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 Replies: 11 / Views: 2,682 |
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Valued Member
United Kingdom
497 Posts |
Hello, Recently bought a small lot of ancient and middle eastern silver coins. I have some idea on a few of them, but am missing a lot of info as ancients are not really my area. I'll upload pics, weight and diameter - sorry the pics are not great, they all look way better in hand, but hopefully good enough to make an ID. Any info would be much appreciated! Coin 1. An Arabic Dirham of some kind. 2.94 g - 25 mm  Coin 2. No idea. 3.01g - 15 mm  Coin 3. Arabian imitiation of a Athenian owl silver unit - I think? 5.26 g - 17 mm at max.  Coin 4. Greek or imitation greek? 3.76g - 17 mm  Coin 5. Looks to be Greek. 2.93g - 15 mm  Coin 6. 3.96g - 17.5 mm  Coin 7. 4.14g - 16.5 mm  Coin 8. Looks to be debased silver / billion. 3.41g - 15 mm  Coin 9. Denarus of Trajan. 3.13g - 18mm  Coin 10. Another Denarus of Trajan. 3.11g - 18mm  Coin 11. 0.51g - 10mm  Coin 12. 0.71g - 10 mm Coin 13. 0.28g - 7.5 mm  Coin 14. 3.83g - 16 mm  Coin 15. 3.06g - 15 mm  Coin 16. 3.04g - 12 mm  Coin 17. 2.49g - 12.5 mm  Coin 18. 1.57g - 14mm  Coin 19. 0.95g - 11mm  Coin 20. A slightly broken Roman Denarus. 2.76g - 16.5 mm  www.kingstoncoincompany.co.uk
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Moderator
 United States
23731 Posts |
Please only post one or two coins at a time.
Coin 5-8 and 15 are drachm of Alexander III posthumous issues, they look OK. Coin #4 is an Athenian owl, not sure on this one need it look OK but need a better picture. 16 and 17 look Phoenician.
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Pillar of the Community
United Kingdom
4208 Posts |
Coin 2 is an Ephesus / Ionia issue, Bee / Stag. Looks cast though.
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Pillar of the Community
Australia
1006 Posts |
Firstly coins 4-8, 14 and 17 are Macedonian with coins 4, 5, 7 and 14 being Alexander the Great Issues all posthumous. On number six I politely disagree with echizento it is not an Alexander the Great Issue but another Macedonian king of the Selucid Empire (decendent of Seleucus I of Macedon.) (To confirm which reign it is I would need better photos but the give away for me was the way the lettering is to both the left and the right of the design rather than solely on the right excluding King issues as on the homeland coinage as well as the variation in the design.) Meanwhile 8 looks like another Seleucid Empire Issue tho this one I think can be confirmed as being one from Seleucus I (One of the Macedonian diadochs or successors of Alexander the Great.) 17 I believe is a coin of Neapolis around 480bc tho it is quite worn so hard to confirm. P.s enchizento no hard feelings pal?  Edited by oh my florin
07/28/2014 7:13 pm
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Pillar of the Community
United States
4973 Posts |
most of them look like they are cast coins...except I'm pretty sure the first one isn't. however, I'm not certian of it's exact attribution.
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Valued Member
 United Kingdom
497 Posts |
Thanks for all the info so far - i'll start researching further on what we have so far.
I might have to try get some better pictures. I was wondering about a few of them, 2, 4, 5, 16 and 17 looked a little suspect. I've just looked more carefully and there is no sign of any flash marks or filing on the edge - plus in hand, they really don't look as bad. I'm seeing a few comparible examples on the internet with a similiar appearance caused by corrosion - but I will keep looking.
Echizento - Sorry about that, i'll keep it to a couple of coins per post in future
www.kingstoncoincompany.co.uk
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Pillar of the Community
United States
7066 Posts |
I agree about several looking like they are cast.
I believe #1, which looks fine, may be a dirham of the Abbasid Caliphate, First Period: Al-Mansour, 136-158 AH/754-775 AD.
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Rest in Peace
United States
4078 Posts |
Quote:
Echizento - Sorry about that, i'll keep it to a couple of coins per post in future  My head was spinning looking at 20.  |
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Moderator
United States
23731 Posts |
On second look I agree with you on #6.
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Bedrock of the Community
Australia
21788 Posts |
I also agree that some of them are most probably cast, but I would not completely give them the  from these pictures just yet; I would just love to carry out more investigation on them 'in hand', and consult with a couple of very experienced specialist ancient coin dealer friends of mine. Both are auction lot describers of ancient coins for international auctions. What was the original source for these coins? |
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Valued Member
United Kingdom
497 Posts |
Ok, i'll do some more photos of the questionable ones this afternoon.
I got the whole lot together, along with about another 12 islamic silver coins, from an antique dealer I know, who doesn't deal in coins and offered them as a swap for something else. I realise most have a fairly low value, though there appears to be a few in there that are a bit better - if real. Number 4 I'm near 100% confident on, and have found a decent match, and I suppose might be about $150 - 200.
I'm also wondering if coin 8 is an ancient forgery with a silver wash? I've seen several others manufactured in a similar way. I'll get some better pictures up later - perhaps I should split them into a few threads to make it a bit easier. Give me a few hours and i'll sort it.
www.kingstoncoincompany.co.uk
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Pillar of the Community
Australia
1006 Posts |
Sorry to bring this thread up again but thought I would help on value with the Seleucus I coin it should be worth at least $400 that is one of the rarer types.
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Replies: 11 / Views: 2,682 |
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Posted 07/28/2014 09:43 am
