Coin Community Family of Web Sites
Coin, Banknote and Medal Collectors's Online Mall 300,000 items to help build your collection! Shop CCF Members on eBay! Shop for APMEX Bullion on eBay!Vancouvers #1 Coin and Paper Money Dealer Specializing in Modern Numismatics Royal Canadian Mint products, Canadian, Polish, American, and world coins and banknotes.








Username:
Password:
Save Password
Forgot your Password?


This page may contain links that result in small commissions to keep this free site up and running.

Welcome Guest! Registering and/or logging in will remove the anchor (bottom) ads. It's Free!

This Is Being Called A Brothel Token .

To participate in the forum you must log in or register.
Author Previous TopicReplies: 7 / Views: 2,070Next Topic  
Pillar of the Community

Italy
1130 Posts
 Posted 06/06/2022  4:38 pm Show Profile   Bookmark this topic Add Roma2021 to your friends list Get a Link to this Message Number of Subscribers
At least in roughly translated Italian. The piece is, of course, in a pin. Any thoughts would be appreciated...the back photo will not upload despite changing the size a dozen times. It is a simple black over, pin, and hook.


This-Is-Being-Called-A-Brothel-Token-.
This-Is-Being-Called-A-Brothel-Token-.
Pillar of the Community
JohnConduitt's Avatar
United Kingdom
725 Posts
 Posted 06/06/2022  4:59 pm  Show Profile   Bookmark this reply Add JohnConduitt to your friends list Get a Link to this Reply
There are a lot of brothel tokens on ebay, which are obvious fakes. If it was real, it'd be worth thousands of Euros.
Pillar of the Community
JohnConduitt's Avatar
United Kingdom
725 Posts
 Posted 06/06/2022  5:00 pm  Show Profile   Bookmark this reply Add JohnConduitt to your friends list Get a Link to this Reply
Pillar of the Community
Italy
1130 Posts
 Posted 06/06/2022  5:18 pm  Show Profile   Bookmark this reply Add Roma2021 to your friends list Get a Link to this Reply
@john... I saw that listing a few days ago!

Strange thing is ... The used markets here in Rome are filled with some exceptional items ,some rare and value things; a tremendous amount of junk too. Ive made of hobby of buying and selling in my free time and that mostly finances my coin purchases... I am under no pretense the coin I showed is a $10-15,000 brothel token... But it's something, yes? Trying to figure it out, which to me is part of the fun and challenge.
Moderator
Learn More...
Sap's Avatar
Australia
16806 Posts
 Posted 06/06/2022  6:21 pm  Show Profile   Bookmark this reply Add Sap to your friends list Get a Link to this Reply
I'm not seeing any indication that it is ancient.
Don't say "infinitely" when you mean "very"; otherwise, you'll have no word left when you want to talk about something really infinite. - C. S. Lewis
New Member
United States
48 Posts
 Posted 06/06/2022  8:00 pm  Show Profile   Bookmark this reply Add LuckyPunk to your friends list Get a Link to this Reply
I think you are referring Roman Spintriae.
Here's an interesting article from one of my very favorite lunchtime reading websites:

https://www.heritagedaily.com/2022/...triae/143391

Pillar of the Community
United States
1554 Posts
 Posted 06/06/2022  8:03 pm  Show Profile   Bookmark this reply Add Kushanshah to your friends list Get a Link to this Reply
I don't think it's any sort of "brothel token". Spintriae ("brothel tokens") are round and have a Roman numeral on the reverse. While the figures here appear to be nude, the scene is not explicitly erotic. The bearded male seated with a club(?) appears to be Hercules / Herakles. The female figure is more generic- his wife Megara?

The actual spintriae as linked above may or may not be brothel tokens. They could just as easily be game tokens, counters or theater tickets. No one knows. The Romans and Greeks were not bashful and erotic imagery is common. For many years, some maintained that they were not even ancient but if I remember correctly, a die match of one of the numeral reverses to a known ancient token proved they are indeed ancient, 1st century or thereabouts.

The op is interesting, nicely done up in a (modern?) gold mount. I would like to think the centerpiece is ancient but authenticating antiquities is even more difficult than coins because most are unique.
Edited by Kushanshah
06/07/2022 03:18 am
Moderator
Learn More...
John1's Avatar
United States
56855 Posts
 Posted 06/07/2022  05:08 am  Show Profile   Bookmark this reply Add John1 to your friends list Get a Link to this Reply

Quote:
will not upload despite changing the size a dozen times

You need to make sure every photo has a unique name.
John1
  Previous TopicReplies: 7 / Views: 2,070Next Topic  

To participate in the forum you must log in or register.



    




Disclaimer: While a tremendous amount of effort goes into ensuring the accuracy of the information contained in this site, Coin Community assumes no liability for errors. Copyright 2005 - 2026 Coin Community Family- all rights reserved worldwide. Use of any images or content on this website without prior written permission of Coin Community or the original lender is strictly prohibited.
Contact Us  |  Advertise Here  |  Privacy Policy / Terms of Use

Coin Community Forum © 2005 - 2026 Coin Community Forums
It took 0.33 seconds to rattle this change. Forums