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Struck under Caligula. Nero and Drusus Caesars riding right, cloaks flying, NERO ET DRVSVS CAESARES / C CAESAR AVG GERMANICVS PON M TR POT around S-C. Rome mint, c. AD 37-38. RIC I 34 (pg. 110).socalcoins
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AR Denarius - M FVRIVS Lf PHILVS - 119 BC. - Gens Furia - Mint of Rome
Obv.: Laureate head of Janus; [M•F]OVRI•L•[F] around
Rev.: Roma standing left erecting trophy, gallic arms around, ROMA to right, PHILI in ex. (PHI in monogram)
Gs. 3,7 mm. 19,6
Crawford 281/1, Sear RCV 156Maxentius
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GERMANICVS - As minted under Caligula - 40/41 AD
Obv.: GERMANICVS CAESAR TI AVGVST F DIVI AVG N, bare head left
Rev.: C CAESAR DIVI AVG PRON AVG P M TR POT IIII P P around large SC.
Gs. 11 mm. 29,1
Cohen 4 RIC 50
Maxentius
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CARACALLA - Denarius - 205 AD.
Obv.:ANTONINVS PIVS AVG, laureate and draped bust right
Rev.: PONTIF TR P VIII COS II, Salus seated left, feeding serpent coiled around altar.
Gs. 2,9 mm. 18,1
Cohen 422, RIC 82Maxentius
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TRAJAN - Semis - Mint of Antioch - 115/116 AD.
Obv.: IMP CAES NER TRAIANO OPTIMO AVG GERM, radiate draped bust right
Rev.: DAC PARTHICO P M TR POT XX COS VI P P around SC within oak wreath.
Gs. 4,6 mm. 20,7
RIC 645, Cohen 123.Maxentius
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Denarius - 68/67 BC - Mint of Rome
M. PLAETORIVS M.f. CESTIANVS - Gens Plaetoria
Obv.: Bust of Vacuna right, wearing a wreathed and crested helmet, bow and quiver on shoulder, cornucopiae below chin. CESTIANVS left, S C right
Rev.: Eagle standing right on thunderbolt, head left. M PLAETORIVS M.F. AED CVR around.
Gs. 3,9 mm. 18
Craw. 409/1, Sear RCV 349, BMRRC 3596.
For Crawford, the goddess on obverse is Isis
Maxentius
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Denarius - 62 BC. - Mint of Rome
L. AEMILIVS LEPIDVS PAVLLVS - Gens Aemilia
Obv.: Veiled and diademed head of Concordia right, PAVLLVS LEPIDVS CONCORDIA around
Rev.:Aemilius Lepidus standing to right of trophy, Perseus and his two sons captive on the left. TER above, PAVLVS in ex.
Gs. 3,8 mm. 18
Cr415/1, Sear RCV 366, Grueber 3373
Maxentius
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11180. Bronze prutah, Hendin 661, Jerusalem mint,
year 2, 67-68 A.D.; obverse amphora with broad rim
and two handles, year 2 (in Hebrew) around; reverse
vine leaf on small branch, the freedom of Zion (in
Hebrew) around. Coin #158
cars100
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IMP TITVS CAES VESPASIAN AVG PM Laur head of Titvs r.Rev.TR P IX IMP XV COS VIII PP Dolphin entwined around anchor. RIC 26(a)(Rome ad 80) weight 3,20 grspikbjorn
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Crispus AE3. CRISPVS-NOB CAES, laureate head right
CAESARVM NOSTRORVM around VOT X within wreath. branchleft left and branchright right in wreath.
Mintmark: RS. Mint of Rome (2nd officina), 322 AD. RIC VII Rome 246 Rare (R2)James b4
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Ptolemy III Euergetes. Æ Hemidrachm - Triobol. Alexandreia mint. First phase, struck circa 246-242/1. Diademed head of Zeus-Ammon right / Eagle standing left on thunderbolt, head right; cornucopia over shoulder; E between legs. Svoronos 974 var. (control mark).
AE40 about 46.5 g.
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Ar 0.249g, 6.7mm
Elea(Elia?), Aeolis, AR Hemiobol. Late 5th century BC. Head of Athena left, in crested helmet / E L A I, around olive wreath, all within incuse square. SNG Cop 164 ex ForvmRandygeki(h2)
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DN CONSTANTINVS PF AVG
New photo of one of my first coins. From an uncleaned lot.
I never did get around to attributing it!Jay GT4
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AUGUSTUS
AE As Rome Mint
25.7 mm, 10.3 grams
OBV: CEASER AUGUST PONT MAX TRIBVNIC POT, Bare head of Augustus right
REV: M MAECILIVS TVLLVS III VIR A A A F around large S C.
RIC-I-435
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India, Pre-Mauryan Empire. Anonymous. Ca. 500-400 B.C. AR karshapana (20.1 mm, 1.62 g). 4 punches: elephant left with double crescent above, 5 crescents around annulets with dot in center (cf. R-195), three fish swimming around annulet with pellets around (cf. R-232)Quant.Geek
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Faustina II. Silver Denarius (3.27 g), Augusta, AD 147-175. Rome, under Marcus Aurelius and Lucius Verus, AD 161-164/5. FAVSTINA AVGVSTA, draped bust of Faustina II right, with single circle of pearls around head. Reverse: IVNONI REGINAE, Juno standing facing, head left, holding patera and scepter. RIC -; BMC -; RSC -. Unpublished in the standard references without the peacock. Normally a peacock is shown standing at the feet of Juno on the reverse. On this coin, the bird is missing.Quant.Geek
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AE Onkia, 2.11 g, Sicily, Panormos, ca. 415-380 B.C. Obv: Forepart of Man-headed bull facing left, possibly ear of corn above or simply an encrustation divided from the man-faced bull by the tooler, in which case SYS should be above. Rev: Horse trotting right, ear of corn above. Calciati I, 272, no. 11. Hoover HGC 2, 1062 (this coin); Giuseppe Bucetti "Monete, Storia e topografia della Sicilia Greca," p. 344 (this coin); MSP I, 48b (this coin illustrated).
Definite tooling around the major devices, on the legs and back. Face apparently untouched though field in front has been smoothed.
Ex. Dr. Busso-Peus, Auction 386, No. 108 (unsold). Tooled.Molinari
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GAUL: Anonymous, circa 80-52 BC, AE15, cf. D&T 2638 (for style), stylized Alexandrian head right // YLLYCCV (?) around sylized eagle standing left; pentagram and pellets-in-annulets to rightQuant.Geek
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ISLAMIC, Anatolia & al-Jazira (Post-Seljuk). Artuqids (Mardin). Najm al-Din Alpi. AH 547-572 / AD 1152-1176. Æ Dirham (33mm, 17.13 g, 9h). Unlisted (Mardin[?]) mint. Undated issue. Diademed and draped male busts, vis-à-vis; laqabs of Najm al-Din Alpi above and below; tamgha to lower left / Byzantine emperor standing facing being crowned by the Theotokos standing facing; genealogy of Najm al-Din Alpi around. Whelan Type II, 40-41; S&S Type 28; Album 1827.3; ICV 1201.
Quant.Geek
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This "Otho" with "VÍCTORIA PR" reverse is an ingenious fabrication created by the famous forger "Tardani". He had obviously realized that there were a few VICTORIA OTHONIS dies recut from Galba's VICTORIA PR dies and created this fictitious but possible coin with copies of real dies. I used to have this coin and another with the same dies is in the Berlin coin cabinet. Both are overweight, around 3.9 gr. It took some time to find a Galba minted with this particular reverse die but finally I succeeded. The final proof is seen in this coin, there are a few regions were the die has broken, ie before the die ever could have been used for an Otho coin. The coin is quite convincing because of the dies, but the surfaces were a bit strange and the legends unusual in profile.jmuona
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ARAB-BYZANTINE: Standing Emperor, ca. 680s, AE fals, Dimashq, A-3517.2, bird on T left, mint name in Greek to right / anchor above and downward crescent below M, Arabic duriba / dimashq / ja'iz around
Dim: 4.35g, 6 h
Quant.Geek
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HENRY VI
Henry VI was King of England from 1422 to 1461 and again from 1470 to 1471. The only child of Henry V, he succeeded to the English throne at the age of nine months when his father died.
This was during the period of the long-running Hundred Years' War (1337 - 1453) and Henry is the only English monarch to also have been crowned King of France (as Henri II), in 1431. During his early reign several people were ruling for him and by the time Henry was declared fit to rule in 1437 he found his realm in a difficult position, faced with setbacks in France and divisions among the nobility at home. Henry is described as timid, shy, passive, well intentioned, and averse to warfare and violence; he was also at times mentally unstable. Partially in the hope of achieving peace, Henry married the ambitious and strong-willed Margaret of Anjou in 1445. The peace policy failed and the war recommenced with France taking the upper hand such that by 1453 Calais was Henry's only remaining territory on the continent.
With Henry effectively unfit to rule, Queen Margaret took advantage of the situation to make herself an effective power behind the throne. Starting around 1453 Henry began suffering a series of mental breakdowns and tensions mounted between Margaret and Richard of York, not only over control of the incapacitated king's government, but over the question of succession to the throne. Civil war broke out in 1459, leading to a long period of dynastic conflict, now known as the Wars of the Roses. Henry was deposed on 29th March 1461 after a crushing defeat at the Battle of Towton by Richard of York's son, who took the throne as Edward IV. Margaret continuing to resist Edward, but Henry was captured by Edward's forces in 1465 and imprisoned in the Tower of London.
Queen Margaret, who was first exiled in Scotland and then in France, was still determined to win back the throne on behalf of her husband and son. So, when Edward IV fell out with two of his main supporters, Richard Neville the Earl of Warwick and George the Duke of Clarence, Margaret formed a secret alliance with them backed by Louis XI of France. Warwick returned with an army to England, forced Edward IV into exile, and restored Henry VI to the throne on 30th October 1470, though Henry's position was nominal as Warwick and Clarence effectively ruled in his name.
But Henry's return to the throne lasted less than six months. Warwick overreached himself by declaring war on Burgundy, whose ruler responded by giving Edward IV the assistance he needed to win back his throne by force. Edward retook power in 1471, killing Warwick at the Battle of Barnet and Henry's only son at the Battle of Tewkesbury. Henry was again imprisoned in the Tower where, during the night of 21st May he died, possibly killed on Edward's orders.*Alex
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THOMAS ROTHERHAM, ARCHBISHOP OF YORK
Thomas Rotherham, also known as Thomas (Scot) de Rotherham, was an English cleric and statesman. He served as bishop of several dioceses, most notably as Archbishop of York and, on two occasions as Lord Chancellor. Rotherham was educated at King's College, Cambridge, he graduated as a Bachelor of Divinity and became a Fellow of his college where he lectured on Grammar, Theology, and Philosophy. After his ordination as a priest, he became a prebendary of Lincoln in 1462 and then of Salisbury in 1465. He moved on to powerful positions in the Church, being appointed as Bishop of Rochester in 1468, Bishop of Lincoln in 1472, and then Archbishop of York in 1480, a position he held until his death in 1500.
