| Astronomy on Ancient Coins |  |
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| Roman Republic, Anonymous, c. 135 - 125 B.C. |   |
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| RR38665. Bronze semis, SRCV I 887, VF, weight 5.611 g, maximum diameter 20.0 mm, die axis 180o, Rome mint, c. 135 - 125 B.C.; obverse laureate head of bearded Saturn right, S behind; reverse ROMA, prow of galley right, S before; $60.00 (41.70) |
| Rhodos, Carian Islands, c. 229 - 205 B.C. |  | Perhaps this coin did not immediately catch your eye? Of course you are looking at a photograph. You may have seen many similar fine drachms. In hand, though, it is immediately clear that this is not a drachm but rather the much larger tetradrachm - and in extraordinary sculptural high relief ! |
| SH30332. Silver tetradrachm, SNG Keckman 548, SNG Cop -, Choice aEF, weight 13.403 g, maximum diameter 26.3 mm, die axis 0o, Rhodos mint, c. 229 - 205 B.C.; obverse radiate head of Helios facing slightly right; reverse RODI-ON, rose with bud right, thunderbolt left, magistrate's name EUKRATHS above; sculptural high-relief, fine style, light toning and a broad flan, ex CNG; $3700.00 (2571.50) |
| Rhodos, Carian Islands, c. 250 - 230 B.C. |  | Helios was the ancient Greek personification of the sun. Each day he drove the chariot of the sun across the sky. The Colossus of Rhodes, the sixth of the seven wonders of the ancient world, was a huge statue of Helios measuring 32 meters (100 feet) high, built at Rhodes in 280 B.C. Rhodes held annual gymnastic games in honor of Helios. |
| SH26696. Silver didrachm, SNG Keckman 538, aEF, weight 6.632 g, maximum diameter 20.8 mm, die axis 0o, Rhodos mint, c. 250 - 230 B.C.; obverse radiate head of Helios facing slightly right; reverse MNASIMACOS, rose with bud right, Athena lower left, circle of dots around; $800.00 (556.00) |
| Crusaders, Lordship of Sidon, Anonymous Copper, c. 1250 - 1291 |  | From the collection of Alex G. Malloy, former dealer for 40 years and co-author of "Coins of the Crusader States."
Ex John J. Slocum Collection. John Slocum was in the American diplomatic service in the Holy Land where he collected rare and unique coins in the 1960's.
During the First Crusade, on December 4, 1110, Sidon was captured by King Baldwin of Jerusalem and King Sigurd of Norway. It became the center of the Lordship of Sidon, an important seigneury in the Kingdom of Jerusalem. Under the crusaders, Sidon was sacked several times and nearly destroyed by the Saracens in 1249, and again by the Mongols in 1260.
About month after the capture of Acre in late spring 1291, Al-Ashraf Khalil sent a force led by Emir al-Shuja'i to Sidon. The Knights Templar had moved their treasure to Sidon and taken refuge inside a sea castle on an isle about 90 meters from the shore. When the Sultan's forces began to build a bridge the knights escaped by sea and crusader rule of Sidon ended.
The fabric and crudeness in design of the anonymous copper pieces, such as this coin, put them in into a similar time frame as the anonymous copper of Tripoli and Antioch, perhaps during the Mongol invasions of the 1250s or perhaps later. |
| 32270. Bronze pougeoise, Malloy Crusaders -, Metcalf Crusaders -; see Malloy Crusaders p. 152 ff. for a discussion of the coinage of Sidon and similar types, VF, uneven strike, weight 1.682 g, maximum diameter 16.9 mm, obverse cross, pellet in each angle, within square with bar from each corner, very crude inscription, H...O...; reverse pellet in triangle, pellets around; unique!; $600.00 (417.00) |
| Kingdom of Macedonia, Perseus, 179 - 168 B.C., Third Macedonian War |  | |
| GS37385. Silver drachm, Ashton, "A Series of Pseudo-Rhodian Drachms from Mainland Greece," NC 1988; SNG Helsinki 796 var. (symbol), aEF, dark toning, weight 3.304 g, maximum diameter 15.0 mm, die axis 0o, Thessalian mint, 179 - 168 B.C.; obverse head of Helios facing slightly right; reverse GORGOS, rose with bud to right, kerykeion lower left; $250.00 (173.75) |
| Rhodos, Carian Islands, c. 125 - 88 B.C. |  | The Island of Rhodos was an important slave-trading center. It is perhaps best known for The Colossus of Rhodos, one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, a giant statue of Helios that was a source of inspiration for the American Statue of Liberty.
