HoodedHawk

Preston and I had a great day at the Baltimore Coin Show on Saturday. Preston got a few dozen coins (he scoured almost every bargain bin on the floor to find gems) and some interesting paper “fractional currency”. I spent the time looking at and trying to narrow down the ancient coin choices.

I didn’t have a “want list”, and I haven’t specialized yet (and probably never will), other than “Greek and Roman”. So, I just walked around and looked at the (ancient) coins on offer. I started with the returning dealers I had purchased from previously. I noted which coins were possibilities, and continued the circuit before buying anything. Sure, in doing things that way there is always the chance that a coin you like is sold before you get back, but I would rather that happen vs. paying too much or getting a lesser specimen. I ended up only getting 6 coins. Opted for quality vs. quantity. And, luckily, none of the coins were sold out from under me :)

The Athens owl is my first owl. Great example of the type, though it is a more “modern” example (from around 300 BC) than the typical Athens owl (from ~450 BC). You can also tell it is more recent as the obverse with the head of Athena is looking straight ahead. More “archaic” styles have Athena looking “out”. Regardless, still a nice piece. It is thick and heavy (~17g). Additional history: it is from the lifetime of Aristotle. Cool!

The Macedonian tetradrachm immediately caught my eye; it is a large coin (~30mm) with a beautiful portrait of Artemis (Diana). It still amazes me that you can hold a piece of art 2150 years old. Compare it with the Peace dollar (only 90 years old).

The Tiberius is hard to find (at a reasonable price), as this is most likely the “Tribute Penny” from the New Testament, where Jesus asks to be shown a “penny” (“denarion” in Greek, so most historians assume “denarius” as this is) and then after asking who is portrayed (Tiberius as Caesar), says, “Render unto Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and unto God the things that are God’s”.

I didn’t have any ancient Persian coins, and these looked interesting. There was a sign on a box: “any coin, $25.00”.

So, naturally, I dug in and found some 2000 year old pieces of history. They are a bit scratched up, but: 2000 years old. Someday I will lookup who kings Artabanus and Phraates were.

The Peace dollar was a last minute grab to fill a hole in my set.

I also picked up a few more volumes (there are 10 to date) of the Handbook of Greek Coinage.

Already looking forward to the next Baltimore show (in June, I believe). This show (it goes on 3 times a year) is basically the only venue I have within a reasonable distance for seeing/acquiring ancient coins. I can (and do) buy online, but it is much more satisfying to find coins in person. At such shows you also get to discus the coins (and the hobby in general) with the dealers. You learn quite a lot about the various coins, and even more history.

Plus, I can spend the day doing it with Preston, and then go have dinner together. Bonus.

Alexander the Great. Silver Drachm. ~324-323 B.C. Lifetime issue.

Alexander the Great. Lifetime issue (~324-323 B.C.) silver drachm.

Alexander the Great. Lifetime issue (~324-323 B.C.) silver drachm. Reverse

Pharsalos, Thessaly, Greece, 370-340 B.C. Silver hemidrachm. VF. superb classical style, centered on a tight flan, marks, porosity, etched reverse, 2.886g, 16.3 mm, Pharsalos (Farsala, Greece) mint, 370-340 B.C. Head of Athena right, wearing pendant earring and crested Altic helmet with raised cheek flaps, adorned with scrolls, hair out from under the neck guard. T (the master engraver Telephantos) over IIL (his apprentice?) behind neck. Reverse: Horse’s head and neck right, concave field.

Pharsalos, Thessaly, Greece, 370-340 B.C. Silver hemidrachm.

Pharsalos, Thessaly, Greece, 370-340 B.C. Silver hemidrachm. Reverse.

The first two, silver denarii, I picked up last month at the Whitman Baltimore Coin Expo. The second two coins I picked up at the Catonsville Coin Club meeting this week with Preston. He snagged a number of Indian Head cents. :)

I already had a Constantine I coin, but this one was very reasonably priced ($20.00) and from a different mint, Lugdunum (current day Lyon).

So, working on getting a coin representing each Roman emperor. Will take some time.

Some “new” ancient coins for the collection.

The Greek coin from Thessaly (400-380 B.C.) is depicting ancient religious games, where the young men of Thessaly participated in bull jumping and bull wrestling. Participants would jump from a horse, naked save a chlamys and cap, to bring a bull down to the ground. The obverse shows a wrestler bringing down a bull, and the reverse shows the horse running free after the leap was made.

Next is a coin depicting Trajan (101-102 A.D.), regarded as one of Rome’s greatest emperors. Trajan was responsible for the annexation of Dacia, the invasion of Arabia, and an extensive and lavish building program across the empire. Under Trajan, Rome reached it’s greatest extent.

Finally, a coin of Constantine the Great (312-313 A.D.). Constantine is most famous for leading the Empire to Christianity. Before the battle of Milvian Bridge, he saw “In Hoc Signo Victor Eris” (By this sign you shall conquer) on the sun around Chi Rho. With the symbol of Christ on his army’s shields, he was victorious. He moved the capital to Constantinople. The Latin word comii, during imperial times, indicated a minister of the emperor. Even the two consuls were called “comiles”. The reverse legend on the coin therefore reads: “to the unconquered Sun, minister (of Constantine).