| Collecting History through Ancient Coins |  |
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| Carthago Nova, Roman Occupation, Scipio Africanus, c. 209 - 206 B.C. |   | In order to force Hannibal to retreat from Italy, Scipio Africanus attacked Carthaginian Spain and took Carthago Nova in 209 B.C. References most often identify this type as Punic, struck before 209 B.C., but they also note that the head is "Roman style." Some authorities believe, as we do, that this type was struck after 209, under Roman rule. Carthaginian coins sometimes depicted Barcid generals. This coin possibly depicts the Roman general Scipio Africanus. |
| GB60657. Bronze unit, Villaronga MCH 282, Burgos 552, SNG BM Spain 127 - 128, VF, porous, weight 9.096 g, maximum diameter 22.8 mm, die axis 0o, Carthago Nova mint, 209 - 206 B.C.; obverse bare male head (Scipio Africanus?) left; reverse horse standing right, palm tree behind; rare; $405.00 (€311.85) |
| Kingdom of Mauretania, Juba II with Cleopatra Selene, 25 B.C. - 24 A.D. |  | After his father's defeat and suicide, Juba II was take to Rome and paraded in Caesar's triumph. He was then raised in Caesar's household where he and Octavian became lifelong friends. He accompanied Octavian on campaigns after Caesar's death even fighting at the battle of Actium against his future wife's parents. Cleopatra Selene was the daughter of Cleopatra VII by Marc Antony. After the battle of Actium, she was raised by Octavia, Octavian's sister. Augustus restored Juba II as the king of Numidia c. 28 B.C. and later arranged for him to marry Cleopatra Selene II giving her a large dowry and appointing her queen. |
| SH63561. Bronze AE 27, Alexandropoulos 209, Mazard 351 (RRR), SNG Cop 605, De Luynes 4013, Fair, attractive for grade, weight 13.540 g, maximum diameter 27.3 mm, die axis 135o, Caesarea mint, 25 B.C. - 24 A.D.; obverse REX IVBA, diademed and draped bust right, club over shoulder; reverse ΒΑCΙ−ΛΙCCΑ / ΚΛΕΟΠΑΤΡΑ, headdress of Isis, with stalks of grain, crescent above; very rare; $360.00 (€277.20) |
| Judaea (Yehudah), Ptolemaic Rule, Ptolemy II Philadelphos, 285 - 246 B.C. |  | Ptolemy II requested copies of Jewish texts for the Library at Alexandria. There they were translated and transcribed by seventy Jewish scholars hired for the purpose, creating the Septuagint, the oldest Greek version of the Hebrew Bible (Old Testament). Many of the oldest Biblical verses among the Dead Sea Scrolls, particularly those in Aramaic, correspond more closely with the Septuagint than with the Hebrew text. |
| JD37184. Silver quarter-ma'ah-obol, Meshorer TJC 32b; Mildenberg Yehud pl. 21, 24; Hendin 1087, VF, off center, weight 0.190 g, maximum diameter 6.73 mm, die axis 45o, obverse diademed head of Ptolemy I right; reverse Aramaic inscription on left: YHDH (Yehudah), eagle standing half left on thunderbolt, wings open, head left; $320.00 (€246.40) |
| Trajan, 25 January 98 - 8 or 9 August 117 A.D. |  | In 106 A.D., Trajan besieged Sarmizegetusa, the Dacian capital. With the aid of a Dacian traitor, the Romans found and destroyed water pipes supplying the city. Running out of water and food the city fell and was burned to the ground. Decebalus fled but, followed by the Roman cavalry, committed suicide rather than face capture. The river-god on the reverse is usually described as Tiber, however, the reverse likely personifies the impact of the Roman destruction of the Dacian's water supply. Dacia's own water supply has betrayed her, knocked her to the ground, and is choking her. |