In 1467, King Edward IV appointed Rotherham as Keeper of the Privy Seal. He was sent as ambassador to France in 1468 and as joint ambassador to Burgundy in 1471, and in 1475 was entrusted with the office of Lord Chancellor. When Edward IV died in April 1483, Rotherham was one of the celebrants of the funeral mass on 20th April 1483 and immediately after Edward's death he sided with the dowager queen, Elizabeth Woodville, in her attempt to deprive Richard, Duke of Gloucester of his role as Lord Protector of her son, the new King Edward V. When Elizabeth sought sanctuary after Richard had taken charge of the king, Rotherham released the Great Seal to her (though he later recovered it and handed it over to Thomas Bourchier, the Archbishop of Canterbury).
Rotherham's mishandling of the seal was perceived as indicative of questionable loyalty and led to his dismissal as Lord Chancellor. He was replaced by John Russell, who earlier had also been his successor as Bishop of Lincoln. On 13th June 1483, Rotherham was charged with being involved in a conspiracy between Lord Hastings and the Woodvilles against Richard and imprisoned in the Tower of London, but he was released a few weeks later, around the middle of July, after Richard's coronation as King Richard III. Rotherham was re-instated as Chancellor in 1485, however he was dismissed shortly afterwards by Henry VII and retired from public work.
Rotherham died of the plague in Cawood near York on 29th May 1500. His remains were transferred to a magnificent marble tomb in York Minster in 1506.*Alex
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Thrace, Mesembria. 450-350 B.C. AE 19mm (5.98 gm). SNG Copenhagen 658
Ancient Coins - Thrace, Mesembria. 450-350 B.C. AE 19mm (5.98 gm). SNG Copenhagen 658 zoom view
Thrace, Mesembria. 450-350 B.C. AE 19mm (5.98 gm). Obv.: crested Macedonian helmet right. Rev.: METAM-BPIANΩN, legend around wheel with four spokes. Karayotov 1994, 8; SNG Stancomb 229; SNG Copenhagen 658. paul1888
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Lycian Dynasts, Trbbenimi, 390-360 BC, AR Tetrobol (2.93 grams), Obverse: Lion scalp facing; Reverse: Triskeles, legend around all within incuse circle. SNG Von Aulock 4215. Ex: Kirk Davis Catalog 63, lot 43, Spring 2014; Ex: Kölner Münzkabinett Auktion 16
Münzen und Medaillen Antike und Neuzeit
3.- 5.April1975, lot 137paul1888
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Augustus Æ Dupondius. Struck 16 BC, C Cassius Celer, moneyer. CAESAR AVGVSTVS TRINVNIC POTEST, three lines in wreath / C CASSIVS CELER IIIVIR AAAFF around large S C. Cohen 409.Britanikus
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INDIA, Medieval. Pandyas. Jatavarman Kulasekhara, 1190-1216. AE (Bronze, 15 mm, 1.59 g). Chola style King standing facing, head to right, holding rosebud in his left hand; around, different symbols. Rev. Fish and other symbols. Biddulph, Pandyas, 81. Quant.Geek
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YAUDHEYA: 1st century AD, AE small unit (1.93g), Pieper-1617, six-headed goddess Shashthi (consort of Karttikeya) standing facing, 6-arch hill & nandipada to left, railed tree right // Karttikeya standing, holding a scepter, Brahmi legend around, superb example of this very rare type. Interesting example that incorporated the 6-arch hill and nandipada from contemporary issues of Kuninda. Quant.Geek
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Sicily, Syracuse, Agathocles (317-289 BC), Silver Tetradrachm, struck c.310-305 BC.
Obv/ Head of nymph Arethusa facing left, her hair wreathed with grain, wearing a triple-pendant earring and a pearl necklace, three dolphins swimming around, NK below neck.
Rev/ ΣYPAKOΣIΩN (in exergue); charioteer, wearing a long chiton and holding a kentron (goad) in his right hand and the reins on his left, driving a fast quadriga left, triskeles above, AI monogram in exergue off flan.paul1888
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JUSTINIAN I, AR 120 Nummi, struck 552 - 565 at Rome or RavennaObverse: D N IVSTINIANVS P P AVG Diademed bust of Justinian I facing right, wearing robe ornamented with a row of pellets.
Reverse: Large P•K enclosed within wreath.
Diameter: 11mm | Weight: 0.67gms | Die Axis: 6
SBCV: 317 (Rome) | DOC: 336.3 (Ravenna) | MIB: 76 (Rome) | Ranieri: 355 (Ravenna)
Very Rare
In 552 the Byzantine general Narses crossed the Apennines with an army of around 25,000 men and marched on Rome only to find himself blocked by a Gothic force, under their king Totila, near Taginae in central Italy. However, Narses deployed his army in the form of a crescent in a narrow mountain valley with his dismounted cavalry mercenaries placed as a phalanx in the centre and his flanks protected by a mixed force of archers he had sent to seize the dominant heights. The Goths opened the battle with a determined cavalry charge but were halted by the enfilading fire from both sides and fell back in disarray on to the Byzantine infantry which had curved round behind them. The Byzantine cataphracts then swept into the confused Gothic mass and more than 6,000 Goths, including their leader Totila, were killed. The remnants of the Gothic army fled and Narses proceeded to Rome, capturing the city after a brief siege. The following year Narses ambushed a combined Gothic force under King Teia and his brother Aligern. The Gothic force was crushed in a hopeless last stand south of Naples, Teia was killed in the fighting and, though Aligern escaped the battle, he surrendered a few months later, so ending the Ostrogothic Kingdom in Italy after 60 years of rule.*Alex
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JUSTINIAN I, AR Anonymous Half-Siliqua, struck c.530 at ConstantinopleObverse: No legend. Helmeted and draped bust of Constantinopolis facing right.
Reverse: Large K (Kappa) within pelleted circle.
Diameter: 15mm | Weight: 0.7gms | Die Axis: 12
Bendall, Anonymous, 8c. | Vagi 3051
Not in SBCV or DOC
The issue of this particular coin has been tentatively dated, based on style, to around 530 and struck in connection with the bicentennial of the founding of Constantinople.
According to the late Simon Bendall, type 8c is the commonest of all the anonymous types, the majority being quite crude, very light and obviously of sixth century date.
These issues are a copy of a type issued by Constantine I for the foundation of Constantinople in 330, but with the bust of Constantinopolis facing right rather than facing left as it did on Constantine's coin. There seems little doubt that the type was originally resuscitated by Justinian I on the anniversary of the 330 issue, presumably c.530. However, as the overall type is commoner than any sixth century silver coin bearing an imperial portrait, and is of varying degenerative styles and weights (the smallest specimens being the crudest) it would appear that some numbers of them must have continued to have been struck after 530, perhaps even as much as 50 or so years after. A number of theories have been put forward regarding the dating of these but, due to the scant archaeological, epigraphical and hoard evidence presently available, the exact date or dates of issue of individual coins of this type has so far proved to be inconclusive.
*Alex
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JUSTINIAN I, AR Anonymous Third-Siliqua, struck after 530 at ConstantinopleObverse: No legend. Helmeted and draped bust of Roma, seen from front, facing right.
Reverse: Large P (Rho) within pelleted circle.
Diameter: 10mm | Weight: 0.63gms | Die Axis: 2
Cf. Bendall, Anonymous, 7,15.
Not in SBCV or DOC
Very Rare
Bendall observed that the issue which he designated as Type 7 could hardly be an issue of 330 as it is stylistically quite unlike his Type 2 issue, but it is far superior to Type 9 (and with a different reverse). Thus he thought it might possibly have been a rare commemorative issue which, along with Type 8a, was struck for the centennial of the foundation of Constantinople in c.430. However, the style and lower weight of this particular coin suggests it was probably struck at a later date than 430. This could be in accordance with the similar example of Bendall's type 8, which he breaks into two subtypes, 8a and 8b, struck circa 430 and 530, respectively. It is possible that this coin may represent a hitherto unrecorded reissue of Bendall's type 7, struck around the same time as the revival of his type 8, arguably to celebrate Justinian’s re-conquest of Rome from Ostrogothic occupation in December 536. The rarity of this enigmatic coin would seem to suggest that this issue was likely struck on only one occasion, possibly in late 536 to 537.
*Alex
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Time of Alexander I, AR Hemiobol, struck 470 - 460 BC at Argilos in MacedoniaObverse: No legend. Forepart of Pegasos facing left.
Reverse: No legend. Quadripartite granulated incuse square.
Diameter: 8.78mm | Weight: 0.20gms | Die Axis: Uncertain
Liampi 118 | SNG - | GCV -
Rare
Argilos was a city of ancient Macedonia founded by a colony of Greeks from Andros. Although little information is known about the city until about 480 BC, the literary tradition dates the foundation to around 655/654 BC which makes Argilos the earliest Greek colony on the Thracian coast. It appears from Herodotus to have been a little to the right of the route the army of Xerxes I took during its invasion of Greece in 480 BC in the Greco-Persian Wars. Its territory must have extended as far as the right bank of the Strymona, since the mountain of Kerdylion belonged to the city.
Argilos benefited from the trading activities along the Strymona and probably also from the gold mines of the Pangeion. Ancient authors rarely mention the site, but nevertheless shed some light on the important periods of its history. In the last quarter of the 6th century BC, Argilos founded two colonies, Tragilos, in the Thracian heartland, and Kerdilion, a few kilometers to the east of the city.
Alexander I was the ruler of the ancient kingdom of Macedonia from c.498 BC until his death in 454 BC. Alexander came to the throne during the era of the kingdom's vassalage to Persia, dating back to the time of his father, Amyntas I. Although Macedonia retained a broad scope of autonomy, in 492 BC it was made a fully subordinate part of the Persian Empire. Alexander I acted as a representative of the Persian governor Mardonius during peace negotiations after the Persian defeat at the Battle of Salamis in 480 BC. From the time of Mardonius' conquest of Macedonia, Herodotus disparagingly refers to Alexander I as “hyparchos”, meaning viceroy. However, despite his cooperation with Persia, Alexander frequently gave supplies and advice to the Greek city states, and warned them of the Persian plans before the Battle of Plataea in 479 BC. After their defeat at Plataea, when the Persian army under the command of Artabazus tried to retreat all the way back to Asia Minor, most of the 43,000 survivors of the battle were attacked and killed by the forces of Alexander at the estuary of the Strymona river.
Alexander regained Macedonian independence after the end of the Persian Wars and was given the title "philhellene" by the Athenians, a title used for Greek patriots.
After the Persian defeat, Argilos became a member of the first Athenian confederation but the foundation of Amphipolis in 437 BC, which took control of the trade along the Strymona, brought an end to this. Thucydides tells us that some Argilians took part in this foundation but that the relations between the two cities quickly deteriorated and, during the Peloponnesian war, the Argilians joined with the Spartan general Brasidas to attack Amphipolis. An inscription from the temple of Asklepios in Epidauros attests that Argilos was an independent city during the 4th century.
Like other colonies in the area, Argilos was conquered by the Macedonian king Philip II in 357 B.C. Historians believe that the city was then abandoned and, though excavations have brought to light an important agricultural settlement on the acropolis dated to the years 350-200 BC, no Roman or Byzantine ruins have been uncovered there.*Alex
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2nd - 1st Century BC, IRON AGE BRITAIN, Tribe: Durotriges, Base AR Stater, Struck c.40 BCObverse: No legend. Abstract head of Apollo made up of pellets and lines.
