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 Replies: 15 / Views: 1,313 |
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Pillar of the Community
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7066 Posts |
My first coin of the year is my fifth plate coin from Pieter Anne van't Haaff's Catalogue of Elymaean Coinage. The coin below serves as van't Haaff's illustration for his 8.3.3-1.a type. My long term goal is to own every coin in the book.  This one is a very rare hemidrachm (erroneously listed as a drachm in the Stephen Album auction) of Kamnaskires IV, c. 63/2-54/3 BC. The obverse mintmark is interpreted to be a horsehead, which indicates a minting at Susa. Happy to have won it and to have added to my Elymaean silver from the Later Kamnaskirid Dynasty. It's not a beauty but it's very rare and with good provenance.  |
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Moderator
 United States
23731 Posts |
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Pillar of the Community
 Spain
2752 Posts |
Congratulations Bob! Where's the mintmark? Nice buy...How many coins are in the book? Paul |
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Pillar of the Community
 United States
7066 Posts |
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Where's the mintmark? Behind the head, Paul. At this point in Elymaean history the horse head likely indicated the Susa mint, while the anchor represented Seleucia on the Hedyphon. Later, during the Elymais Arsacid Dynasty, the anchor motif proliferated and became a general symbol of Elymais. It had lost its meaning as a specific mintmark. The same thing happened over time in Parthia with the Ecbatana mintmark. As for the book: TOO many! Thanks for the comments, gents. |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
5029 Posts |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
7066 Posts |
Scott, the reverse is described by van't Haaff as "old, bearded god (Belos or Zeus) seated left on throne, holding a small Nike in his outstretched right hand and a sceptre in his left hand." The degenerated Greek legend (which is clearer on the tets and drachms of this king) translates, I believe, as something like "King Kamnaskires, son of King Kamnaskires."
Edited by Kamnaskires
01/19/2018 7:17 pm
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Moderator
United States
34426 Posts |
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My long term goal is to own every coin in the book Shouldn't tip your hand like this.  Very nice pick-up! "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
7066 Posts |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
6130 Posts |
Nice pick up! A little worse for wear, but excellent portrait!
Good luck getting the rest of the coins, though!
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Valued Member
Canada
66 Posts |
hey Finn.. I certainly like the coins you have posted on other threads - very, very impressive!
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Pillar of the Community
United States
7066 Posts |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
5029 Posts |
Thanks Bob for the reverse description. Very nice addition to your collection!  |
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Pillar of the Community
Canada
1269 Posts |
Very nice pickup Bob. Congrats on adding this rarity to your superb collection.
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Pillar of the Community
United States
7066 Posts |
Thanks for the nice comments, Andrew.
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Pillar of the Community
Spain
2752 Posts |
Hi Bob...Just been reading up on this fascinating era...
Noticed that the tetradrachms of this ruler quite commonly have a counterstamp behind the head do you know why this is?
Also I've just read that some believe Kamnaskires III,IV and V were the same ruler.Whats your thoughts on this?Totalmente out of my depth here so please treat with kid gloves..Just interested where you stand on this?
Paul
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Pillar of the Community
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7066 Posts |
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Noticed that the tetradrachms of this ruler quite commonly have a counterstamp behind the head do you know why this is? You're of course right about those countermarks, Paul. They have a Nike figure within them, suggesting "that it was a reference to some 'victory.'" (van't Haaff) VH speculates that it was Kamnaskires IV who ordered the counterstamping of coins already in circulation (meaning the tets of his predecessor Kamnaskires III that were still circulating, was well as his own) when he recaptured Susa - one of the two primary mint locations - from the Parthians. As for the various Kamnaskires being the same person: I too am out of my depth when it comes to a question like that. So I opt to trust van't Haaff since his is the most recent research. For the period from which the coin above comes, the Later Kamnaskirid Dynasty (c.82-33 BC), De Morgan cited 9 (!) different rulers, Alram had 6, Bell had 2, Hansman had 4, and Senior had possibly just 1 ("only one ruler named Kamnaskires"). Van't Haaff, btw, has 3 (Kamnaskires III, IV, V) - with Kamnaskires I and II part of the Early Kamnaskirid Dynasty that preceded this period. Attribution is challenging since "Kamnaskires" was a dynastic and honorific name, like Arsakes of the Parthians, and no personal names were included in legends. Who to trust? These were all very bright people! |
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Replies: 15 / Views: 1,313 |
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Posted 01/19/2018 3:15 pm