| SH63939. Orichalcum sestertius, RIC II 556, BMCRE III 793 note, Cohen 526, aF, weight 20.524 g, maximum diameter 32.9 mm, die axis 180o, Rome mint, 103 - 111 A.D.; obverse IMP CAES NERVA TRAIANO AVG GER DAC P M TR P COS V P P, laureate bust right, slight drapery on far shoulder; reverse S P Q R OPTIMO PRINCIPI S C, River-god, cloak billowing behind, leaning left with right knee on supine Dacia, forcing her to the ground, choking her with his right hand, reeds in left; very scarce; $300.00 (€231.00) |
| Judaea (Yehudah), Ptolemaic Rule, Ptolemy II Philadelphos, 285 - 246 B.C. |  | Ptolemy II requested copies of Jewish texts for the Library at Alexandria. There they were translated and transcribed by seventy Jewish scholars hired for the purpose, creating the Septuagint, the oldest Greek version of the Hebrew Bible (Old Testament). Many of the oldest Biblical verses among the Dead Sea Scrolls, particularly those in Aramaic, correspond more closely with the Septuagint than with the Hebrew text. |
| JD35537. Silver quarter-ma, Meshorer TJC 32; Mildenberg Yehud pl. 21, 24; Hendin 1087, aVF, weight 0.157 g, maximum diameter 6.8 mm, die axis 90o, Jerusalem? mint, obverse diademed head of Ptolemy I right; reverse eagle standing half left on thunderbolt, wings open, head left, Aramaic YHDH (Yehudah) on left; $260.00 (€200.20) |
| Roman Republic, P. Porcius Laeca, 110 - 109 B.C. |  | This moneyer was a descendant of P. Porcius Laeca, praetor in 195 B.C., who proposed and carried the Lex Porcia de Provocatione. This granted Roman citizens residing outside the city the right to appeal rulings of military magistrates. |
| SH59043. Silver denarius, SRCV I 178, Sydenham 571a, Crawford 301/1, RSC I Porcia 4, VF, weight 3.851 g, maximum diameter 18.2 mm, die axis 225o, Rome mint, 110 - 109 B.C.; obverse head of Roma right in winged helmet X below chin, ROML above, P LÆCA behind; reverse magistrate standing left in military dress with hand raised, citizen in toga before him, attendant behind magistrate with rod in right and two rods in left, PROVOCO in ex; $240.00 (€184.80) |
| Septimius Severus, 9 April 193 - 4 February 211 A.D., Tarsos, Cilicia |  | Agonistic "urns" or "crowns" were awarded to winners at ancient Greek games, similar to our modern sports trophies. They are often called "crowns" because they may have been placed on the head of the victor. The crown on this coin, inscribed Olympia, likely commemorates victory of an athlete from Tarsos at the Olympic Games. |
| SH57161. Bronze AE 37, SNG Pfälzer 1352 (same dies); cf. SNG Levante 1025 var & sup. 261 var, SNG BnF 1477, var (rev arrangement), BMC Cilicia -, SNG Cop -, SNGvA -, aF, weight 19.213 g, maximum diameter 36.8 mm, die axis 180o, Tarsus mint, obverse AVT KAI Λ CEΠ CEVHPOC ΠΕΡ, laureate and cuirassed bust right, Π − Π across fields; reverse Α∆ΡΙ CΕΥΗΡΙΑΝΗ ΤΑΡCΟΥ ΜΗΤΡΟΠΟΛΕ/ΩC, Agonistic crown inscribed ΟΛΥΜΠΙΑ, ΕΝ ΚΟ∆ΡΕΙΓΕC CΕΥΗΡΕΙΑ above, ΕΠΙΝΕΙΚΙΑ Ο/ΡΟΙC ΚΙΛΕΙΚΩΝ below, Γ − Β across field; huge 37mm ancient Olympic commemorative!; very rare; $225.00 (€173.25) |