Reverse: No legend. Crude disjointed horse with three tails standing facing left, large group of pellets and “coffee bean” symbol above, single pellet below.
One of a small group of coins found west of Cheriton, south east of Winchester.
Diameter: 19mm | Weight: 2.89gms | Axis: Unclear
Spink: 366
THE DUROTRIGES
The Durotriges were one of the Celtic tribes living in Britain prior to the Roman invasion. They were one of the groups that issued coinage before the Roman conquest. Their coins were abstract and simple and had no inscriptions, so no names of any issuers or rulers are known. Nevertheless, the Durotriges presented a settled society, based in the farming of lands surrounded by hill forts, the majority of which seem to have gone out of use by 100 BC, long before the arrival of the Romans in 43 or 44 AD. Constructed initially around 600 BC, the Durotriges ultimately occupied the largest hill fort in Britain, Maiden Castle, which encloses some 19 hectares (47 acres). Around 100 BC though, for some reason habitation at the hill fort went into decline and became concentrated at the eastern end of the site. Maiden Castle appears to have been abandoned after the Roman conquest of Britain although the Romans later built a small temple on the site.
The tribe lived in an area centred on Dorset, south Wiltshire, south Somerset and Devon east of the River Axe. Their territory was bordered to the west by the Dumnonii; and to the north east by the Belgae. The area controlled by the Durotriges is identified in part by coin finds, few Durotrigan coins are found in the south eastern tribal areas, so it would appear unlikely that they were acceptable there. A recent coin hoard found on the Isle of Wight, however, would seem to indicate that the Durotriges might have had some influence at least over the western half of the island.
The Durotriges' main outlet for trade across the Channel, strong in the first half of the 1st century BC before drying up in the decades prior to the arrival of the Romans, was at Hengistbury Head. The numismatic evidence indicates a progressive debasing of the coinage suggesting economic difficulties in conjunction with their declining trade.
CLICK ON IMAGE BELOW TO ENLARGE IT
 *Alex
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Perdikkas II, 451 - 413 BC. AR Heavy Tetrobol, struck 437 - 431 BC at Aigai in MacedoniaObverse: No legend. Rider, wearing chlamys and kausia (an ancient Macedonian flat hat, also called a petasos), holding two spears on horse prancing right.
Reverse: No legend. Forepart of lion with straight lined truncation facing right, both paws visible; kerykeion (caduceus), placed horizontally, in left field above, all within incuse square.
Diameter: 15mm | Weight: 2.1gms | Die Axis: 6h
Sear GCV: 1491
Grainy surfaces | Rare (R2)
Perdikkas II features prominently in Thucydides' History of the Peloponnesian War, in which he is described as switching sides between the Peloponnesians and the Athenians several times.
The lion on the reverse of this coin alludes to the Nemean lion killed by Herakles who was claimed to be the ancestor of Perdikkas.
Perdikkas II was a member of the Argead dynasty which would rule Macedonia for almost 400 years.
The founder of the dynasty, Perdikkas I, had led the people who called themselves Macedonians eastward from their home on the Haliacmon River around 700 BC. Aegae (Edessa) became their capital, and by the reign of Amyntas I in the 6th century BC, Macedonian power dominated the neighbouring Thracian tribes and when Amyntas’ successor, Alexander I advanced the Macedonian frontiers eastward to the Strymon River their power was further increased.
After the death of Alexander I in 454, Macedonia began to fall apart, but around 450 BC Perdikkas II, who was Alexander I's son, came to the throne after having asserted his succession against his brothers. Perdikkas had four brothers, Alcetas II, Philip, Menelaus and Amyntas, he also had a sister, Stratonice. Alcetas II preceded him on the throne until he was murdered by Perdikkas' son Archelaus I resulting in Perdikkas' elevation to the throne. During his reign Perdikkas united the Greek cities of Chalcidice in a federation centred on the city of Olynthus.
Perdikkas II died in 413 BC leaving his son Archelaus as heir to the throne. Archelaus adopted a strongly philhellenic policy and introduced Greek artists to his new capital at Pella. He strengthened Macedonia by building roads and fortresses, improved army equipment, and encouraged city life. However, following his assassination in 399 BC, there was seven years of murder and anarchy until finally, around 393 BC, Amyntas III, a great-grandson of Alexander I, took the throne and, although his reign was filled with anarchy and intrigue, he successfully brought unity to Macedonia.
Aigai (also Aegae, Aegeae or Aigeai) was the original capital of the Macedonians and it was also the burial-place of the Macedonian kings. It was built on a site near the modern town of Vergina.*Alex
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PHILIP II as Caesar. AE Tetradrachm struck AD 246 at AlexandriaObverse: M IOV ΦIΛIΠΠOC K CEB. Bare headed and draped bust of Philip II facing right.
Reverse: No legend. Asklepios standing facing left, sacrificing over flaming and garlanded altar out of patera held in his right hand and holding staff, around which a serpent coils, in his left; in left field, LΓ (= regnal year 3 0f Philip I = A.D.245 - 246).
Diameter: 23mm | Weight: 11.9gms | Die Axis: 12
Not in GICV
VERY RARE
*Alex
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1st Century BC - 1st Century CE, IRON AGE BRITAIN, Tribe: Catuvellauni, AE Unit, Struck c.25BC – 10CE at Verlamion (St. Albans) under TasciovanusObverse: Bearded head facing right; VER anti-clockwise in front.
Reverse: Horse with sea horse tail facing left; pellet in ring, and trefoil motif above; VER below.
Diameter: 15.2mm | Weight: 1.97gms | Axis: 3h
SPINK: 243 | BMC 1714-21 | ABC 2658
RARE
CATUVELLAUNI
The Catuvellauni were an Iron Age Celtic tribe in Britain before the Roman conquest, attested by inscriptions into the 4th century. They are mentioned by Cassius Dio, who implies that they led the resistance against the conquest in 43CE. They appear as one of the “Civitates” of Roman Britain in Ptolemy's “Geography” in the 2nd century, occupying the town of Verlamion (Roman Verulamium, modern St.Albans) and the surrounding areas of Hertfordshire, Bedfordshire and southern Cambridgeshire. Their territory was bordered to the north by the Iceni and Corieltauvi, to the east by the Trinovantes, to the west by the Dobunni and to the south by the Atrebates, Regni and Cantii.
TASCIOVANUS
Tasciovanus appears to have become king of the Catuvellauni around 20 BC, before the Roman conquest of Britain. Ruling from Verlamion (St.Albans), for a brief period around 15–10 BC, he issued coins from Camulodunum (Colchester), apparently supplanting Addedomarus of the Trinovantes, but it appears that following the arrival of Augustus in Gaul he withdrew and again issued his coins from Verlamion.
Tasciovanus was the first Catuvellaunian king to issue inscribed coins, bearing “VER”, mint marks for Verlamion. He was also the first to renew hostilities towards the Trinovantes, flouting the long-standing agreement between Caesar and his own grandfather Cassivellaunus.
Tasciovanus died around AD 9 and was succeeded by his son Cunobelinus, who ruled primarily from Camulodunum.
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1st Century BC - 1st Century CE, IRON AGE BRITAIN, Tribe: Dobunni, AR Unit, uninscribed seriesObverse: Degraded Celtic “Moon Head” facing right, pellets/symbols in front.
Reverse: Celticised triple tailed horse galloping left; cross above, pellets around.
Diameter: 13.0mm | Weight: 0.67gms | Axis: 3h
SPINK: 377 | ABC 2024
RARE
THE DOBUNNI
The Dobunni were one of the few Iron Age tribes which issued coins before the arrival of the Romans. Their territory covered an area that today broadly coincides with the English counties of Bristol, Gloucestershire and the north of Somerset, although at times their territory may have extended into parts of what are now Herefordshire, Oxfordshire, Wiltshire, Worcestershire, and Warwickshire.
Remnants of several hillforts thought to have been occupied by the Dobunni can be seen in the Bristol area at Maes Knoll, Clifton Down, Burwalls and Stokeleigh, all overlooking the Avon Gorge, as well as at Kingsweston Down and Blaise Castle.
Unlike their neighbours, such as the Silures in what later became south-east Wales, the Dobunni were not a warlike people, being primarily a large group of farmers and craftspeople living in small villages. They submitted to the Romans even before they reached their territory, and after the Roman conquest they readily adopted a Romano-British lifestyle. The Romans gave the Dobunni capital the name of Corinium Dobunnorum, which is known as Cirencester today.
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 *Alex
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1st Century BC - 1st Century CE, IRON AGE BRITAIN, Tribe: Trinovantes, AE Unit, Struck c.10 BC – 10 CE in Camulodunum(?) in Essex under DubnovellaunusObverse: Head facing right, hair(?) lines on head divided by clear centre parting.
Reverse: Horse prancing left; complex pellets and circles above and below.
Diameter: 13.5mm | Weight: 1.61gms | Axis: 3h
SPINK: -- | BMC -- | ABC 2413
VERY RARE
Very rare uninscribed bronze unit of Dubnovellaunus found in Essex. The type is designated as a “Dubnovellaunus Centre Parting” bronze unit in ABC (Ancient British Coins), and to date (January, 2023) it is unlisted in any other major reference works.
DUBNOVELLAUNUS
It is generally thought that Dubnovellaunus succeeded his father Addedomarus as king of the Trinovantes somewhere around 10-5 BC and ruled for several years before being supplanted by Cunobelinus of the Catuvellauni.
In the Res Gestae Divi Augusti, a British king called Dumnovellaunus appears, alongside Tincomarus of the Atrebates, as a supplicant to Augustus in around AD 7 and, given the chronology, it is indeed possible that Dubnovellaunus of the Trinovantes is the same person as the Dumnovellaunus who presented himself to Augustus. The spelling variation is due to a Celtic, rather than a Latin, interpretation of the ruler's name.
It is worth mentioning that the authors of ABC (Ancient British Coins) also think that Dubnovellaunus of the Trinovantes could possibly be the same individual as the Dumnovellaunus who ruled in Kent in the 30s - 20s BC, they suggest that he could have been a Cantian king who later gained control over the southern part of the Trinovantes and that therefore he might have ruled both territories north and south of the Thames estuary for a few years. It should be noted however, that Van Arsdell, an authority on the Celtic Coinage of Britain, emphatically disputes this.
TRINOVANTES
The Trinovantes were one of the Iron Age Celtic tribes of Pre-Roman Britain. Their territory was on the north side of the Thames estuary in the present day counties of Essex, Hertfordshire and Suffolk, and also included lands now located in Greater London. They were bordered to the north by the Iceni, and to the west by the Catuvellauni. Their capital was Camulodunum (modern Colchester).
