Nicaean Addenda: Scarcer Finds from Nikaia, Bithynia

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Faced with all the scarce/unpublished finds from this mint turning up in the last several years, I've decided to start a Nicaean-Types thread formed of one or more entries for every new type, which will also eventually be entered in an inclusive list of omissions from the Isegrim database.* Unless otherwise noted, the Antonine types that are posted in these listings are currently missing from RIC Online as well.  The first overlooked type: Marcus Aurelius / Harpokrates, AE16, 2.61 g (cf. RG 107, Antoninus Pius / Harpokrates):

   * "Isegrim Extended ... Nicaea," at http://www.forumancientcoins.com/board/index.php?topic=49390.msg307614#msg307614, a synoptic page ordering obverses by persons depicted; this includes links not only to the present Addenda but moreover to other omitted Nicaeans both elsewhere on the Web and in Forum. (Visit this separate page here on Forum for the virtually countless three- and four-standards issues from Nicaea: http://www.forumancientcoins.com/board/index.php?topic=44576.0.)  Isegrim's listings took in all the major Nicaean type-listings through 2001 (Mionnet, RG, Weiser, and the SNG's through Pfalz 6); nonetheless there may still be hundreds of types from Nicaea remaining uncatalogued.
 

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Antoninus Pius / Nemesis standing l. spitting in bosom, wheel l., holding bridle, AE23, 7.51 g (cf. RG 109-10, Pl. lxix.11-12, Nemesis holding cubit-rule not bridle):

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Geta / Hygieia stg. r. feeding snake, obv. cmks. Nike r. and crescent-wearing male head r., AE25, 10.29 g (cf. RG 335, Sept. Severus / Hygieia):

[Jochen]

Ok, some coins of my collection. The first one is a very small one: 15mm, 2.31g. Geta as Caesar, Nike advancing r. with wreath and palm-branch. Rec. Gen., p.463, 515 & pl. LXXX, 21. Nike wears a lampadion as on the staters of Alexander!

[Jochen]

The next one: Gallienus, Rec. Gen. 836 (Thanks to Lars!), BMC 154. Dionysos in elephant quadriaga l. I bet that the die-cutter has never seen an elephant before!

[Jochen]

And a third one: Severus Alexander, SNG von Aulock 606 (Thanks to Charles Rodes!). This coin was very difficult to attribute! It shows Dionysos, the suggested ktistes (founder) of Nikaia, together with the nymph Nikaia. For more information please look at the thread 'Mythological interesting coins'!

Best regards

[Jochen]

And I think a thread about Nicaea should have this coin too:
Caracalla, AD 198-217
AE 26, 12.35g
struck as Augustus AD 211-217
obv. ANTWNEINOC - AVGOVSTOC
Bust, draped and cuirassed, seen from behind, laureate, r.
rev. NIKAIEW / N (EW ligate)
Galley over waves l., 4 oarsmen sitting ahead, helmsman standing behind, at
front standard, at stern banner; emperor sitting l., holding spear and holding
patera in outstretched r. hand, in front of him standing Tyche of Nikaia and
presenting the young Dionysos to him, who raises his hands to him.
Very rare, F
Unpublished in the major works. I found a similar ex. at CoinArchives from the Gorny&Mosch auction #108, April 3. 2001.

Best regards

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Thanks for all of these, Jochen.  That last coin is amazing, and though the type shows up in RG as well as in Isegrim * it's so badly described in those texts that I already link to your posting instead; still there's no harm in quality cross-posts!  By the way, though we call this Nicaean Addenda, everyone should feel free to treat it as a showcase for any Nicaean you're proud of, something still very clearly worth doing here.

   * http://www.forumancientcoins.com/board/index.php?topic=35585.msg284081#msg284081

[Steve Minnoch]

The last time I posted this at any rate nobody could find any publication of this reverse type, let alone the whole piece:

[..............]MAIA CEB, Julia Mamaea, bust right, draped, ?diademed
NIK-A-[EI] (around) ΩΝ (exergue), centaur (Chiron?) handing object (scroll?) to warrior (Achilles?)
25mm, die axis: 2 o'clock

More attractive in hand than the horrible scan.