| Apameia, Phrygia, 88 - 76 B.C. |  | Apameia was named for Apama, the mother of the founder, the Seleucid king Antiochos I. Apameia suffered frequent earthquakes and one reduced it to ruins early in the first century B.C. In 88 B.C., the city peacefully opened its gates to king Mithradates of Pontos. As a reward, Mithradates granted the city 100 talents for restoration. Kleiner suggests this type is related to Mithradates' gift. |
| SH63588. Silver cistophoric tetradrachm, Kleiner Apameia, issue XI, 19; SNGvA 8337; SNG Cop 154; BMC Phrygia p. 71, 17, VF, weight 12.398 g, maximum diameter 25.4 mm, die axis 45o, Apameia mint, 88 - 76 B.C.; obverse Cista mystica with half open lid, from which a snake emerges left, all within ivy wreath; reverse two coiled serpents with heads erect, between them an ornamented bow-case with strap on right, bow sticking out from the top left side of case, snake on the right wrapped around two flutes, ΑΠΑ left, ΜΥΙΣ/ΚΟΥ between the snakes heads; $225.00 (€173.25) |
| Augustus, 16 January 27 B.C. - 19 August 14 A.D. |  | The inscription on the cippus abbreviates Senatus Populusque Romanus Imperatori Caesari quod viae munitae sunt ex ea pecunia quam is ad aerarium detulit, which means: "The road was built with money that Caesar, the Roman emperor, gave to the treasury." This cippus was erected in Rome's Regio VII, which was nicknamed Via Lata (Broadway) for its main wide urban street which led to the Via Flaminia. Augustus donated his personal funds to the treasury for road restoration, including the entire cost of restoring the Via Flaminia.
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| SH64484. Silver denarius, RIC I 361, RSC I 542, BMCRE I 80 -81, BMCRR Rome 4472 - 4473, BnF I 353 - 356, F, struck with a damaged reverse die, banker's marks, weight 3.020 g, maximum diameter 20.5 mm, die axis 270o, Rome mint, L. Vinicius, moneyer, 16 - 15 B.C.; obverse AVGVSTVS TR POT VIII, bare head right; reverse L VINICIVS - L F III VIR, cippus inscribed: S P Q R / IMP CAE / QVOD V / M S EX / EA P Q IS / AD A DE; rare; $220.00 (€169.40) |
| Trajan, 25 January 98 - 8 or 9 August 117 A.D. |  | After his defeat in 101 A.D., King Decebalus complied with Rome for a time, but then incited the tribes to pillage Roman colonies across the Danube. Trajan marched into Dacia in 105 A.D. After defeating the surrounding mountain fortresses, in 106 A.D. Trajan besieged Sarmizegetusa, the Dacian capital. With the aid of a Dacian traitor, the Romans found and destroyed water pipes supplying the city. Running out of water and food the city fell and was burned to the ground. Decebalus fled but, followed by the Roman cavalry, committed suicide rather than face capture. The Romans found Decebalus' treasure, estimated at 165,500 kg of gold and 331,000 kg of silver, in the river of Sargesia. |
| RB55927. Orichalcum dupondius, RIC II 563, BMCRE III 887, aVF, weight 12.110 g, maximum diameter 27.8 mm, die axis 165o, Rome mint, 103 - 111 A.D.; obverse IMP CAES NERVAE TRAIANO AVG GER DAC P M TR P COS V P P, radiate bust right, slight drapery on left shoulder; reverse S P Q R OPTIMO PRINCIPI, S-C, Dacian seated left on shields and arms in attitude of mourning, trophy of arms before her; ex Glen Woods; $130.00 (€100.10) |
| Macedonian Kingdom, Perseus, 179 - 168 B.C. |  | Perseus of Macedonia was the last king of the Antigonid dynasty, who ruled the successor state in Macedonia created after the death of Alexander the Great. After losing the Battle of Pydna on 22 June 168 B.C., Macedonia came under Roman rule.
