Laurel Branch?

[n.igma]

I am completing a study of Arados II staters (Byblos of Price) and this coin (first image attached) stands out for what appears appears to me to be a potentially anomalous reverse iconography.

It appears to my eye that Nike is holding a laurel branch, rather than a laurel wreath.

I originally considered the phenomenon to be the result of a die break, but I cannot find any evidence of a wreath which on this coin's strike, which would see most the wreath on-flan, should see a second component of the circular wreath returning to the hand of Nike.

What do others thinks - laurel branch or wreath broken by a die break?

If the latter, how to explain the absence of left most of the two stems of laurel that form the circumference of the wreath extending from the hand of Nike (as occurs on of a laurel wreath - third image below for reference to the standard type).

[Enodia]

hi iggy.

my first thought was branch, since the length is too long for a wreath and we really don't see much curvature.
but...
a die break would explain the length of the alleged branch, and the flan edge might cover what curvature we don't see. and in fact there does seem to be a slight bend toward the edge above the hand (or is it just a leaf?). it's odd though that her hand doesn't seem to be grasping.

however...
on second thought, if it were a wreath we should see some remnant of the wreath as it curves back and returns toward Nike at the middle of her hand, which is not apparent even though the metal seems undisturbed at that spot.

so coming full circle (pun intended) my thinking now is... hell if i know!
but if pressed i might have to go with branch, even though this goes against conventional iconography. what really does appear to be a die break still does not rule out the symbol being a branch.

sitting firmly on the fence,
~ Peter

[Arados]

Have your studies included any of the other series of Arados ?

The palm tree and palm frond (branch) were very symbolic to Aradian culture and can be seen on many of the silver and bronze issues of the Hellenistic period. On série VII silver tetradrachm we see Nike holding a palm frond, on the occasional coin there seems to be what appears to be the stem of a branch extending below Nikes wrist. On série 4 we see Tyche holding a wreath with ribbons trailing under her lower arm, these ribbons are not apparent on the gold staters depicting Nike.

In my humble opinion, determining whether you have found a unique coin with a palm frond replacing the usual wreath will be hard to prove, unless you have knowledge of further samples that can be seen more clearly.

Have you been given the opportunity to study the coin in hand when removed from the slab ?

For the moment i will remain sceptical and side with die break or worn die, I look forward to any further developments you may find.

https://www.forumancientcoins.com/gallery/index.php?cat=34535

[n.igma]

Peter & Martin - thanks for the thoughts and suggestions.

Unfortunately, I only have the auction house image of the coin in the slab and have found no other example with which to compare.

On a comparative basis, I have only focused on the time equivalent coinage of Arados (I) being Duyrat Groups 1-IV. Nothing comparable exists in these coins. In coming days, I'll have a look at later groups and see if any leads as to the iconography are evident in the later period.

On the die break theory/option the way the "break" comes and goes, varying from a deep break to nothing and back again, below the hand while it doesn't seem to transect the hand has me puzzled. I've not really seen such a break before.  

The other confusing aspect is that on those coins depicting a facing palm, splayed finger hand, the wreath is usually held between the thumb and forefinger - evidently not the case here, as noted by Peter.

The thought even crossed my mind that we may be dealing with a  modern "fantasy" fake based on the Arados II (Byblos) series but the obverse die from which it was struck was used for two staters in the BM collection, a long established collection and the coin above is from the die in its earliest state.

[Molinari]

This is a tough one.  At first I thought definitely a branch, but now I'm not certain.

[quadrans]

May be "open laurel wreath"  

Q.