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| GS38432. Silver drachm, BMC Caria p. 256, 292; SNG Cop 811 var (symbol); SNG Keckman -, EF, weight 2.917 g, maximum diameter 18.4 mm, die axis 0o, Rhodos mint, c. 125 - 88 B.C.; obverse radiate head of Helios right; reverse ANTAIOS ( magistrate), rose with bud to right, P - O in fields, tendrils below, sunrise lower left, all within incuse square; ex CNG; $220.00 (152.90) ON RESERVE |
| Rhodos, Carian Islands, c. 125 - 88 B.C. |  | Rhodes was an important slave-trading center, best known for The Colossus of Rhodes, one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. The giant statue of Helios was finished in 280 B.C., but destroyed by an earthquake later in that century. It inspired later sculptures including the Statue of Liberty.
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| GS38482. Silver hemidrachm, SNG Keckman I 664 var (arrow head); BMC Caria p. 256, 292 var (sunrise); SNG von Aul. supp. 8193 var (Helios facing slightly l., symbol), gVF, weight 1.262 g, maximum diameter 13.4 mm, die axis 0o, Rhodos mint, c. 125 - 88 B.C.; obverse radiate head of Helios facing slightly right; reverse ANTAIOS, rose with bud to right, P - O across fields, star lower left, all in shallow incuse; fine style; ex CNG; $220.00 (152.90) |
| Julian II "the Apostate," February 360 - 26 June 363 A.D., Barbaric Counterfeit |  | The style of this coin is a bit too exotic, even for the Antioch mint. The somewhat blundered mintmark in particular indicates this is almost certainly an ancient counterfeit. Found in Syria. |
| 9205. Bronze AE 1, ancient counterfeit imitative of RIC VIII Antioch 216, VF, cleaning scratches, weight 4.80 g, maximum diameter 25.6 mm, die axis 180o, unofficial mint, after 361 A.D.; obverse D N FL CL IVLIANVS P F AVG, diademed draped and cuirassed bust right; reverse SECVRITAS REIPVB, Apis bull right, two stars above horns, branch ANTG branch in exergue; nice green patina with sandy earthen highlighting; $195.00 (135.52) |
| Fausta, Augusta 324 - 326 A.D., Second Wife of Constantine the Great |  | |
| 14594. Bronze AE 3, RIC VII 51, aVF, weight 2.231 g, maximum diameter 19.6 mm, die axis 0o, Thessalonica mint, 318 - 319 A.D.; obverse FAVS-TA NF, draped bust right, hair waived, bun at back; reverse eight-pointed star in wreath; rare; $135.00 (93.82) |
| Roman Republic, L. Appuleius Saturninus, 104 B.C. |  | The use of Saturn on the reverse is an allusion to the moneyer's cognomen. Control marks for this type are a single Latin letter and one to four dots. Only one reverse die known for each control mark. -- Roman Republican Coinage by Michael H. Crawford |
| 36296. Silver denarius, SRCV I 193, Crawford 317/3a, Sydenham 578, RSC I Appuleia 1, nice VF, weight 3.862 g, maximum diameter 18.9 mm, die axis 0o, Rome mint, 104 B.C.; obverse helmeted head of Roma left; reverse Saturn in a quadriga right, D and two dots above, LSATVRN in ex; $135.00 (93.82) |
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