The hero Perseus, the legendary founder of Mycenae and of the Perseid dynasty there, was the first of the mythic heroes of Greek mythology whose exploits in defeating various archaic monsters provided the founding myths in the cult of the Twelve Olympians. Perseus was the hero who killed Medusa and claimed Andromeda, having rescued her from a sea monster. |
| GB50614. Bronze AE 19, SNG Alpha Bank 1137, SNG Dreer 628, SNG Cop 1275 ff. var (monogram in ex), SNG München 1202 ff. var (same), VF, scratch on rev, weight 10.273 g, maximum diameter 22.0 mm, die axis 0o, Pella or Amphipolis mint, c. 171 - 168 B.C.; obverse head of hero Perseus right, wearing winged helmet peaked with griffin head, harpa right; reverse eagle standing half-left on thunderbolt, wings open, head right, B - A above wings flanking the eagles head, ΠΕΡ monogram left, ∆Ι monogram below; $120.00 (€92.40) |
| Kaffa, Crimea, Genoese Trading Colony, 1421 - 1435 |  | Kaffa (Feodosiya, Ukraine) is infamous for bringing the Black Death to Europe. In 1347, Tartar forces besieging the city began to die off. At first the Genoese hoped this would end the siege, but then the enemy catapulted plagued infested corpses into the city. Although they quickly dumped the bodies into the sea, the damage was done. Hoping to escape the spreading disease, four Genoese ships, thought to be untainted, departed for Italy. |
| ME58628. Silver asper, cf. Schlumberger, XVII, 26 - 27, VF, weight 0.918 g, maximum diameter 14.9 mm, Kaffa mint, 1420 - 1435; obverse DV [...], Castle of Genoa within incomplete circle of dots; reverse Arabic inscription naming the khan of the Golden Horde as overlord, tamga symbol within linear circle; rare; $105.00 (€80.85) |
| Roman Republic, M. Tullius, 120 B.C. |  | The wreath might represent an eclipse that occurred on 11 November 120 B.C., which the Romans declared indicated divine support for their recent victories in southern France. The reverse more likely commemorates the victories of Servius Tullius, the moneyer's ancestor, over the Sabines. He was the first Roman to be awarded the laurel wreath. The mark of value (X) on the reverse is very unusual. |
| RR54745. Silver denarius, SRCV I 155, Sydenham 531, Crawford 280/1, RSC I Tullia 1, aVF, weight 3.280 g, maximum diameter 19.8 mm, die axis 90o, Rome mint, 120 B.C.; obverse helmeted head of Roma right, ROMA behind; reverse Victory in a quadriga right, reigns in both hands, palm frond in left, wreath above, X below, M•TVLLI in ex; $95.00 (€73.15) |
| Valerian I, October 253 - c. June 260 A.D., VICT PART |  | This ironic reverse utterly failed to foresee Valerian's fate. In 260 A.D., after four years of great losses in battle and to plague, Valerian arranged for talks. He set off with a small group to discuss terms with the Sassanian (Parthian) Emperor Shapur but was never seen again. The date of his death is unknown. In Rome it was rumored that Shapur used his stuffed body as a footstool. |
| SH60331. Silver antoninianus, Göbl MIR 847d, cf. RIC V 262 (Milan), RSC 255, aVF, weight 3.630 g, maximum diameter 23.2 mm, die axis 180o, Viminacium mint, 3rd emission, 257 - 258 A.D.; obverse IMP VALERIANVS P F AVG, radiate and cuirassed bust right; reverse VICT PART, Victory standing left, right rests on shield, palm in left, captive seated left at feet beside shield; ex CNG; very rare; $80.00 (€61.60) |
| Kampanoi (Campanian Mercenaries), Aetna Area, Sicily, c. 344 - 336 B.C. |  | This coin was struck by Campanian mercenaries discharged in Sicily. |
| GB82936. Bronze AE 13, Calciati III, p. 327, 2, VF, weight 1.980 g, maximum diameter 12.8 mm, die axis 180o, Kampanoi (Aetna area) mint, c. 344 - 336 B.C.; obverse Kampanian helmet with cheek guards, ornamented with a gryphon, linear border; reverse KA monogram in wreath; $75.00 (€57.75) |
| Macedonian Kingdom, Perseus, 179 - 168 B.C. |  | Perseus of Macedonia was the last king of the Antigonid dynasty, who ruled the successor state in Macedonia created after the death of Alexander the Great. After losing the Battle of Pydna on 22 June 168 B.C., Macedonia came under Roman rule.