Shortly before Julius Caesar's invasion of Britain in 55 and 54 BC, the Trinovantes were considered the most powerful tribe in Britain. At this time their capital was probably at Braughing (in modern-day Hertfordshire). In some copies of Caesar's Gallic War their king is referred to as Imanuentius, although no name is given in other copies which have come down to us. That said however, it seems that this king was overthrown by Cassivellaunus, king of the Catuvellauni, some time before Caesar's second expedition and that Imanuentius' son, Mandubracius, fled to the protection of Caesar in Gaul. During his second expedition Caesar defeated Cassivellaunus and restored Mandubracius to the kingship. Cassivellaunus agreed to pay tribute and also undertook not to attack him again.
The next identifiable king of the Trinovantes, known from numismatic evidence, was Addedomarus, who took power around 20 – 15 BCE, and moved the tribe's capital to Camulodunum. For a brief period, around 10 BCE, Tasciovanus of the Catuvellauni issued coins from Camulodunum, suggesting that he must have conquered the Trinovantes, but he was soon forced to withdraw, perhaps as a result of pressure from the Romans. Addedomarus was restored and Tasciovanus' later coins no longer bear the mark “REX”. Addedomarus was briefly succeeded by his son Dubnovellaunus, around 10 to 5 BCE, but a few years later the tribe was conquered by either Tasciovanus or his son Cunobelinus.
The Trinovantes do not appear in history again until their participation in Boudica's revolt against the Romans in 60 CE. After that though they seem to have embraced the Romanisation of Britain and their name was later given to one of the “civitates” of Roman Britain, whose chief town was Caesaromagus (modern Chelmsford in Essex).
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1st Century CE, IRON AGE BRITAIN, Tribes: Catuvellauni and Trinovantes, AE Unit, Struck c.10 - 40 at Verlamion under CunobelinusObverse: CVNO - BELIN. Bare head facing left.
Reverse: TASCIO. Metal worker, wielding hammer, seated facing right.
Diameter: 15mm | Weight: 2.24gms | Axis: 3h
Spink: 342 | ABC: 2969 | Van Arsdell 2097
CUNOBELINUS
Cunobelinus was a king in Iron Age Britain from about 9 CE until about 40 CE. He is mentioned by the Roman historians Suetonius and Dio Cassius, and many coins bearing his inscription have been found. Cunobelinus controlled a substantial portion of south-eastern Britain, including the territories of the Catuvellauni and the Trinovantes, and is called “Britannorum rex" (King of the Britons) by Suetonius. He appears to have been recognized by the Roman emperor Augustus as a client king, shown by the use of the Latin title Rex on some of his coins.
Numismatic evidence appears to indicate that Cunobelinus took power around AD 9 after the death of his father Tasciovanus, minting coins from both Camulodunum, capital of the Trinovantes and Verlamion (Roman Verulamium), capital of the Catuvellauni. Some of the Verulamium coins name him as the son of Tasciovanus, a previous king of the Catuvellauni. Cunobelinus' earliest issues are, however, from Camulodunum, indicating that he took power there first, and some have a palm or laurel wreath design, a motif borrowed from the Romans indicating a military victory. It is possible that he was emboldened to act against the Trinovantes, whose independence was protected by a treaty they made with Julius Caesar in 54 BC, because problems in Germania severely affected Augustus' ability to defend allies in Britain.
Cunobelinus, however, appears to have maintained quite good relations with the Roman Empire, he used classical motifs on his coins and his reign also saw an increase in trade with the continent. Archaeological evidence shows an increase in imported luxury goods, including wine and drinking vessels from Italy, olive oil and “garum” (fish sauce) from Spain, as well as glassware, jewellery, and tableware from the wider continent, all of which, from their distribution, appear to have entered Britain via the port of Camulodunum. Rome's lucrative trade with Britain was also reported by Strabo, according to him the island's exports included grain, gold, silver, iron, hides, slaves and hunting dogs. It seems likely that Cunobelinus was one of the British kings, mentioned by Strabo, who sent embassies to Augustus.
Cunobelinus died about 40, probably within a year of that date, as he was certainly dead by 43.
Traditionally it has been suggested that the “Lexden Tumulus” on the outskirts of Colchester was Cunobelinus' tomb, but without evidence confirming that, it is also possible that the tomb was built for the earlier Trinovantian king, Addedomarus. Interestingly there is a second tumulus, though this one is not so well known, 665m to the northwest of the Lexden burial mound, on a grassy area in the middle of a modern housing estate. This tumulus, known as ‘The Mount’, probably dates from around the same time as the well-known one at Fitzwalter Road, Lexden.
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 *Alex
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Crispus, Siscia RIC 175AE 3 / 4 Crispus Votive
Obverse: IVL CRIS PVS NOBC, laureate head right.
Reverse: CAESARVMNOSTRORVM around VOT X ( I pledge 10 years)
TSIS in ex. Siscia mint, 16.5 mm,. 2.4 g.NORMAN K
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"Boulogne" (VI) 14bMaximianus I 286-305 AD
AE Follis
Obv: IMP C MAXIMIANVS PF AVG
Laureate bust right
Rev: GENIO POPVLI ROMANI
Genius standing left
-/-//-
Uncertain continental mint (Boulogne?) operating around the time of the British invasion
RIC (VI) Lyon 14bmauseus
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"Boulogne" (VI) 17aConstantius I as Caesar 293-305 AD
AE Follis
Obv: FL VAL CONSTANTIVS NOB C
Laureate bust right
Rev: GENIO POPVLI ROMANI
Genius standing left
-/-//-
Uncertain continental mint (Boulogne?) operating around the time of the British invasion
RIC (VI) Lyon 17amauseus
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1st Century CE, IRON AGE BRITAIN, Tribe: Atrebates, AR Unit, Struck c.25 -35 under EpaticcusObverse: EPATI. Head of Hercules, wearing lionskin headdress with paws tied before neck, facing right; pellet in ring behind.
Reverse: No legend. Eagle standing facing, head left, on serpent; dot in circle at upper right.
Diameter: 12mm | Weight: 1.1gms | Axis: 10 |
Spink: 356
Coin found in Hampshire, England. Old repair
EPATICCUS
Epaticcus was a son of Tasciovanus, and probably the younger brother of Cunobelin, he was also apparently a favoured uncle of Caratacus. It is from his coinage issues that we know his name and his family relationship.
The distribution of his coinage would indicate that Epaticcus expanded the territory of his tribe at the expense of the Atrebatean king Verica, and installed himself at the latter's capital, Calleva around 25 CE.
It is likely that Epaticcus was permitted to govern the area by his brother as part of the Catuvellaunian hegemony that was expanding across south eastern Britain at the time. Epaticcus continued to take Verica’s lands to west and south until his death, probably on campaign, around 35 CE. After this his expansionist policies were continued by his nephews, Caratacus and Togodumnus, into the late 30’s CE.
ATREBATES
The Atrebates were a Belgic Iron Age tribe originally dwelling in the Artois region of Northern France.
After the tribes of Gallia Belgic were defeated by Caesar in 57 BC, 4,000 Atrebates participated in the Battle of Alesia in 53, led by their chief Commius.
Before 54 BC, an offshoot of the Gallic tribe probably settled in Britain where it was successively ruled by kings Commius, Tincommius, Eppillus and Verica. Their territory comprised modern Hampshire, West Sussex and Berkshire, centred on the capital Calleva Atrebatum (modern Silchester). They were bordered to the north by the Dobunni and Catuvellauni; to the east by the Regni; and to the south by the Belgae.
The settlement of the Atrebates in Britain does not seem to have been a mass population movement and it is possible that the name "Atrebates", as with many "tribal" names in this period, referred only to the ruling house or dynasty and not to an ethnic group.
After the Roman conquest the Atrebates' lands were organized into the civitates of the Atrebates, Regni and possibly, the Belgae.
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*Alex
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1st Century CE, IRON AGE BRITAIN, Tribe: Iceni, AR Unit, Struck c.60 - 61 under Boudica (Boadicea)Obverse: No legend. Abstract Celtic style head with slit for eye and no ear facing right. Three pellets below head, branch emblem behind neck.
Reverse: No legend. Celtic style horse facing right, lozenge-shaped box with pellets on outer corners below horse. Section of large elaborate wheel-like object above horse, pellet below horse's tail.
Class: Icenian O
Diameter: 14mm | Weight: 0.9gms | Axis: 10
Spink: 434
The first known recorded example of this coin was made by William Stukely, an English antiquarian whose ideas influenced various antiquaries throughout the eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries. Stukeley published over twenty books on archaeology and other subjects during his lifetime and he is regarded as an important forerunner of archaeology for his emphasis on methodically measuring and documenting ancient sites. He died of a stroke in early 1765.
The theory that this coinage was connected with Boudica was originally reported in 1987 and this was endorsed by R D Van Arsdell, an authority on the Celtic coinage of Britain, as Boudican in the 1990's. At the time though this was disputed by many in the numismatic community, some of whom continued to rely on older studies that lumped all "Face-Horse" coins together in a group dating before 20 CE.
However, John Talbot of the University of Oxford carried out research on these issues and, as his die-link and hoard work gradually progressed through the 1990's into the early twenty-first century, these coins were confirmed to be the final coinage of the Iceni. As Talbot's findings were only gradually revealed over a period of time, the accepted dating used in some dealer catalogues did not always keep up with the latest information. During his studies, Talbot discovered that coins from several die sets are only found in the Boudican Rebellion hoards. He also confirmed that these coins were struck in abnormally great numbers for any Icenian issue. But, because he was not certain that this was enough evidence to date the coins to 61 CE. he suggested only that they could have been struck any time after the Claudian Invasion of 43 CE.
Considering though that some die sets are known only from the Boudican Rebellion hoards, that it is still the case that these coins appear in uncirculated condition in the hoards, and that to date none of these coins have been found from secure contexts earlier than the time of the Boudican rebellion, it would appear that the 1987 report was essentially correct and these coins must have been struck nearer to the date of the Boudican Rebellion than earlier, possibly in connection with the financing of that rebellion. The conclusion now is that these coins can, with some confidence, be attributed to Boudica.
THE ICENI
The Iceni were a tribe located in eastern Britain during the Iron Age and the early Roman era. Their territory was bordered by the Corieltauvi to the west, and the Catuvellauni and Trinovantes to the south. In the Roman period, their capital was Venta Icenorum at modern-day Caistor St Edmund.
Julius Caesar did not mention the Iceni in his account of his invasions of Britain in 55 and 54 BC, though they may have been related to the Cenimagni, whom Caesar notes as living north of the River Thames at that time. The Iceni were a significant power in eastern Britain during Claudius I's conquest of Britain in AD 43, in which they allied with Rome. Increasing Roman influence on their affairs led to a revolt in AD 47, though they remained nominally independent under king Prasutagus up until his death around AD 60. Roman encroachment after Prasutagus' death led his wife Boudica to launch a major revolt from 60–61. Boudica's uprising seriously endangered Roman rule in Britain and resulted in the burning of Londinium and other cities. The Romans finally crushed the rebellion, and the Iceni were eventually incorporated into the Roman province.
Archaeological evidence of the Iceni includes torcs, which are heavy rings of gold, silver or electrum worn around the neck and shoulders. The Iceni began producing coins around 10 BC. Their coins were a distinctive adaptation of the Gallo-Belgic "face/horse" design, and in some early issues, most numerous near Norwich, the horse was replaced with a boar. Some coins are inscribed ECENI, making them the only coin-producing group to use their tribal name on coins. The earliest personal name to appear on coins is Antedios (about 10 BC), and other abbreviated names like AESU and SAEMU followed. The name of Prasutagus also appears on some coins as PRASTO.
