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Author Topic: Assistance with an unidentified Perseus type  (Read 2538 times)

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Offline Samaritan

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Assistance with an unidentified Perseus type
« on: June 14, 2008, 09:03:10 pm »
I have been struggling to identify the reference to this Perseus/Medusa type. The obverse seems like it is Domitian (in a classical Augustan style). Moreover, although the reverse is clearly an ode to Perseus...the style of this Greek Hero looks a bit more like the standard emperor image (perhaps a melding of the classic tail with Domitian as heroic emperor?). Regardless, I am unfamiliar with this particular mint. I have tracked quite a few Perseus types to include:
1) Cilician types (Tarsus) - Anonymous (time of Hadrian), Gordian (multiple types), Maximinus I (multiple types), Balbinus, Pupienus, Trajan Decius (multiple types), Trebonianus Gallus, Valerian I (Aegeae) Philip II, (Coropissus) Maximinus, (Anemurium) Maximinus I
2) Alexandria (Antoninus Pius)
3) Iconium (Anonymous - Zeus), GALATIA, Claudiconium (Claudius), Lycaonia (Hadrian and Gallienus)
4) Argos (Lucius Verus, Caracalla)
5) Phrygia, Sebaste) Caracalla   
6) Deultum (Macrinus, Diadumenian, Gordian, Tranquillina, Philip I)
7) Paultalia (Caracalla)
and then a variety of Greek types like those from PAPHLAGONIA, Sinope and many other locations...all that said, this coin couldn't pass for any of them so I am currently stumped.

Any help in attribution or finding a similar type at previous auction here would be great! Also, any solid guesses on the legend would also be of help.
Thanks!
Mark

Offline Steve Minnoch

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Re: Assistance with an unidentified Perseus type
« Reply #1 on: June 14, 2008, 09:15:35 pm »
I can find nothing in RPC I & II, including both supplements, using the index of reverse types.  The size might help someone.

Steve

Offline archivum

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Re: Assistance with an unidentified Perseus type
« Reply #2 on: June 14, 2008, 09:34:00 pm »
It's likely this one, of Trajan, as listed in Isegrim; though the portrait does not look much like Trajan, the specimen in SNG France has the clear legend ... NEROYAS TRAIANOS:

PRO:   CILICIA TRACHEIA
PO :   IOTAPE <?>
PZ :   Between 98 and 117
   Obverse
VSG:   KAISAR NEROYAS TRAIANOS
VT :   PORTRAIT MAN L / TRAIANUS
VA :   WREATH LAUREL
   Reverse
RSG:   IW..
RT :   MAN STANDING HL(1) / PERSEUS(1)
RA :   HAND RAISED / HARPA(1) / GORGONEION(1)
   Technical details
M  :   AE
GR :   28(1)
GEW:   14.55(1)
   Bibliographical references
ZIT:   SNG FRANCE 2 0677(1) / COLL PARIS 625(1) / SLG WADDINGTON 4324(1) / LEVANTE NC 1991 S210,1(1)
   Additional remarks
FR :   VS: KAISAR NEROYAS TRAIANOS RS: IW..
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Offline Samaritan

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Re: Assistance with an unidentified Perseus type
« Reply #3 on: June 14, 2008, 10:08:57 pm »
Excellent. Can't believe I didn't see it in that reference...but perhaps it's old age. Thanks again, I am sure in looking at the coin that you have solved the mystery for me.

Mark

Offline Tiathena

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Re: Assistance with an unidentified Perseus type
« Reply #4 on: June 15, 2008, 12:57:55 am »
*
 
   Is it just my eyes – or is that an obverse die match?
 
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Offline archivum

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Re: Assistance with an unidentified Perseus type
« Reply #5 on: June 15, 2008, 08:14:46 am »
Looks like it to me too.  As for snagging that reference, I believe it was actually mis-entered in Isegrim, to the point that the search-strings vt: portrait man l ra: harpa and vt: portrait man l rt: perseus.* both successfully led to the type we were after while the search-string vt: portrait man l rt: perseus did not.  (".*" signals a wild-card extension in Isegrim, but what's the extension completing a free-standing "perseus"?)  If a type ought to show up in Isegrim, it generally will, but it may take a few variations on your search-parameters.

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