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Author Topic: Smallest COTD  (Read 4143 times)

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Online quadrans

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Smallest COTD
« on: November 10, 2018, 12:33:31 pm »
Smallest COTD,

This coin is one of the smallest and oldest in my collection, now you can see in my Gallery:

Lydia, Kings, Kroisos (Croesus), (cc. 561-546 B.C.), Rosen 668, BMC-53, AR-1/12 Stater, Incuse punch,
https://www.forumancientcoins.com/gallery/displayimage.php?pos=-150799

Regards

Q.


All the Best :), Joe
My Gallery

Offline Dominic T

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Re: Smallest COTD
« Reply #1 on: November 10, 2018, 12:50:35 pm »
That is the tiniest coin I’ve ever seen. Hope you have a good magnifier...
DT

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Re: Smallest COTD
« Reply #2 on: November 10, 2018, 12:53:22 pm »
Hahaha, I have,  ;) :laugh: :) +++

Thanks, Dominic,

Q.
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My Gallery

Offline Enodia

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Re: Smallest COTD
« Reply #3 on: November 10, 2018, 01:27:12 pm »
That's pretty small alright, but it has to go on quite a diet to beat this one...

https://www.forumancientcoins.com/gallery/displayimage.php?pos=-140592

- Peter  😎

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Re: Smallest COTD
« Reply #4 on: November 10, 2018, 01:38:30 pm »
Hi Peter:D

You are right, your coin is the smallest, but not oldest :)  ;) ;D

I try to find one of mine which one is the smallest of yours but questionable:

https://www.forumancientcoins.com/gallery/displayimage.php?pos=-150232

 8) ;D ;)
Regards

Joe
All the Best :), Joe
My Gallery

Offline Enodia

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Re: Smallest COTD
« Reply #5 on: November 10, 2018, 04:59:02 pm »
Wow, that one is pretty tiny too. Interesting piece.

- Peter

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Re: Smallest COTD
« Reply #6 on: November 10, 2018, 11:30:31 pm »
Thank you,  ;)

Q.
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Offline gallienus1

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Re: Smallest COTD
« Reply #7 on: December 05, 2018, 05:56:42 am »
Hi quadrans.

Very tiny indeed and very rare I'm sure.

I've noticed the smaller the ancient coin the greater the likelihood of a corroded or pitted surface. A case of surface area to volume, or is something else happening?

Also it stands to reason that at the time, these tiny denominations would be issued in the greatest numbers. But that does not seem to be reflected in the survival rate. I must see well over 100 Athenian tetradrachms for every Athenian obol I see.

Regards,

Steve

Offline shanxi

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Re: Smallest COTD
« Reply #8 on: December 05, 2018, 07:49:11 am »
Quote from: gallienus1 on December 05, 2018, 05:56:42 am


I've noticed the smaller the ancient coin the greater the likelihood of a corroded or pitted surface. A case of surface area to volume, or is something else happening?




I think one reason why you have that impression is the magnifcation. If you magnify a 5mm coin to screen size, you see much more details and pinholes become gigantic.


BTW: My smallest coin  is only 4mm, a Hemitetartemorion  

I dropped it once and it took me almost 30 minutes to find it again.  :)

https://www.forumancientcoins.com/gallery/displayimage.php?pos=-100139

Offline Stkp

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Re: Smallest COTD
« Reply #9 on: December 05, 2018, 10:35:27 am »
My two smallest:
https://www.forumancientcoins.com/gallery/displayimage.php?pos=-127576 (Thessaly. Thessalian League)
and
https://www.forumancientcoins.com/gallery/displayimage.php?pos=-133846 (Aeolis, Kyme)
Quadran's coin has a smaller diameter than either of mine, but both of mine are lighter. His is older.
Stkp


Offline stevex6

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Re: Smallest COTD
« Reply #10 on: December 05, 2018, 11:05:32 am »
Wow, those are all amazing coins ... great thread, quadrans (I always love these join-in type of threads)

 +++

Ummm hey, apparently I can't win 1st-Prize, but I do have/had a couple of pretty small and amazingly sweet examples (wanna see 'em?)

IONIA, Ephesos,  AR Tetartemorion
Circa 500-420 BC
Diameter: 5 mm x 8 mm
Weight: 0.17 grams

Obverse: Bee
Reverse: Head of eagle right within incuse square
Reference: Karwiese Series IV; SNG Kayhan 126–34
Other: 12h … Exceptional for issue ... "Sweet"



Mysia, Kyzikos AR Hemiobol
Date: 600-480 BC

Diameter: 6.51 mm
Weight: 0.23 grams

Obverse: Tunny fish right
Reverse: Quadripartite incuse square
References:
Other: Some deposits ... oldest coin in my collection

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Re: Smallest COTD
« Reply #11 on: December 06, 2018, 02:15:47 am »
ad gallienus1,

Hi, Steve (gallienus1), nice to hear from you again :), I agree, this type of small coin nowadays are rarest, then they were struck :).