QUEEN BOUDICA
Queen Boudica was married to Prasutagus, ruler of the Iceni people of East Anglia. When the Romans conquered southern England in AD 43, they allowed Prasutagus to continue to rule. However, when Prasutagus died he left a will dividing his lands between the Roman emperor and his family. The Romans decided to rule the Iceni directly and confiscated all the king's property. When this was contested they are said to have stripped and flogged Boudica and raped her daughters. These actions exacerbated the widespread resentment at Roman rule.
In 60 or 61 AD, while the Roman governor Gaius Suetonius Paullinus was leading a campaign in North Wales, the Iceni rebelled, other tribes joined them, and Boudica led a major uprising against the occupying Roman forces.
Boudica's warriors defeated the Roman Ninth Legion and destroyed the then capital of Roman Britain, Camulodunum (Colchester). They then went on to destroy Londinium (London) and Verulamium (St Albans) killing thousands in the process. Finally, Boudica was defeated by a Roman army led by Paulinus. A great number of her army were killed and, though Boudica's fate is unknown, she is alleged to have either died in battle or poisoned herself to avoid capture. The site of the battle which brought an end to her uprising is also unknown.
The photograph below is of the Victorian statue of Boudica (Boadicea) situated on the Thames embankment in London.
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  *Alex
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2 Augustus AE AsAugustus AE As
6 BC
Moneyer Sextus Nonius Quinctilianus
CAESAR AVGVST PONT MAX TRIBVNIC POT, bare head right / SEX NONIVS QVINCTILIAN IIIVIR AAAFF around large SC.
Cohen 474, RIC 439, Cohen 474, BMC 237
RI0008Sosius
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2 Augustus and Ptolemy, King of Mauretania Æ Semis, Carthago Nova, Spain
C. Laetilius Apalus and Ptolemy, duoviri.
Bare head of Augustus right / Name and titles of the duoviri around diadem, REX PTOL inside
RPC 172; SNG Copenhagen 494
Ptolemy of Mauretania (Greek: Πτολεμαῖος, Latin: Ptolemaeus, 1 BC-40) was the son of Juba II and Cleopatra Selene and the grandson of Cleopatra VII and Mark Antony. He was the last Roman client King of Mauretania, and the last of the Ptolemy line.Sosius
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3.5 DrususDRUSUS CAESAR
Æ As. Struck under Tiberius, 21-22 AD.
DRVSVS CAESAR TI AVG F DIVI AVG N, bare head left / PONTIF TRIBVN POTEST ITER around large S•C.
Cohen 2, RIC 45 (Tiberius), Cohen 2, BMC 99 VG/aF
RI0034Sosius
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4 CaligulaGaius Caligula. A.D. 37-41. AE quadrans. Rome mint, struck A.D. 41. Rare. Unlisted in RIC 2nd Edition. From the RJM Collection.
Gaius Caligula. A.D. 37-41. AE quadrans (17.79 mm, 3.20 g, 7 h). Rome mint, struck A.D. 41. C CAESAR DIVI AVG PRON AVG , legend around large S - C; Pileus or "Liberty Cap" between / PON M TR P IIII P P COS QVAT, legend around large RCC. RIC I unlisted; RIC I (1st edition) 41; BMCRE 79-80; BN 126-7. VF, rough, brown surfaces. Rare. Unlisted in RIC 2nd Edition.
From the RJM Collection.
Rare last year of issue, when Gaius was consol for the fourth time
Ex Agora Auctions, 5/9/2017Sosius
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5 Claudius QuadransCLAUDIUS
AE Quadrans
O: TI CLAVDIVS CAESAR AVG around hand holding pair of scales above PNR
R: PON M TR P IMP COS DES IT around S C.
RIC 85, sear5 #1864. aVF with encrustations
RI0027Sosius
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JUSTINIAN I, AE Decanummium (10 Nummi), struck 550/551 at AntiochObverse: D N IVSTINIANVS P P AVG. Helmeted and cuirassed facing bust of Justinian I, holding globus cruciger in his right hand and shield in his left; cross in right field.
Reverse: Large I surmounted by cross, A/N/N/O in field to left and regnal year X/X/IIII in field to right; in exergue, THU followed by • over Π with a slash through the last letter's right side.
Diameter: 24mm | Weight: 4.79gms | Die Axis: 6
SBCV: 237 | DOC: 255 Class D | MIB: 158
Regarding the mintmark in the exergue, the letter Π with a slash through its right side and tiny o or • above is an abbreviation for "polis". The slash is like the English apostrophe denoting omission of letters, as in the word "can't". Therefore, together with the letters T (Tau) and H (Eta), the mint-mark reads as an abbreviation of "Theoupolis"
550
In January of this year the Ostrogoths under king Totila recaptured Rome after a long siege by bribing the Isaurian garrison. Then, in the summer, the Goths, under Totila, plundered Sicily after they had subdued Corsica and Sardinia, whilst the Gothic fleet also raided the coasts of Greece.
551
In this year Justinian I appointed Narses new supreme commander, who then returned to Italy. In Salona on the Adriatic coast, Narses assembled a Byzantine expeditionary force of around 20,000 to 30,000 men and a contingent of foreign allies which included Lombards, Herulii and Bulgars
When Narses arrived in Venetia he discovered that a powerful Gothic-Frank army of around 50,000 men, under the joint command of the kings Totila and Theudebald, had blocked the principal route to the Po Valley. Not wishing to engage such a formidable force and confident that the Franks would avoid a direct confrontation, Narses skirted the lagoons along the Adriatic shore, using vessels to convey his army from point to point along the coast and thereby arrived at the capital, Ravenna, without encountering any opposition. He then attacked and crushed a small Gothic force at Ariminum, modern Rimini.
In the Autumn of this year the Byzantine fleet of 50 warships destroyed the Gothic naval force under Indulf near Sena Gallica, some 17 miles (27 km) north of Ancona. The Battle of Sena Gallica marked the end of Gothic supremacy in the Mediterranean Sea.*Alex
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Philip III Arrhidaios, 323 - 317 BC. AR Drachm struck in the name and types of Alexander III at Lampsakos, Mysia.Obverse: No legend. Head of Herakles, wearing lion-skin knotted at base of neck, facing right.
Reverse: AΛEΞANΔPOY. Zeus Aëtophoros seated facing left, right leg drawn back, feet on stool, eagle in right hand, sceptre in left; buckle in left field; Λ above Ω below throne.
Diameter: 18mm | Weight: 4.16gms | Die Axis: 7 | Cut mark above eyebrow on obverse.
Price: 1376
Alexander the Great reigned from 336 to 323 BC but this coin was struck shortly after his death, in around 323 to 317 BC under Philip III Arrhidaios.
Philip III Arrhidaios was the king of Macedonia after the death of Alexander the Great, from 323 BC until his own death in 317 BC. He was a son of King Philip II of Macedonia and a half-brother of Alexander. Named Arrhidaios at birth, he assumed the name Philip when he ascended the throne.
As Arrhidaios grew older it became apparent that he had mild learning difficulties. Alexander was very fond of him, and took him on his campaigns, both to protect his life and to ensure he would not be used as a pawn in a challenge for the throne. After Alexander's death in Babylon, Arrhidaios was proclaimed king by the Macedonian army in Asia, but he was a mere figurehead, and a pawn of the powerful generals, one after the other.
*Alex
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Philip III Arrhidaios, 323 - 317 BC. Bronze Tetartemorion (Dichalkon / Quarter Obol). Struck 323 - 315 BC under Nikokreon at Salamis, Cyprus.Obverse: No legend. Macedonian shield with Gorgoneion (Medusa) head as the boss in the centre. The shield boss is sometimes called the episema, the Greek name for a symbol of a particular city or clan which was placed in the centre of a soldier's shield.
Reverse: Macedonian helmet surmounted with a horse hair crest; B - A (for BAΣIΛEOΣ AΛEΞANΔPOY = King Alexander) above; mint marks below the helmet, to left, a kerykeion (caduceus) and to the right, the monogram NK (for Nikokreon).
Diameter: 14mm | Weight: 4.6gms | Die Axis: 1
Price: 3162 | Liampi, Chronologie 170-92
This coin is a Type 7 (Macedonian shield type) bronze Quarter-Obol (two chalkoi). Price dated the Macedonian Shield coins as beginning during the latter part of Alexander's life, c.325 BC, and ending c.310 BC. Liampi later argued, based on new hoard evidence, that they were minted as early as 334 BC. This particular coin is dated from c.323 to 315 BC during the reign of Philip III Arrhidaios.
Salamis was founded around 1100 BC by the inhabitants of Enkomi, a Late Bronze Age city on Cyprus, though in Homeric tradition, the city was established by Teucer, one of the Greek princes who fought in the Trojan War. After Alexander the Great conquered the Persian Empire, of which Salamis was a part, Greek culture and art flourished in the city and, as well as being the seat of the governor of Cyprus, it was the island's most important port.
Nikokreon had succeeded Pnytagoras on the throne of Salamis and is reported to have paid homage to Alexander after the conqueror's return from Egypt to Tyre in 331 BC. After Alexander's death, his empire was split between his generals, Cyprus falling to Ptolomy I of Egypt. In 315 BC during the war between Antigonos and Ptolemy, Nikokreon supported the latter and was rewarded by being made governor of all Cyprus. However, in 311 BC Ptolemy forced Nikokreon to commit suicide because he no longer trusted him. Ptolemy's brother, King Menelaus, was made governor in Nikokreon's stead.
In 306 BC, Salamis was the scene of a naval battle between the fleets of Ptolemy and Demetrius I of Macedon. Demetrius won the battle and captured the island. *Alex
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1 AugustusAugustus
AE As. 7 B.C., P. Lurius Agrippa, moneyer
CAESAR AVGVST PONT MAX TRIBVNIC POT, bare head right / PLVRIVS AGRIPPA IIIVIR AAAFF around large SC.
RIC 427. C 445. Sear ’88 510Sosius
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268 - 270, Roman Imitative Antoninianus (Barbarous Radiate), produced in Britain and the continent. Struck in the name of CLAUDIUS IIObverse: Unclear partial inscription. Radiate head of Claudius II facing right.
Reverse: Unclear partial inscription. Crude depiction of Pax standing facing left, right arm outstretched in front of her holding branch. Struck off-centre.
Hoard find from Northern England.
Diameter: 15mm | Weight: 1.6gms | Die Axis: 4
SPINK: 749
The term 'barbarous radiates', dating from its use by antiquarians in the 19th century, is still often used to refer to the locally produced unofficial coins which imitated the official Roman antoninianii of the period. These coins were not struck by barbarians outwith the Empire as the name would suggest, nor were they intrinsically forgeries or fakes. Instead they were the result of a period of great instability within the Roman empire during which the western provinces especially often experienced a severe lack of coinage. To fill this void small denomination coinage was unofficially issued in very large numbers. Though some of these coins are fairly close copies of the official coins which they imitate, many others have been produced by die engravers who were patently illiterate and often of limited ability artistically as well. Around 274 Aurelian banned the use of these imitative bronzes when he reformed the currency but it is possible that some "barbarous radiates" were still being produced after that date. Whether individual coins are of British or Continental mintage can really only be ascertained by provenance.
