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Author Topic: My Gallery of Early Electrum Coins  (Read 9450 times)

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Offline cmcdon0923

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My Gallery of Early Electrum Coins
« on: March 15, 2018, 05:54:18 pm »
About a year or so ago, I started becoming fascinated by early electrum coins and have been slowly picking up pieces that I find interesting from a design perspective.  My self-imposed and loosely adhered to cutoff is 500 BC, as I have always had an affinity for the more "archaic" coin types.

To that end, I just set up a gallery with pics of most of my budding collection.  I have one or two more to photograph and upload yet.

https://www.forumancientcoins.com/gallery/thumbnails.php?album=6251

Offline mauseus

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Re: Gallery of Early Electrum Coins
« Reply #1 on: March 15, 2018, 05:57:08 pm »
Hi,

You have the collection I wanted to have when I started buying minor Greek fractions. Most envious, I only have one electrum issue.

Kind regards,

Mauseus

Offline Joe Sermarini

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Re: Gallery of Early Electrum Coins
« Reply #2 on: March 15, 2018, 06:10:35 pm »
Nice coins. Thanks for sharing them.
Joseph Sermarini
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Offline stevex6

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Re: Gallery of Early Electrum Coins
« Reply #3 on: March 15, 2018, 06:22:00 pm »
Cool collection (congrats)

 +++

Offline Jay GT4

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Re: Gallery of Early Electrum Coins
« Reply #4 on: March 15, 2018, 06:29:00 pm »
Great collection

Offline quadrans

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Re: Gallery of Early Electrum Coins
« Reply #5 on: March 16, 2018, 03:32:35 am »
Fantastic group of the nice coins,  :o :)

Congratulation  +++


Q.
All the Best :), Joe
My Gallery

Offline cmcdon0923

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Re: Gallery of Early Electrum Coins
« Reply #6 on: March 16, 2018, 06:53:45 pm »
Thank you all for the kind words.

I enjoy sharing my coins with others.  I've never understood the mindset of being a "hermit" collector.



Craig

Offline JBF

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Re: Gallery of Early Electrum Coins
« Reply #7 on: March 16, 2018, 06:58:18 pm »
If you are going to collect hermits, you need to get a hermitage on the corner of your estate.
also,
You do have a nice electrum collection.  Do you have any pet theories regarding the Early Electrum coinage??

Offline cmcdon0923

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Re: Gallery of Early Electrum Coins
« Reply #8 on: March 16, 2018, 07:09:36 pm »
Do you have any pet theories regarding the Early Electrum coinage??

Along what lines? 

I've been reading everything I can find, and the general consensus seems to be that it was more of a "transfer of wealth" type coinage as opposed to daily use by the ordinary person due to the value of even the smallest fractions, e.g., 1/48th and 1/96th stater.  Similar to most if not all early....and even not so early....gold issues.

Offline JBF

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Re: Gallery of Early Electrum Coins
« Reply #9 on: June 24, 2018, 08:53:57 pm »
The Ephesian philosopher Heraclitus said that, "we dig much earth to find little gold."  As far as pet theories go, I am just asking if you have any insights to share, I don't presuppose what those might be.  Whatever gems you are willing to share (both coins and theories).  Of course, if you are waiting to develop them to maybe share them at some future date, that is good too.

Looking at your collection again, you have some real rarities, I notice you don't have the Lydian issues so much?  I usually avoid Cyzicus (I am not big on tunnies), but you have a nice early one. 

For the Lydian "wart-nosed" lion, the wart-nose of course is the sun.  If you show the coin against a modern map, the map (and the coin will be oriented with the top being North.  This is incorrect for the coin, if you think of the coin as a statue, then one must be looking South, with the sun behind the statue.  The statue, of the lion roaring, therefore must be facing West, and not East like it would if we oriented the image to the North.

That at least is a pet theory of mine. ;D

Offline cmcdon0923

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Re: Gallery of Early Electrum Coins
« Reply #10 on: June 26, 2018, 05:54:38 pm »
Thank you for the compliments, JBF.  (I actually like the tunnies.)

I don't really have any original theories or insights on the coins themselves.  I've always just collected what I like from the aesthetic viewpoint.  So beyond building a general understanding of a series and its history, I am not into "deep" research.

As far as what I have, so far it's been more of a "what can I buy that is reasonably (IMO) priced?"  If I don't happen to have an example yet from a given location, it's not necessarily indicative of my interests. 

As I still consider myself as starting out with collecting these early pieces, I'm not yet prepared to pay the prices for staters or trites, and am concentrating on the smaller fractions for now.  At some point I might spring for one of each just for type, but I collect too many different things....from ancients to medieval to early US.....to probably ever seriously collect the bigger ticket items.




Craig

Offline cmcdon0923

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Re: Gallery of Early Electrum Coins
« Reply #11 on: July 11, 2018, 09:26:09 pm »
Just uploaded my latest purchase, this hekte (1/6 stater) of Kyzikos.....


Offline cmcdon0923

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Re: Gallery of Early Electrum Coins
« Reply #12 on: January 18, 2019, 10:20:12 am »
I just uploaded two of my most recent purchases.  I have two more that I need to reshoot, as the original images aren't very good.

Offline cmcdon0923

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Re: Gallery of Early Electrum Coins
« Reply #13 on: March 20, 2019, 12:45:39 pm »
I just uploaded my most recent acquisition  I have two previous coins that I need to try and shoot so I can also get them added.