"I've noticed the smaller the ancient coin the greater the likelihood of a corroded or pitted surface."
This surface changing sometimes coming from the crystallization effect, and also to the magnification as Ralph (Shanxi) are mentioned.

Thanks,  ;) :)

ad Ralph (Shanxi),

Thank you for your comment, I agree... +++

ad Steve (Stkp) and Steve P,

Thank you to post here, your very nice smallest coins... ;) :) +++

Regards

Joe/Q.
All the Best :), Joe
My Gallery

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Re: Smallest COTD
« Reply #12 on: December 11, 2018, 02:17:00 am »
Another nice, small COTD, :

Ionia, Ephesos, (c.387-295 B.C.), AR-Trihemiobol, BMC 54, E/Φ//--, Forepart of stag right,
https://www.forumancientcoins.com/gallery/displayimage.php?pos=-151737

Regards

Joe/Q.




All the Best :), Joe
My Gallery

Offline stevex6

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Re: Smallest COTD
« Reply #13 on: December 11, 2018, 03:45:24 pm »
Very cool ... I love the coins from Ephesos

 +++

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Re: Smallest COTD
« Reply #14 on: December 12, 2018, 01:38:03 am »
Thanks,  :laugh:
Q.
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My Gallery

Offline arizonarobin

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Re: Smallest COTD
« Reply #15 on: February 04, 2019, 11:19:59 am »
I absolutely love these tiny coins. I always wonder at how they managed to not lose them frequently!

Offline curtislclay

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Re: Smallest COTD
« Reply #16 on: February 04, 2019, 11:57:27 am »
BTW: My smallest coin  is only 4mm, a Hemitetartemorion  

I dropped it once and it took me almost 30 minutes to find it again.  :)

https://www.forumancientcoins.com/gallery/displayimage.php?pos=-100139

On the ticket of a silver quinarius of Caracalla in Vienna, one of only two known of the type:

"Heruntergefallen und nicht mehr auffindbar" (if I remember the words correctly), with date and curator's signature from the early 1930s.

"Dropped on the floor and couldn't be found."
Curtis Clay

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Re: Smallest COTD
« Reply #17 on: February 04, 2019, 12:12:07 pm »
I absolutely love these tiny coins. I always wonder at how they managed to not lose them frequently!

Thank you, Robin,  :) ;)

I absolutely agree, it was not easy to use/handle them... +++

Regards

Joe/Q.
All the Best :), Joe
My Gallery

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Re: Smallest COTD
« Reply #18 on: February 04, 2019, 12:15:01 pm »
BTW: My smallest coin  is only 4mm, a Hemitetartemorion  

I dropped it once and it took me almost 30 minutes to find it again.  :)

https://www.forumancientcoins.com/gallery/displayimage.php?pos=-100139

On the ticket of a silver quinarius of Caracalla in Vienna, one of only two known of the type:

"Heruntergefallen und nicht mehr auffindbar" (if I remember the words correctly), with date and curator's signature from the early 1930s.

"Dropped on the floor and couldn't be found."

Yes, Curtis, I can imagine, we lost the same way a medieval obolos (size 8 mm) inside in my car and never find it again ... :(

Regards

Joe/Q.
All the Best :), Joe
My Gallery

Offline Jay GT4

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Re: Smallest COTD
« Reply #19 on: February 04, 2019, 12:21:04 pm »

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Re: Smallest COTD
« Reply #20 on: February 04, 2019, 12:26:39 pm »
Great coins Jay,  +++

in addition the Hungarian medieval coins in size sometimes 8-14 mm but the weight mostly less than 0,2 g  ::)

that is the reason they are always broken, we very rarely find this thin coin in intact... 

Regards

 Joe/Q.
All the Best :), Joe
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Offline Akropolis

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Re: Smallest COTD
« Reply #21 on: February 04, 2019, 12:50:06 pm »
Thank you, everyone!!! A real learning experience.
Simply wonderful coins!
PeteB

Offline JamesC11

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Re: Smallest COTD
« Reply #22 on: February 04, 2019, 04:00:19 pm »
One point more on this subject: don't handle a small uncleaned coin while seated in that nice, soft, comfy leather chair with deep seat margins.  Chair 1, Constantine/Hand of God -0-   Jim

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Re: Smallest COTD, Cilicia, Soloi, AR-Hemiobol, Athena/Bunch of Grape,
« Reply #23 on: February 10, 2019, 09:35:24 am »
Another small, 6mm, COTD,

Cilicia, Soloi (Pompeiopolis), (c. 410-375 B.C.), BMC 024, AR-Hemiobol/Tetartemorion, Bunch of grape,
https://www.forumancientcoins.com/gallery/displayimage.php?pos=-153214



Regards

Q.
All the Best :), Joe
My Gallery

 

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