*Alex
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271 - 274, Roman Imitative Antoninianus (Barbarous Radiate), produced in Britain and the continent. Struck in the name of TETRICUS IObverse: (TETR)ICVS P F AVG. Radiate head of Tetricus I facing right.
Reverse: (PA)X AVGG Crude depiction of Pax standing facing left, right arm outstretched in front of her and holding vertical spear in her left.
From a hoard found in Northern England.
Diameter: 14mm | Weight: 1.6gms | Die Axis: 6
SPINK: 749
The term 'barbarous radiates', dating from its use by antiquarians in the 19th century, is still often used to refer to the locally produced unofficial coins which imitated the official Roman antoninianii of the period. These coins were not struck by barbarians outwith the Empire as the name would suggest, nor were they intrinsically forgeries or fakes. Instead they were the result of a period of great instability within the Roman empire during which the western provinces especially often experienced a severe lack of coinage. To fill this void small denomination coinage was unofficially issued in very large numbers. Though some of these coins are fairly close copies of the official coins which they imitate, many others have been produced by die engravers who were patently illiterate and often of limited ability artistically as well. Around 274 Aurelian banned the use of these imitative bronzes when he reformed the currency but it is possible that some "barbarous radiates" were still being produced after that date. Whether individual coins are of British or Continental mintage can really only be ascertained by provenance.
*Alex
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271 - 274, Roman Imitative Antoninianus (Barbarous Radiate), produced in Britain and the continent. Struck in the name of TETRICUS II as CAESARObverse: Blundered legend - - IVES - -. Radiate bust of Tetricus II facing right.
Reverse: Likely (PIETA)S AVG. Sacrificial Implements.
From an uncertain British location.
Diameter: 14.5mm | Weight: 2.29gms | Die Axis: 2
SPINK: 749
The term 'barbarous radiates', dating from its use by antiquarians in the 19th century, is still often used to refer to the locally produced unofficial coins which imitated the official Roman antoninianii of the period. These coins were not struck by barbarians outwith the Empire as the name would suggest, nor were they intrinsically forgeries or fakes. Instead they were the result of a period of great instability within the Roman empire during which the western provinces especially often experienced a severe lack of coinage. To fill this void small denomination coinage was unofficially issued in very large numbers. Though some of these coins are fairly close copies of the official coins which they imitate, many others have been produced by die engravers who were patently illiterate and often of limited ability artistically as well. Around 274 Aurelian banned the use of these imitative bronzes when he reformed the currency but it is possible that some "barbarous radiates" were still being produced after that date. Whether individual coins are of British or Continental mintage can really only be ascertained by provenance.
*Alex
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274, Roman Imitative Antoninianus (Barbarous Radiate), produced in Britain and the continent. Struck in the name of TETRICUS II as AUGUSTUSObverse: (IMP C TET)RICVS AG. Radiate bust of Tetricus II facing right, seen from behind.
Reverse: Struck from extremely worn reverse die which possibly depicts Salus feeding serpent arising from altar.
Diameter: 14mm | Weight: 1.7gms | Die Axis: 6
SPINK: 749
RARE
This is an irregular issue (barbarous radiate) giving Tetricus II the title of Augustus rather than Caesar.
Interestingly the Historia Augusta makes this statement with regard to Aurelian's triumph in A.D.274. "In the procession was Tetricus also, arrayed in a scarlet cloak, a yellow tunic, and Gallic trousers, and with him his son, whom he had proclaimed in Gaul as Imperator." (Historia Augusta, xxxiv, iii). Imperator was a title that invariably, when referring to an Imperial figure, implied the rank of Augustus, but no regular official coinage issues of Tetricus II citing him as such are known.
The term 'barbarous radiates', dating from its use by antiquarians in the 19th century, is still often used to refer to the locally produced unofficial coins which imitated the official Roman antoninianii of the period. These coins were not struck by barbarians outwith the Empire as the name would suggest, nor were they intrinsically forgeries or fakes. Instead they were the result of a period of great instability within the Roman empire during which the western provinces especially often experienced a severe lack of coinage. To fill this void small denomination coinage was unofficially issued in very large numbers. Though some of these coins are fairly close copies of the official coins which they imitate, many others have been produced by die engravers who were patently illiterate and often of limited ability artistically as well. Around 274 Aurelian banned the use of these imitative bronzes when he reformed the currency but it is possible that some "barbarous radiates" were still being produced after that date. Whether individual coins are of British or Continental mintage can really only be ascertained by provenance.
*Alex
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317 - 337, CONSTANTINE II as Caesar, AE3 struck 321 at Londinium (London), EnglandObverse: CONSTANTINVS IVN N C. Radiate and cuirassed bust of Constantine II facing left.
Reverse: BEATA TRANQVILLITAS. Altar, inscribed VOT IS XX in three lines, surmounted by cosmic globe with three stars above; across field, P - A; in exergue, PLON.
Diameter: 20mm | Weight: 2.9gms | Die Axis: 6h
RIC VII : 219
Rare
Ex Killingholme Hoard (1993)
Claudius Constantinus was the eldest son of Constantine and Fausta, he was given the rank of Caesar in A.D.316, at the same time as Crispus and Licinius II.
This coin was struck in connection with the fifteenth anniversary of Constantine II's father, Constantine the great.
THE KILLINGHOLME HOARD
The Killingholme Hoard was discovered in a field between Killingholme and Habrough on the south bank of the Humber Estuary by a pair of metal detectorists in the Autumn of 1993.
The initial coins of the hoard were surface finds, many of which were found before the hoard itself was discovered. In total, there were 1504 coins found in the topsoil, and another 2753 found buried in a single clay pot.
The top of the pot had been cut off by ploughing, which had caused a large number of coins to be scattered around the field. Nevertheless, the remains of the pot were found when the coins packed in it were detected. The pot had a diameter of about 20cm and within it were thousands of coins.
One of the finders reported that the coins appeared to have been carefully arranged inside the pot, and seemed to produce a spiralling pattern. Unfortunately, the coins were emptied into a bath for cleaning so any chance of researching this arrangement was lost forever.
The coins that constituted the hoard were bronze reduced folles, most of which were struck between the 320s and the early 330s, during the time of the emperor Constantine. Though the coins came from several mints in the Western part of the Roman Empire, most of them were from the London mint. It is thought that the hoard was probably deposited around 333/334 AD.
Because, in 1993, base metal coins were not counted as treasure, the coins were returned to the finders who sent the bulk of the coins to be auctioned off by Spink of London. Fortunately, prior to being sold, the coins were recorded by the British Museum which acquired for itself 86 coins from the hoard.
After the recordings were completed, though the finders kept a few coins for themselves, the remainder of the coins were sold off in batches. It has been rumoured that many of these coins went to the Italian luxury goods producer Bulgari, who used them to make jewellery.
Such a process would not be permitted in England today as, following the enactment of the Treasure Act in 1996, the Killingholme Hoard would now fulfil the criteria for "treasure" as outlined by the Act.
CONTEMPORARY PHOTO OF THE KILLINGHOLM HOARD, CLICK ON THUMBNAIL TO ENLARGE IT
 *Alex
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37 AD Dedication of the temple of Divus Augustusorichalcum dupondius (29mm). Rome mint. Struck AD 37.
CONSENSV SENAT·ET·EQ·ORDIN·P·Q·R Gaius seated left on curule chair
DIVVS AVGVSTVS S C radiate head of Augustus facing left
RIC (Gaius) 56; Cohen (August) 87; Foss (Roman historical coins) 60:4
ex old British (Oxford) collection
Minted under Caligula on the occasion of the dedication of a temple to Divus Agustus; the identity of the seated person is uncertain but probably Gaius. The legend 'ET EQ' refers to 'EQVES' (pl. EQVITES), 'horseman'. In the early empire, they were the holders of administrative posts of a class second only to the senators.
In the picture the obverse and reverse have accidentally been switched around.Charles S
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680 - 710, ANGLO-SAXON, AR Sceat, struck c.685 - 700 at Essex or East Anglia, EnglandObverse: Pearl diademed head facing right within ouroboros (serpent eating its tail), unintelligible pseudo legend around.
Reverse: Bird standing facing right upon cross, annulets on either side, all within ouroboros (serpent eating its tail), unintelligible pseudo legend around.
Primary Phase, Series BI
Diameter: 12mm | Weight: 1.05gms | Die Axis: 12h
SPINK: 777 | Metcalf: 100 - 106 | Abramson (Sceatta List): 16 - 40
This coin was struck at the time in which the Beowulf legend was set, though the coin predates the earliest manuscript of that saga by about three centuries. These coins constitute the earliest indigenous currency found on the British Isles and they are a fascinating glimpse into the so called "Dark Ages" during the post-Roman period.
The departure of the Romans sometime around 414 AD induced the inhabitants to create their own coinage. These primary phase sceattas are among the earliest of all Anglo-Saxon coinage and are generally thought to be modelled after coinages found in the surrounding areas and, of course, based on the earlier coinage from the Roman Empire. Most scholars now believe that the word "sceat" has been a misinterpretation of the word for "weight" and that the coin would probably have been classed as a denier or a penny. However, while archaeological finds and further research has provided more information on where these types may have been created, there is still little known about under whom they were struck.
This was a time of transition from paganism to Christianity, and these coins often show elements of both, featuring mysterious birds and beasts as well as crosses. This particular coin has not only a cross and a bird, but some wonderful ouroboros "snake circles" used as borders on both sides as well. The fantastical imagery and designs often found on these coins can be very attractive to many collectors.*Alex
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796 – c.835, EANBALD II, Archbishop of York, Northumbria, AE Styca, struck c.830 - 835 at York, EnglandObverse: + EANBALD AR around small Greek cross. Greek cross in legend.
Reverse: + EDILVARD around cross pommée. Cross pommée in legend. Moneyer: Aethelweard
Phase 1b issue
Diameter: 13mm | Weight: 1.0gms | Die Axis: 6h
SPINK: 861 | British Numismatic Journal (1916) – (H A Parsons, The coins of Archbishop Eanbald II of York): 60
Initially a base silver coin, after the devastating Viking attack on Lindisfarne in 793, with its subsequent commercial impact on the kingdom of Northumberland, the second issue of stycas under King Eanred were debased by having their silver content replaced by zinc. There was a further debasement of the coinage in 829 after Eanred's submission to Ecgberht of Wessex, such that the styca became basically a copper alloy coin.
Eanbald II was, prior to his elevation to the archiepiscopate, a priest of the Church of York. The Anglo-Saxon Chronicle records his consecration as Archbishop on 14th August, 796, immediately after the death of the first prelate of the same name.