The hero Perseus, the legendary founder of Mycenae and of the Perseid dynasty there, was the first of the mythic heroes of Greek mythology whose exploits in defeating various archaic monsters provided the founding myths in the cult of the Twelve Olympians. Perseus was the hero who killed Medusa and claimed Andromeda, having rescued her from a sea monster. |
| GB82535. Bronze double unit, SNG Alpha Bank 1145, SNG München 1221 ff., SNG Dreer -, SNG Cop -, VF, weight 9.930 g, maximum diameter 23.0 mm, die axis 270o, Pella or Amphipolis mint, c. 179 - 168 B.C.; obverse head of hero Perseus right, wearing winged helmet peaked with griffin head, harpa across shoulder; reverse eagle standing half-left on plow, wings open, head right, Β − Α flanking above, ΠΕΡ monogram over stalk of grain and Ω/Ι monogram on left, Σ between eagle's legs; nice turquoise patina; rare; $65.00 (€50.05) |
| Philip I the Arab, February 244 - End of September 249 A.D. |  | The empire is history but Rome is still today, the Eternal City.
During the Early Middle Ages, the population fell to a mere 20,000, reducing the sprawling city to groups of inhabited buildings interspersed among large areas of ruins and vegetation. |
| RS41772. Silver antoninianus, SRCV III 8952, RIC IV 44b, RSC IV 169, Choice gVF, weight 3.774 g, maximum diameter 23.6 mm, die axis 180o, Rome mint, 245 - 247 A.D.; obverse IMP M IVL PHILIPPVS AVG, radiate, draped and cuirassed bust right; reverse ROMAE AETERNAE, Roma seated left on shield, Victory in right, long scepter vertical in left; full circles centering; $65.00 (€50.05) |
| Philip I the Arab, February 244 - End of September 249 A.D. |  | "Peace founded with Persis" - after murdering young Gordian III, Philip needed a quick return Rome to secure his spot, so he made peace with Shapur and ended the campaign. The "P M" on the obverse possibly means "Persicus Maximus" boasting total victory, rather than the traditional "Pontifex Maximus". |
| RS41792. Silver antoninianus, SRCV III 8941, RIC IV 69, RSC IV 113, EF, flat strike, weight 4.027 g, maximum diameter 24.4 mm, die axis 180o, Antioch mint, 244 - 245 A.D.; obverse IMP C M IVL PHILIPPVS P F AVG P M, radiate, draped and cuirassed bust right, from behind; reverse PAX FVNDATA CVM PERSIS, Pax advancing left, branch in right, scepter in left; scarce; $60.00 (€46.20) |
| Gargara, Troas, 400 - 284 B.C. |  | Gargara, in Troas, was originally located on the heights of Mount Ida, but its citizens relocated to the foot of the mountain. In earlier times settlements relied on natural strongholds for protection against frequent attacks by marauding bands or pirates. As civilization took hold, the commercial opportunities afforded by easier access became more important. |
| GB83019. Bronze AE 9, BMC Troas p. 53, 12 - 14 var (symbol); SNG Cop 326 - 328 var (same); SNGvA 1510 var (AE 16), VF, weight 0.640 g, maximum diameter 8.9 mm, die axis 270o, Gargara mint, obverse laureate head of Apollo right; reverse ΓΑΡ, free horse galloping to right, ivy leaf below; very nice detail for the tiny size and a rare variety; $55.00 (€42.35) |
| Philip I the Arab, February 244 - End of September 249 A.D. |  | The empire is history but Rome is still today, the Eternal City.
During the Early Middle Ages, the population fell to a mere 20,000, reducing the sprawling city to groups of inhabited buildings interspersed among large areas of ruins and vegetation. |
| RS41775. Silver antoninianus, SRCV III 8955, RIC IV 65, RSC IV 171, VF, weight 4.147 g, maximum diameter 23.2 mm, die axis 0o, Rome mint, 247 A.D.; obverse IMP PHILIPPVS AVG, radiate, draped and cuirassed bust right; reverse ROMAE AETERNAE, Roma seated left on shield, Victory in right, long scepter vertical in left, altar before; excellent centering; $55.00 (€42.35) |
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