. 650. This is a huge book, both in its size and in its importance. Collectors of Eastern empires coinage will often encounter references, in coin descriptions, to "Mitchiner ACW" - that's this book. ACW has been out of print since 1978 and demands very steep prices when copies become available through auction...we're talking $500 or thereabouts, if I recall correctly. Anyway, my nose was buried in the ACW Parthian catalog this evening when, lo and behold, I recognized one of my own coins, a Mithradates I obol that I have posted here in the past. I already knew the coin was important since it is from the David Sellwood Collection and it's listed at acsearch.info ( https://www.acsearch.info/search.html?id=2311996 ), but I was entirely unaware that it was also in Mitchiner's book. How cool! I now know that in addition to being a Sellwood 10.19, it is a Mitchiner 473 (this coin).     Mithradates I (Sellwood); Phriapatius to Mithradates I (Assar) obol, 171 - 138 BC Sellwood 10.19 Ex-David Sellwood Collection Also listed at https://www.acsearch.info/search.html?id=2311996Mitchiner ACW, #473 (this coin) |
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Bedrock of the Community
United States
10284 Posts |
That is neat. Congrats on having the provenance to boot!
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Rest in Peace
10197 Posts |
Congrats Bob! Nice to know your stuff and work is out there for other's learning and enjoyment , isn't it. Hope your work does get picked, heavy duty stuff.   |
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Pillar of the Community
 United States
7060 Posts |
Thanks, gents. I should mention, in the unlikely event that anyone with really sharp eyes is wondering about the discrepancy between my reference to "Sellwood 10.19" for the coin, and the "Sellwood 10/16" for it in Mitchiner: Mitchiner used the first edition of Sellwood's The Coinage of Parthia, from 1970, for his citations. Three years after Mitchiner's book came out, Sellwood's second edition was published (1981), with updated numbers for many of the coins, including this one.
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Pillar of the Community
United States
564 Posts |
Ahhhh, your coin became famous can I have the autograph.  Congrats Edited by Justinokay
07/29/2017 01:11 am
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Bedrock of the Community
Australia
21673 Posts |
Small wonder you did this thread; if I was in your position, I wouldn't have been able to stop myself. Thanks for sharing. |
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Moderator
 United States
33739 Posts |
So not only a plate coin, but a plate coin twice over. That is awesome!
"If you climb a good tree, you get a push."
-----Ghanaian proverb
"The danger we all now face is distinguishing between what is authentic and what is performed."
-----King Adz
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Pillar of the Community
United States
949 Posts |
Congratulations on finding out about your coin.
Now it looks like you and orfew have something in common in having a plate coin from a standard work. That's quite a kick, I am sure.
As for Mitchiner, several years ago I bought some karshapana pieces, from Maurya and other points Indian, and sought out a current reference for them. At the time, the reference name most encountered was Mitchiner, so I sought out and bought a copy. Then I saw how vast an undertaking the coins of India can be (an entire section of cases of numismatic books at the UofChicago main library) and decided I had enough complexity with Roman. I still have the little silver pieces and the great big book, but it wasn't long that the name Mitchiner stopped coming up in the circles in which I run. I lost track of its status as a reference, but for me it is the prime source of info for lots of non-Roman ancients. It would also do well in a regular cardio routine.
Edited by lrbguy
07/29/2017 08:17 am
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Pillar of the Community
United States
7060 Posts |
Thanks, all, for the comments. This is my sixth plate coin, but the only one from Mitchiner. I own a coin that's in the Sylloge Nummorum Parthicorum, Volume 7 (Sinisi) and four coins that are illustrated in the Catalogue of Elymaean Coinage (Van't Haaff). The Elymaeans were purchased with their status as plate coins mentioned in the sales listings - I knew what I was getting. The Parthian from the SNP was, like this Mitchiner coin, a fun discovery made during research.
Nice to see, Irb, that you own Mitchiner's book. What an important addition to a numismatic library - even if you're not collecting Eastern coins at this point. I'm fortunate to have a supportive friend willing to loan me his copy. I've got it 'til next month's meeting of the local ancient coin club.
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Pillar of the Community
United States
1315 Posts |
Goes to show you have a very good eye for great coins.
Impressive coin!
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Moderator
United States
23731 Posts |
Congrats on having your coin appear in two great texts. Mitchiner's books are high on my want list but well out of my price range. Just to be able to have access to one would be a thriller to me. You have a superb collection.
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Pillar of the Community
United States
7060 Posts |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
4906 Posts |
Oh wow, that's pretty darn cool! That sure is a name you see frequently on the attributions isn't it? I don't think I have any plate coins in my collection at all (unless wildwinds counts)....but it would be a AWESOME surprise to bump into one some day like you did!
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Pillar of the Community
United States
7060 Posts |
So nice to see you back on the board this evening, Chris. Don't be a stranger.
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Pillar of the Community
United States
4211 Posts |
How awesome for you Bob~!!
Super Congrats!
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Pillar of the Community
United States
7060 Posts |
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Replies: 24 / Views: 3,610 |
Posted 07/28/2017 11:53 pm