In the year 797, Eanbald II is recorded as having assisted in the recovery of the rights of the see of Canterbury, which had been much impaired during the reign of King Offa of Mercia in order that his new primacy at Lichfield might be promoted. In this work of restitution, Eanbald collaborated with Æthelhard, Archbishop of Canterbury, who had appealed to Rome over the matter. The case was also presented to Coenwulf, the successor of Offa, and he was persuaded by the two prelates to refer the question to the Pope which resulted in Offa's new archiepiscopal see of Lichfield being abolished.
In 798 Eanbald convened a great synod at Finchale, near Durham. There, he enacted a number of regulations relating to the ecclesiastical courts and the observance of Easter.
Early on Eanbald became estranged from Eardwulf, King of Northumbria, after denouncing Eardwulf's adulteries and sheltering Eardwulf's enemies by giving them church sanctuary. But Eardwulf seems to have been deposed in around 806 and was eventually succeeded by Eanred around 810.
No record of Eanbald II's death survives and the time of his death has been variously estimated to range from as early as 808 to as late as 835, the latter date based on numismatic evidence.
The Kingdom of Northumbria was a medieval Anglian kingdom in what is now Northern England and South-east Scotland. The name derives from the Old English Norþan-hymbre meaning "the people or province north of the Humber", Northumbria started to consolidate into one kingdom in the early seventh century when the two earlier territories of Deira and Bernicia united. At its height, the kingdom extended from the Humber Estuary in the south to the Firth of Forth (now in Scotland) in the north.
Northumbria ceased to be an independent kingdom in the mid-tenth century.
*Alex
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810 - 841, EANRED, Anglo-Saxon king of Northumbria, AE Styca, Struck c.830 - 835 at York, EnglandObverse: + EANRED REX around small cross pattée. Cross pattée in legend.
Reverse: + FORDRED around small cross patoncé. Cross pattée in legend. Moneyer: Fordred.
Phase 1b issue
Grey patina with slight silver sheen
Diameter: 12mm | Weight: 0.9gms | Die Axis: 12h
SPINK: 862
Initially a base silver coin, after the devastating Viking attack on Lindisfarne in 793, with its subsequent commercial impact on the kingdom of Northumberland, Eanred's second issue of stycas were debased by having their silver content replaced by zinc. There was a further debasement of the coinage in 829 after Eanred's submission to Ecgberht of Wessex, such that the styca became basically a copper alloy coin.
Eanred was king of Northumbria in the early ninth century.but very little is known for certain about him. Roger of Wendover, a 13th century English chronicler, states that Eanred reigned from 810 until 840, but the twelfth-century History of the Church of Durham records a reign of 33 years. Given the turbulence of Northumbrian history in this period, a reign of this length suggests a figure of some significance. Eanred was the son of King Eardwulf, who was deposed by an otherwise unknown Ælfwald in 806. According to the History of the Church of Durham, Ælfwald ruled for two years before Eanred succeeded. However Frankish sources claim that, after being expelled from England, Eardwulf was received by Charlemagne and then the pope, and that their envoys escorted him back to Northumbria and secured his restoration to power. The precise nature of the succession of Eanred is therefore unclear but all the sources agree that Eanred was eventually succeeded by his son, Æthelred.
The Kingdom of Northumbria was a medieval Anglian kingdom in what is now Northern England and South-east Scotland. The name derives from the Old English Norþan-hymbre meaning "the people or province north of the Humber", Northumbria started to consolidate into one kingdom in the early seventh century when the two earlier territories of Deira and Bernicia united. At its height, the kingdom extended from the Humber Estuary in the south to the Firth of Forth (now in Scotland) in the north.
Northumbria ceased to be an independent kingdom in the mid-tenth century.
*Alex
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837 - 854, WIGMUND, Anglo-Saxon Archbishop of York, Northumbria, AE Styca, Struck at York, EnglandObverse: + VIGMVND I R around group of seven pellets. Cross pattée in legend.
Reverse: + HVNLAF around cross pommée. Cross pattée in legend. Moneyer: Hunlaf.
Issue: Phase II, Group Ci
Diameter: 13mm | Weight: 0.9gms | Die Axis: Uncertain
SPINK: 870
The first appearance of the styca, a new style of small coin which replaced the earlier sceat, was at the beginning of the ninth century. The first stycas were of low silver content but later coins became effectively brass. Produced in York, several moneyers are named on the surviving coins, suggesting that they were minted in significant quantities. Stycas were minted under the kings, Aethelred I, Eardwulf, Aelfwald II, Eanred, Aethelred II, Redwulf, and Osberht, as well as for the Archbishops of York, Eanbald I, Eanbald II, Wigmund, and Wulfhere.
Wigmund was consecrated as Archbishop of York in 837 and died in 854.
The Kingdom of Northumbria was a medieval Anglian kingdom in what is now Northern England and South-east Scotland. The name derives from the Old English Norþan-hymbre meaning "the people or province north of the Humber", Northumbria started to consolidate into one kingdom in the early seventh century when the two earlier territories of Deira and Bernicia united. At its height, the kingdom extended from the Humber Estuary in the south to the Firth of Forth (now in Scotland) in the north.
Northumbria ceased to be an independent kingdom in the mid-tenth century.
*Alex
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841 - 849, ÆTHELRED II, Anglo-Saxon king of Northumbria, AE Styca, Struck 841 - 844 at York, EnglandObverse: + EDILRED REX around large Greek cross, small Greek cross in legend.
Reverse: + EANRED around small Greek cross. Small Greek cross in legend. Moneyer: Eanred.
Issue: First Reign, Phase II, Group Cii
Diameter: 13mm | Weight: 0.9gms | Die Axis: 12
SPINK: 865 | Pirie: 1374 (same dies)
The new styca coinage, small brass coins containing very little silver and much zinc introduced at the beginning of the century, continued to be minted in large quantities by a number of different moneyers at York during Æthelred's reign.
Æthelred II was king of Northumbria in the middle of the ninth century, but, as with his father, his dates are uncertain. Relatively little is known of Æthelred's reign from the surviving documentary record. He appears to have been expelled in favour of Rædwulf, whose reign is confirmed by the evidence of coinage. However, Rædwulf was killed that same year fighting against the Vikings and Æthelred was restored to power. Æthelred was assassinated a few years later, but no further details are known of his murder. Æthelred II was succeeded by Osberht.
N. J. Higham, reader of history at Manchester University and author of several books on the Anglo-Saxons dates Æthelred II's reign as from 840 until his death in 848, with an interruption in 844 when Rædwulf briefly usurped the throne. Barbara Yorke, Emeritus professor of Medieval history at the University of Winchester agrees, but dates his death slightly later to 848 or 849.
The Kingdom of Northumbria was a medieval Anglian kingdom in what is now Northern England and South-east Scotland. The name derives from the Old English Norþan-hymbre meaning "the people or province north of the Humber", Northumbria started to consolidate into one kingdom in the early seventh century when the two earlier territories of Deira and Bernicia united. At its height, the kingdom extended from the Humber Estuary in the south to the Firth of Forth (now in Scotland) in the north.
Northumbria ceased to be an independent kingdom in the mid-tenth century.
*Alex
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843 - 855, IRREGULAR ISSUE, AE Styca, struck at York, EnglandObverse: + FGMVND (Wigmund) retrograde around group of five pellets in the form found on a dice. Cross pattée in legend.
Reverse: + EARDVVL retrograde around small cross with pellet in each of it's four angles. Cross pommée in legend. Moneyer: Eardwulf.
Diameter: 13mm | Weight: 1.16gms | Die Axis: Uncertain
SPINK: 872
This coin is an irregular issue which imitates an issue of Wigmund, who was Archbishop of York from around 837 to c.850, and the moneyer Eardwulf. Eardwulf was not a moneyer of regular coins for Wigmund so this coin is a bit of a concoction, something that is not uncommon with these irregular issues. Irregular stycas appear in a wide variety of types and a wide variety of imitative legends which are often blundered and sometimes completely unintelligible. The first appearance of the styca, a new style of small coin which replaced the earlier sceat, was at the beginning of the ninth century. Minted in York, several moneyers are named on the surviving coins, suggesting that they were struck in significant quantities. The written sources for late Northumbria are few, however the archaeological evidence from coinage is independent of the surviving annals and the evidence of Northumbrian coinage is particularly valuable when, in the ninth century, contemporary written evidence all but disappears.
These irregular issue coins were struck at a period of great instability in Northumbria. The last king to mint official stycas in any great quantity was Æthelred II who came to the throne around 841. Æthelred was assassinated around 848 and was succeeded by Osberht who was apparently killed in a battle with the Vikings around 867. The "Great Heathen Army" of Danish Vikings had marched on Northumbria in 866, they captured and sacked York towards the end of that year. Osberht was reputedly replaced as king by Ælla who is described in most sources as a tyrant, and not a rightful king, though one source states that he was Osberht's brother and fought and died alongside him. Evidence about Northumbrian royal chronology is unreliable prior to 867 and, though the beginning of Ælla's reign is traditionally dated to 862 or 863, his reign may not have begun until as late as 866. Ælla was apparently captured and killed by the Vikings, and after that the Vikings appointed one Ecgberht to rule Northumbria.
Official styca production ceased at some time during Osberht's reign although stycas remained in circulation until the Viking conquest of Northumbria in 867.
The Kingdom of Northumbria was a medieval Anglian kingdom in what is now Northern England and South-east Scotland. The name derives from the Old English Norþan-hymbre meaning "the people or province north of the Humber", Northumbria started to consolidate into one kingdom in the early seventh century when the two earlier territories of Deira and Bernicia united. At its height, the kingdom extended from the Humber Estuary in the south to the Firth of Forth (now in Scotland) in the north.
Northumbria ceased to be an independent kingdom in the mid-tenth century.*Alex
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Alexander I, BalasAE 20, Syria, Alexander I Balas, ca. 128-123 BC, Obv: Alexander right. Rev: ΑΠΑΜΕΩΝ, ΓΕΡ around Zeus, c/m of grain, gF/VF. Lindgren I, 1830.Molinari
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Alexander Jannaeus Prutah PendantOBV:BAΣIΛEΩΣ AΛEΞANΔΡOΥ (of King Alexander),
around anchor
REV:star made of eight pellets surrounded by diadem
and possible inscription
Hendin 470, Meshorer TJC J11, Jerusalem mint
103 - 76 B.C.
Set in Silver Pendant Danny S. Jones
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Antiochos IX, KyzikenosAE 18, Syria, Antiochos IX, ca. 116-95 B.C. Obv: Head of bearded Herakles facing right. Rev: ΒΑΣΙΛΕΩΣ ΑΝΤΙΟΞΟΥ ΦΙΛΟ ΠΑΤΡΟΥ around Athena standing left, holding Nike, monogram and aplustre in field. Black patina, gF. Lindgren I, 1867, SC 1250, Hoover HGC 9, 1250 (S).Molinari
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Apollonia - Ceka 115.Illyria, Apollonia After 229 BC
AR Drachm.
TIMHN, Cow standing left, looking back at suckling calf, Gamma AK monogram below.
APOL DAMOFWNTOS around square with double stellate pattern. xokleng
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Constantine I, RIC VII 90 HeracleaRIC VII 90 Constantine I AE3. 326-327 C.E.
Obverse - CONSTANTINVS AVG. diademed head right, ladder shaped diadem with two dots between segments.