Steve

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Outstanding and really mysterious; thanks for posting this singular coin!  I have added a note to your earlier posting:

http://www.forumancientcoins.com/board/index.php?topic=8575.msg293767#msg293767

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Commodus / Nike on globe advancing r., KO[MO]DOS KAISA[R] / [NE]IKA[IEW]N, AE20, 4.32 g, obv. cmk. head l. (Artemis or Apollo?) *:

   [* Edit 12/10: Thanks to a scan posted by RPC's Dr. Volker Heuchert I now know that this issue is actually from Hierocaesareia in Lydia, http://rpc.ashmus.ox.ac.uk/coins/9320/, rev. legend IEROKAISAREWN]

[Arminius]

Maybe unlisted:

Nikaia in Bithynia, Maximinus I. (Thrax), 235-238 AD.,
Æ Diassarion (23-25 mm / 8,14 g),
Obv.: Г IOVΛ OVH MAΞIMEINOC AVГ , laureate, draped and cuirassed bust of Maximinus right, seen from behind.
Rev.: NIKAI - EΩN , helmeted Athena Promachos standing l. with phiale in her outstretched right hand and inversed spear in left, round shield at her feet l.
Weiser - .

A.

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Thanks, Arminius; I think it may be this one (from Isegrim; still a rare one), with the HR in ligature:

PRO:   BITHYNIA
PO :   NICAEA
PZ :   Between 235 and 238
   Obverse
VSG:   G IOYL OYHR MAXIMEINOS AYG
VT :   PORTRAIT MAN R / MAXIMINUS
VA :   WREATH LAUREL / CLOTHES
   Reverse
RSG:   NIKAIEWN
RT :   WOMAN STANDING HL(1) / ATHENA(1)
RA :   PATERA(1) / SHIELD / HELMET / SPEAR(1)
   Technical details
M  :   AE
GEW:   6.89(1)
   Bibliographical references
ZIT:   SNG AUL 7046(1)
   Additional remarks
FR :   VS: G IOYL OYHR MAXIMEINOS AYG RS: NIKAIEWN

[Pscipio]

The Aulock coin is a double die match to Arminius' specimen.

Lars

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Maximinus I / Artemis running r., AE 23, 6.98 g:

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The coin pictured below is less than a completely new type -- it's apparently the second specimen known, and a worn one at that -- but it will perhaps serve to correct a suggestively wrong earlier reference.  The type is an Antoninus Pius,

http://rpc.ashmus.ox.ac.uk/coins/8335 (also http://www.coinarchives.com/a/lotviewer.php?LotID=26300&AucID=28&Lot=553, now alas a pay-site),

there identified as an AE27 bearded and ivy-wreathed Dionysos.  Another unpublished type (Marcus Aurelius) still not in RPC shows a typically beardless Dionysos:

[LINK REMOVED BY ADMIN]

As we know from the Isegrim summary, another type (AE23 bearded Herakles, http://rpc.ashmus.ox.ac.uk/coins/10007, also Aurelius) was first published (by F. Imhoof-Blumer) more fully identified as a bearded and ivy-wreathed Herakles; the same ought to apply to the present AE27, ivy-leaf at the back of the burly bearded head clearly present even on my worn specimen; as we know, there are many numismatic encounters between Herakles and Bacchus-Dionysos:

http://www.forumancientcoins.com/board/index.php?topic=45625.msg286145#msg286145

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Under Valerian I and his son Gallienus Nicaea minted a startling array of games-issues (games that these issues variously reference as the Hieros Agon, Hieroi Agones, or Pythica Dionysiaca [Severeia]).*  Here's a scarce Valerian issue (one catalogued specimen) with a Gallienus issue completely omitted from Isegrim:

Valerian I, AE 24 7.79 g, ref. Koeln Univ. I.199, Radiate head r., value-mark H / Three prize-urns on a table inscribed ?AVG OYALE GALLHN, NIKAEIWN beneath, PYTHIKA DIONYSIAKA CEO surrounding

Gsllienus, AE 24 6.84 g, Radiate head r. / Three prize-urns on a table inscribed OYAL GAL, DIO NYS IA [KA] below, NIKAIEWN surrounding

        * On the various names given to the Severeian games in Nicaea see  http://www.forumancientcoins.com/board/index.php?topic=36795.msg266702#msg266702.

[Arminius]

Is this one listed?