Offline cmcdon0923

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Re: Gallery of Early Electrum Coins
« Reply #14 on: October 03, 2019, 12:08:50 am »
Here is my latest addition, an example of a very early portrait on an ancient electrum coin, minted at an unidentified mint in Ionia, ca. 600 - 550 BC.

Admittedly the details are heavily worn, so I added an image of a higher grade piece from CNG's archives, to show what she would have looked like 2,600 years ago.  It actually looks better in hand than the over-lighted image from the seller indicates.

I just realized that I have three additional pieces I never uploaded to this gallery.  I'll have to get to the bank next week to pull the coins and shoot images.


Offline Jay GT4

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Re: Gallery of Early Electrum Coins
« Reply #15 on: October 03, 2019, 12:14:34 am »
I always enjoy looking at these early coins.  Very cool!    I must add one to my collection

Offline quadrans

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Re: Gallery of Early Electrum Coins
« Reply #16 on: October 12, 2019, 03:37:36 pm »
Wow,  +++ :) ;)

Q.
All the Best :), Joe
My Gallery

Offline cmcdon0923

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Re: Gallery of Early Electrum Coins
« Reply #17 on: November 04, 2019, 11:45:27 pm »
My latest acquisition....a 1/96th stater minted in Ionia (uncertain mint), ca. 625-600 BC.

The coin is only 4.5 mm in diameter and weighs 0.17 grams.  (To put its size in context, the coin is smaller than a pepper corn.)


Offline Arne S

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Re: Gallery of Early Electrum Coins
« Reply #18 on: November 20, 2019, 10:06:35 am »
It lookes like a sheap head. ;)

Offline Enodia

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Re: Gallery of Early Electrum Coins
« Reply #19 on: November 20, 2019, 01:31:45 pm »
Nice collection of early coins... well done!

- Peter

Offline cmcdon0923

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Re: Gallery of Early Electrum Coins
« Reply #20 on: March 12, 2020, 11:30:17 am »
Here is my newest addition, a 1/24th stater from Ionia, Ephesus.  It is also one of the enigmatic "Phanes" issues.


Offline cmcdon0923

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Re: Gallery of Early Electrum Coins
« Reply #21 on: April 24, 2020, 02:57:51 pm »

Offline Mark R1

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Re: Gallery of Early Electrum Coins
« Reply #22 on: April 24, 2020, 07:53:04 pm »
Very nice. Looks like a tooth from the same mouth that mine came from. :)

Offline cmcdon0923

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Re: Gallery of Early Electrum Coins
« Reply #23 on: April 25, 2020, 01:11:07 am »
Thanks Mark.  I looked at yours, and yes they have many similar traits.

I am convinced that a hoard of these coins must have been discovered and is being dispersed.  They are showing up with much more frequency in various auctions....sometimes two or three per auction....than they did before.  And they all have very similar surface features and the encrustations in the design recesses are all of the same color and makeup.

Craig

Offline Mark R1

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Re: Gallery of Early Electrum Coins
« Reply #24 on: April 25, 2020, 06:38:52 pm »
I think the person that found this hoard paid for their metal detector.


Offline cmcdon0923

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Re: Gallery of Early Electrum Coins
« Reply #26 on: June 05, 2020, 11:31:05 am »

Offline cmcdon0923

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Re: Gallery of Early Electrum Coins
« Reply #27 on: February 11, 2021, 03:42:41 pm »

Offline cmcdon0923

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Re: Gallery of Early Electrum Coins
« Reply #28 on: December 27, 2021, 01:16:37 am »

Offline Jay GT4

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Re: Gallery of Early Electrum Coins
« Reply #29 on: December 27, 2021, 03:16:36 pm »

Offline Mark R1

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Re: Gallery of Early Electrum Coins
« Reply #30 on: December 28, 2021, 03:36:03 pm »

Offline cmcdon0923

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Re: Gallery of Early Electrum Coins
« Reply #31 on: April 14, 2022, 12:28:24 am »

Offline cmcdon0923

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Re: Gallery of Early Electrum Coins
« Reply #32 on: April 28, 2022, 10:08:03 pm »

Offline cmcdon0923

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Re: Gallery of Early Electrum Coins
« Reply #33 on: October 10, 2022, 12:27:37 am »

Offline cmcdon0923

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Re: Gallery of Early Electrum Coins
« Reply #34 on: March 06, 2023, 05:09:06 pm »

Offline Jay GT4

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Re: Gallery of Early Electrum Coins
« Reply #35 on: March 06, 2023, 06:30:23 pm »

Offline Curtis JJ

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Re: Gallery of Early Electrum Coins
« Reply #36 on: March 06, 2023, 08:25:01 pm »
“Collect the collectors…” John W Adams’ advice to J Orosz (Asylum 38, 2: p51)

Galleries https://www.forumancientcoins.com/gallery/index.php?cat=27154

Offline Anaximander

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Re: Gallery of Early Electrum Coins
« Reply #37 on: March 08, 2023, 07:29:12 pm »


Offline Virgil H

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Re: Gallery of Early Electrum Coins
« Reply #39 on: March 10, 2023, 01:36:17 am »

Offline cmcdon0923

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Re: Gallery of Early Electrum Coins
« Reply #40 on: May 10, 2023, 07:59:59 pm »

Offline Virgil H

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Re: Gallery of Early Electrum Coins
« Reply #41 on: May 10, 2023, 11:31:19 pm »

 

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