| Author |
 Replies: 19 / Views: 2,515 |
|
Pillar of the Community
3772 Posts |
Here one coin from the unattributed pile:   ~20mm diameter and seemingly quite good silver, the obverse looks ground down and the reverse doesn't show much, the inscription is Greek but some characters seem to look more eastern. Here also a magnification of the countermark at the bottom.  Anyone have any clue? Even wild guesses appreciated. |
|
|
|
Moderator
 United States
23731 Posts |
Good luck with this one. I have no clue at all.
|
|
Pillar of the Community
 3772 Posts |
Not surprised, posted it in the faint hope that someone here has come across something similar or recognises the countermark.
|
|
Pillar of the Community
United States
4971 Posts |
it kind of reminds me of a coin from bosporus, just based off the style of the bust and the relatively large legend.
|
|
Bedrock of the Community
Australia
21788 Posts |
I am the same as echizento.
I would love to have this coin in my collection.
It may take me years before I come across enough information to fully attribute it, but therein lies years of fun.
|
|
Pillar of the Community
3772 Posts |
Quote:
I would love to have this coin in my collection.
It may take me years ... It's already been years of  But I agree, tracing difficult coins is (for me) more fun than always buying fully identified ones. |
|
Pillar of the Community
United States
5155 Posts |
I will work on this in the morning. The legend is Greek but probably blundered I have too look closer. As Chris pointed out the legend is large and the construction of the Greek letterse look Eastern. If the coin is silver that rules out Kushan, at 20mm it's probably safe to place it in the 1st cent. BC - 1st cent. AD. Smells like a Scythian to me.
|
|
Pillar of the Community
3772 Posts |
Thanks everyone who looked, especially 'chrsmat71' and 'Ancientnoob' for the suggestions.
And yes 'Ancientnoob', I hope that you stumble across something which might help.
|
|
Pillar of the Community
United States
5155 Posts |
I have come to the conclusion the flan is distorted from by the counter mark and would probably have a slightly smaller diameter originally, maybe 15-18 mm. I am leaning towards a billon drachm of Strato II (25 BC- AD 10), or a local imitation of such. Based on the construction of the legend, it has to fit between the end of the Indo-Greeks and Indo-Parthians and the rise of the Scythian dynasty before or during the era of Azes.
The obverse doesn't appear to be wearing any headress/crown but rather a diadem, leaning towards Indo-Greek. This would work with the reverse that appears to have a standing figure "Pallas" on the reverse. This is an intriguing coin indeed I plan to research this a bit further as time permits. Right now I must run and stand by the window and wait for the mail man.
|
|
Pillar of the Community
United States
513 Posts |
I can't shake the feeling that chrsmat is on the right trail and that it is some issue from the Bosphorus. I dug through wildwinds and am digging through coinarchives and can't find a match for the legend, but some Roman provincials from that area are stylistically similar. For example, check out this one: http://www.coinarchives.com/a/lotvi...7d038ec77ca6It's not that specific coin because the legend doesn't match and the weight probably doesn't either, but the style looks very similar to me, and provincials are relatively poorly documented anyway so it might just not be in either of the sources I've looked through. |
|
Pillar of the Community
United States
4971 Posts |
|
|
Pillar of the Community
3772 Posts |
Had a look at Bosporus 'chrsmat71' but couldn't make a connection.
@ 'Ancientnoob', the flan looks certainly flattened - wondering if it was not overstruck with the head and then on top countermarked later. The lettering is quite squarish, thank you for your good intentions to check your eastern references out. If it helps I an make more detailed scans of the legend.
But don't forget to enjoy the holiday, whichever you celebrate.
|
|
Moderator
United States
23731 Posts |
|
|
Pillar of the Community
3772 Posts |
 Wow, if it's not that exact type then it is certainly very very close - thanks. Perhaps slightly different legend on the host coin but the countermark matches perfectly. |
|
Moderator
United States
23731 Posts |
Yeah, just doing some searching and stumbled upon it.
|
|
Pillar of the Community
3772 Posts |
Now all I need is 'Ancientnoob' to have a reference nailing down the inscription. But it definitely has an attribution to time and region now. Actually yesterday came across a coin which allowed me to nail down another one. Ever seen a reverse image like that:  If not, where do you think does it belong? |
| |
Replies: 19 / Views: 2,515 |
Posted 12/23/2014 9:07 pm