Nikaia in Bithynia, Caracalla, 197-217 AD.,
Assarion / Æ 21 (23-25 mm / 5,40 g),
Obv.: M AVP ANT - ΩNINOC AYΓ , laureate head of Caracalla r.
Rev.: NI-KA - IEΩN , Homonoia (Concordia) standing left, holding patera and cornucopiae.
Weiser - ; Sear GIC - ; online resources - .

rgds

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Thanks, Arminius; I think it's this one, although yours is much better than RG's specimen:

PRO:   BITHYNIA
PO :   NICAEA
PZ :   Between 198 and 217
   Obverse
VSG:   M AYR ANTWNINOS AYG
VT :   PORTRAIT MAN R / CARACALLA
VA :   WREATH LAUREL
   Reverse
RSG:   NIKAIEWN
RT :   WOMAN STANDING HL(1) / HOMONOIA(1) <ABUNDANTIA>
RA :   PATERA(1) / CORNUCOPIAE(1)
   Technical details
M  :   AE
GR :   25(1)
   Bibliographical references
ZIT:   WADD RG S456,459(1) / COLL WIEN(1)
   Additional remarks
FR :   VS: M AYR ANTWNINOS AYG RS: NIKAIEWN

http://people.virginia.edu/~jdk3t/RG/RG1-3063.html
http://people.virginia.edu/~jdk3t/RG/RG1-3194.html

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Caracalla, AE 16, Radiate-laureate head r. *, ANT W N E I[NOS AYGO] / Flaming altar, NIKAIEWN, type recorded for Geta (Lindgren 3.187); for the simple laureate obverse, see Reply #32.

   * Possibly from the same obverse die as the Caracalla specimens posted at

http://www.forumancientcoins.com/board/index.php?topic=37721.msg248918#msg248918

[Arminius]

Julia Mamaea, 222-235 AD.,
Æ Diassarion (21-23 mm / 5,86 g),
Obv.: OVΛIA MAMAIA AVΓ (C?) , diademed, draped bust of Julia Mamaea right.
Rev.: NIKAI - E[ΩN] , Athena Promachos standing l., holding patera and leaning on spear, shield at her feet l.

sorry - not new ... finaly i found it : Rec. Gen.  477, 622 (Plate LXXXIII, 14)

http://people.virginia.edu/~jdk3t/RG/RG1-3084.html
http://people.virginia.edu/~jdk3t/RG/RG1-3198.html

regards

[gordian_guy]

Thanks for starting this thread archivum. I can add several from my Gordian collection. Though I don't study Nicaea's coinage very closely I do keep my eyes open for the unusual types - not the ubiquitous standards reverses - and periodically I come up with something interesting. I will post 4 coins from my collection that are possibly known types for Nicaea but not necessarily for Gordian.

1) AE23, 5.87 g; 12h;
Obverse: M ANT GORDIANOS; Gordian, radiate, draped and cuirassed bust right.
Reverse: NI-KA-I-EWN; Demeter, wearing long chiton, standing l.; in extended r. stalks of grain; l. holds bundled torch.
cf Rec Gen 692 and 693 (Plate LXXXIV 28 and 29) for the type but not this more rustic version.

[gordian_guy]

2) AE23; 5.39 g; 1h;
Obverse: -ANOS AVG; Gordian, radiate, draped and cuirassed right.
Reverse: -; EWN in exergue; Lion leaping to right. cmk Victory(?);
Type not found in Rec Gen for any emperor.

c.rhodes

[gordian_guy]

3) AE24; 4.81 g; 1h;
Obverse: M ANT GORDIANOS AVG; Gordian, radiate, draped and cuirassed right.
Reverse: NIKAIE-WN; in exergue SAGARO; River God (Sangarios), nude to waist, reclining left, head to right; r. holds reed, l. elbow rests on overturned urn from which flows water.
Type not known for Gordian, but is found for other emperors: cf Rec Gen 386 (PL. LXXVII, 3) and Rec Gen 463 (PL LXXIX, 7) for a couple of examples.

[gordian_guy]

4) AE23; 6.54 g; 1h;
Obverse: M ANT GOR-DIANOS; Radiate, draped and cuirassed bust right.
Reverse: NIKAIE-WN; City Goddess, Nicaea, seated left, head looking back to right; holding thyrsos in right and cornucopia in left.
This type is known for Maximus, cf Rec Gen 648 (PL LXXXIII, 33).

c.rhodes