Reverse - DN CONSTANTINI MAX AVG around VOT dot XXX in wreath, dot SMHA in ex. Heraclea mint
17 mm diam., 3.6 g.NORMAN K
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Delhi Sultanate, Shams al-Din Iltutmish (1210-1235) Stylized horseman right, Nagari legend around: sri hamirah
Stylized recumbent bull left, Nagari legend around: sri mahamad samSkyler
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DELHI-SULTAN-GANI-COIN-RARE-BILLON-COININDIA - DELHI SULTAN - ALA UD DIN KHILJI - TWO GANI (AH 695-715) BILLON COIN
REF: D233, DENOMINATION: 2 GANI, COMPOSITION: BILLON, WEIGHT: 3.4 GRAM SIZE: 14.48 MM
OBVERSE: AL SULTAN AL A ZAM ALA AL DUNYA WA L DIN
REVERSE: MUHAMMAD SHAH IN CENTER SRI SULTAN ALAVADININ NAGARI AROUND
RULER: ALA AL DIN MUHAMMAD: AH 695-715 /1296-1316 ADAntonivs Protti
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Drusus. Caesar, AD 19-23. Æ As (28mm, 10.63 g, 12h). Rome mint. Struck under Tiberius, AD 22-23. Bare head left / Legend around large S · C. RIC I 45Joe Geranio Collection (anyone may use as long as credit is given) Drusus. Caesar, AD 19-23. Æ As (28mm, 10.63 g, 12h). Rome mint. Struck under Tiberius, AD 22-23. Bare head left / Legend around large S · C. RIC I 45 (Tiberius).Joe Geranio
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Enniscorthy (Wexford) copper halfpenny token dated 1800.Woodcock's Bank Enniscorthy (Wexford) copper halfpenny token dated 1800. Obverse: View of a castle by the sea with a portcullis formed by six vertical and one horizontal bar in the gateway and legend: "PAYABLE AT THE BANK OF R. W. ENNISCORTHY". Reverse: Shield with monogram "RW" hanging from the bough of a tree with hills and a castle in the background: "A. D. 1800". Plain edge. The issuer, R. Woodcock was a banker at Enniscorthy. The reverse design depicting "Vinegar Hill" refers to a tragedy there two years before the issue of the coin when there was an uprising of the United Irishmen in Dublin. This was soon suppressed, however, the peasants in the south followed suite and also revolted. Armed with fowling pieces, French muskets and long pikes, they captured several towns including Enniscorthy and Wexford. The rebels then organised a training camp for their 6,000 strong force on Vinegar Hill. In June, General Lake attacked the Vinegar Hill camp and routed the half-trained force and, with Major-General John Moore’s recapture of Wexford, the rebellion disintegrated. The bodies of around 500 men who were killed in the battle lie buried in a mass grave at the foot of the hill. D&H Wexford No: 4. Diameter 28.8mm.Ancient Aussie
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Gordian III / RIC 177 over 187, 1'st series.Antoninianus, 238-239 AD, Antioch mint.
Obverse: IMP CAES M ANT GORDIANVS AVG / Radiate bust of Gordian.
Reverse: AEQVIT LIBER / Body and feet of Aequitas holding scales; Body and feet of Libertas holding pileus (Liberty cap) .
5.00 gm, 22 mm.
RIC #177 over #187. Bland 18/21.
This coin has two different reverses: the Aequitas type (RIC #177) is overstruck at 180 degree rotation on top of the Libertas type (RIC #187). Or, perhaps it is the other way around: The Libertas type (RIC #187) is overstruck on top of the Aequitas type (RIC #177).
The T of AEQVITAS AVG is almost flattened out and is just barely visible. At Antioch, Libertas with the pileus always has the legend LIBERALITAS AVG rather than LIBERTAS AVG.
There is a footnote to RIC #231 (vol. IV, part III, p. 39) which is quite intriguing:
"231. A strange Antoninianus (G. B. Pears Coll.) shows rev. type of AEQVIT[AS] apparently overstruck with type of LIBER[TAS] -- obv. of Gordian III, rev. of Philip overstruck with rev. of Trebonianus Gallus (?)."
I posted this coin on Forvmancientcoins.com and got this reply from Curtis Clay:
"A neat example of this error, and one I hadn't been aware of before, despite its mention in the RIC footnote!
As you expected, you now own the coin formerly in the Pears collection: we know because there is a plaster cast of it so labeled in the BM, which is illustrated in Roger Bland's dissertation, pl. 10, 18/21 !
One of the reverse types is Libertas with cap, but its legend must have been LIBERALITAS not LIBERTAS AVG: the Eastern mint always mislabeled its Libertas type as Liberalitas. RIC made the same mistake regarding the reverse legend; corrected by Bland, who lists the coin under the type LIBERALITAS AVG.
I had never heard of G. B. Pears or his collection before, so can supply no information in that regard."Callimachus
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Maroneia, Thrace. 400-350 BC.Autonomous coinage of Maroneia, Thrace. 400-350 BC. Horse pracing right, PNK monogram below.
MAR-WNI-TWN around linear square containing vine, VE-monogram below. BMC 666; SNGCop 632.Britanikus
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Mithradates IIParthian Kingdom, Mithradates II 123-88 BC, Drachm, 4.16g: Obv: Diademed bust of Mithradates left Rev: Archer seated right, legend around. Sellwood 27.1. Rhagae mintecoli
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ROME
PB (?) Tessera (24mm, 5.89 g, 2 h)
· FELICIA, counterclockwise around shield (perhaps a 3rd century oval scutum?)
Bundle of thunderbolts, S C flanking
Unpublished
The metal appears too light for lead and is perhaps pewter or some other alloy. Until the metal content is scientifically analyzed and found to be similar to other ancient objects, I remain unconvinced of it's authenticity.Ardatirion
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ROME. Musa.
PB Tessera (14mm, 1.99 g, 1 h)
Crossed cornucopia, caduceus, and trident
MVSA counterclockwise around small central pellet
Rostowzew -
Ex Emporium Hamburg 67 (10 May 2012), lot 743
The attributes of the two major commercial deities, the cornucopia of Fortuna and the caduceus of Mercury, combined here with the trident of Neptune, suggest that Musa may have been involved in shipping.
Ardatirion
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ROME
PB Tessera (18mm, 4.33 g)
Contemporary counterfeit
Genius standing left, holding patera and cornucopia, GPR (Genio populi Romani) around
Blank
Rostowzew -
This tessera was cast from fractured molds, likely after the they had been discarded by the mint. It is the only possibly counterfeit tessera I have discovered to date.Ardatirion
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IONIA, Ephesos. Alexander.
PB Tessera (17mm, 3.95 g, 4h)
Artemis kneeling right, bathing, within grotto surmounted by half-length figure of Aktaion, wearing antlers and raising arms
Hippocampus right, AΛЄ Ξ around
Gülbay & Kireç –; Gorny & Mosch 212 (5 March 2013), lot 3333 (same dies); Vossen 35 (this coin)
Ex Tom Vossen Collection, 35Ardatirion
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IONIA, Ephesos
PB Tessera (17mm, 2.98 g, 7 h)
Diana Ephesia, uncertain legend around
Victory advancing left, holding wreath and palm frond
Gülbay & Kireç -Ardatirion
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IONIA, Ephesos
PB Tessera
Eagle standing right with wings spread, head left, holding wreath in beak; uncertain legend around
Blank
Gülbay & Kireç -Ardatirion
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IONIA, Ephesos
PB Tessera
Eagle standing right with wings spread, head left, holding wreath in beak; uncertain legend around
Blank
Gülbay & Kireç -Ardatirion
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IONIA, Ephesos
PB Tessera
The Charites (the Three Graces) standing, the left and right facing, the middle with back to view; uncertain legend around
Blank
Gülbay & Kireç -Ardatirion
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UNITED STATES, Hard Times. Political issues.
CU Token (28.5mm, 10.36 g, 6 h). Belleville (New Jersey) mint. Dated 1837.
Laureate head of Liberty right; above, E. PLURIBUS UNUM on ribbon; thirteen stars around; 1837
MILLIONS FOR DEFENCE. Within wreath: NOT/ ONE/ CENT/ -/ FOR TRIBUTE
Rulau HT 48; Low 28Ardatirion
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UNITED STATES, Hard Times. Political issues.
CU Token (29mm, 8.98 g, 11h)
Belleville (New Jersey) mint. Dated 1838
Head of Liberty (or native American?) left, wearing ribbon inscribed LOCO FOCO; thirteen stars around; 1838
* BENTON */ EXPER IMENT. MINT/ DROP/ – within wreath
Rulau HT 63; Low 55Ardatirion
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UNITED STATES TOKENS, Hard Times. Belleville, New Jersey. “T. Duseaman, butcher”
CU Token (28mm, 10.84 g, 1h)
Belleville (New Jersey) mint. Struck 1837
AGRICULTURE & COMMERCE/ * BAS CANADA *
Bouquet
T. DUSEAMAN BUTCHER/ * BELLEVILLE *
Eagle standing left, with wings spread and head left, holding shield emblazoned with anchor; thirteens stars around
Rulau HT 204; Low 148; Corteau 71; Charlton LC-45; Breton 670
T. Duseaman never existed. This type was struck from a rejected die for the token of one Tobias Seaman, a butcher in Belleville. Mint workers added a U to the name and combined it with a damaged die from the Lower Canada series to produce this currency issue. Breton notes that the type is most often found in Canada, suggesting that it was deliberately produced at minimal cost for sale to Canadian brokers. Ardatirion
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UNITED STATES, Trade Tokens. New York, New York. John H. Dayton, Union Steam Washing.
CU Token (28.5mm, 9.85 g, 12 h) Belleville (New Jersey) mint. Dies by John Gibbs. Dated 1837
Laureate head of Liberty right; above, E. PLURIBUS UNUM on ribbon; thirteen stars around; 1837; c/m: small D above, '61' in white ink to left
* JAY. H. DAYTONS. UNION STEAM WASHING EST./ * 17th St. NEAR 5th AVENUE * NY/, WASHING/ DONE FOR/ SHIPS. ST BOATS/ HOTELS &/ PRIVATE FAMILIES
Rulau HT 249, Low 114
Ex Don Miller Collection; William Dunham Collection (B. Max Mehl, 3 August 1941), lot 2680Ardatirion
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UNITED STATES, Trade Tokens. Wooster, Ohio. Archer House. Circa 1878-1966
AL Twenty-five Cent Token (24mm, 1.48 g, 11h)
ARCHER HOUSE -:- around central hole
GOOD FOR/ 25¢/ IN TRADE
Archer House hotel was constructed in 1878 on the corner of Buckeye and Liberty Streets, on the site of the earlier wood frame Washington House tavern. The founders, tailor E.B. Connelly and his sister-in-law Melinda, named the establishment after Melinda's deceased son, Archer. Melinda Connelly later remarried to A.M. Parrish, with whom she would operate the hotel until her death. The property passed to heir great-grandson, on who's behalf it was sold to Dr. Alonzo Smith in 1923. Archer House was finally purchased by Robert Freeman in 1964, and was razed in 1966. Today, a two story professional building stands on the spot.Ardatirion
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