Nicaean Addenda: Scarcer Finds from Nikaia, Bithynia

[Arminius]

Maybe only a wrong description in Waddington:



Septimius Severus, 193-211 AD.,
Æ 15 / Hemiassarion(?) (14 mm / 1,86 g),
Obv.: [CEOY]{HP}OC AYΓO , laureate head r., {HP} ligate.
Rev.: NIKA-[IEΩ]N , brabeion (price crown, "urn") with one palm on top.
Waddington, Rec. Gen. 443, 358 var. (head left, a slip?, obverse {HP} also ligate), only reverse on pl. LXXVI, 13 (from a different die) .

regards

[archivum]

Though the record is now gone from acsearch.info, I did grab a scan of one left-facing version of this prize-urn issue, now posted at https://www.forumancientcoins.com/board/index.php?topic=45275.0; so the Waddington (RG) description is most likely accurate, and your right-facing version does show a new die-combination.  Thanks for posting!

[Arminius]

I did grab a scan of one left-facing version of this prize-urn issue...

Archivum, you live up to your name! 

[archivum]

Too bad we don't have magistrates' names to date these different dies; I'm amazed at the way portraits vary between these Nicaean issues, especially the smaller ones.

[archivum]

From a useful array of small-module Nicaean obverses on WildWinds' Septimius Severus page,

http://www.wildwinds.com/coins/ric/septimius_severus/t.html,

your obverse may share its die with this one, SEOYHROS AYGOYS (HR in ligature):

http://wildwinds.com/coins/ric/septimius_severus/_nicaea_AE14_RecGen_489cf.jpg
http://wildwinds.com/coins/ric/septimius_severus/_nicaea_AE14_RecGen_489cf.txt

[archivum]

The same obverse may appear with a full Severeian Games legend as well, though the line of the lip and the truncation-mark may distinguish this die; see

https://www.forumancientcoins.com/board/index.php?topic=36795.msg266702#msg266702

and this die-matching specimen:

[Jochen]

It would be nice to get a reference. Or is it an unlisted type?

Bithynia, Nikaia, Septimius Severus, AD 193-211
AE 14, 1.5g
obv. CEPTIMI - OC AVTO
        Bust, cuirassed, laureate, r.
rev. NIKAI - EWN
       Snake erecting in two coils l.
ref.

Best regards

[archivum]

RG 441, 337-41 (Pl. 75.31-32), lists a number of different obverses with variants of this snake reverse, the snake differently arranged on the specimens pictured (cf. also Lindgren 1.141); it'd be interesting to see the whole range with the die-combinations they demonstrate.  I've seen two or three specimes with snakes in the same pose as yours, but lack pictures for any of them.

http://people.virginia.edu/~jdk3t/RG/RG1-3048.html
http://people.virginia.edu/~jdk3t/RG/RG1-3190.html

[Jochen]

Thanks!

Jochen

[Agathodaimon]

Hi Jochen,
I've got this one : it was sold as unlisted (Nikaia, Geta), what do you think about it ?

Thanks !
Regards.

[Jochen]

Hi!

I have now uploaded Rec. Gen. I/3 and found this on p.464:

517. ΓΕΤΑC  ΚΑΙCΑΡ. Tete nu, a dr.
        Rx. ΝΙΚΑΙЄΩΝ. Serpent roule. La tete a g.
        AE 14.

Sadly there is no pic on the plates.

Best regards           

[Arminius]

Hi Jochen,
I've got this one : it was sold as unlisted (Nikaia, Geta), what do you think about it ?
Thanks !
Regards.

Fortunately my database has it:



Nikaia in Bithynia, Geta as Caesar, 198-209 AD.,
chalkus / copper quarter assarion (?) / Æ15 (14-15 mm / 2,05 g),
Obv.: ΓЄTAC - KA[ICAP] , bare head of the young Geta right.
Rev.: NIKA-I-EΩN , coiled and erect Agathedaemon serpent, head upturned left.
Weiser - ; SNG von Aulock - ; BMC - ; SNG Cop - (cf. 476 - Antoninus Pius) ; cf. Righetti coll., part 4, no. 363 (other dies) ; cf. Rec. Gen. 464, 517 .

 

[Agathodaimon]

  I thank you both ! very interesting answers.
Regards.

[Arminius]

Hello all i just wanted to add another unlisted Nicaea , this one found in an uncleaned lot of 500

Julia Domna
AD 194-217
OBV:  IOVLIA AVGOVCTA
Draped bust right.
REV: NIKAIEWN
A single star above a crescent.

MINT: Nicaea


Kind regards

Are weight and size measurable?

[Kurt E]

A possible unlisted issue for Plautilla  16 mm  2.57 g

OBV- PLAVTILLA [CEBACTH]   Draped bust right

REV - NIKAIEWN  Basket with poppy and grain ears

RG -
Isegrim -
Righetti -

Kurt

EDIT: Here is a second nicer example of this issue I recently aquired (4/2013)

[archivum]

Thanks for posting; I did reference this one, basket with corn ears and poppy, but via a coinarchives link which is now pretty useless:

https://www.forumancientcoins.com/board/index.php?topic=49390.msg307614#msg307614

[Tom Mullally]

Not in:

SNG Von Aulock
SNG Righetti
SNG Leypold
Corsten
SNG Cop
Lindgren I
Lindgren III
BMC
Similar to Imhoof-Blumer, Griechische Munzen, p.76, #121.

You know I want this coin, right?

Tom

[areich]

I can't find this Maximinus and I don't even know what to call the figure on the reverse.

obv: Г IOVΛ OVH MAΞIMEINOC AVГ , laureate, draped and cuirassed bust of Maximinus right, seen from behind, uncertain countermark
rev: NI-KAI-EΩN, female figure holding cornucopia and branch(?), leaning on column(?)

AE26, 7.80g

[Tom Mullally]

Can the powers that be move this thread to the Nicaean Addenda thread?

Tom

[areich]

Oops, talk about merging threads.

[Tom Mullally]

I can't find this Maximinus and I don't even know what to call the figure on the reverse.

obv: Г IOVΛ OVH MAΞIMEINOC AVГ , laureate, draped and cuirassed bust of Maximinus right, seen from behind, uncertain countermark
rev: NI-KAI-EΩN, female figure holding cornucopia and branch(?), leaning on column(?)

AE26, 7.80g

I think the reverse figure is Nemesis holding a rod.  What you're seeing as a column I think is the drapery of her cloak over her elbow.

I think the obv C/M is the head of Tyche, upside down.

Tom

[archivum]

Note that the obverse legend is actually Г IOV OVH MAΞIMEINOC AVГ; I think you will find the reverse type in RG, p. 480 and somewhere on Pl. lxxxiv.

http://people.virginia.edu/~jdk3t/RG/RG1-3087.html
http://people.virginia.edu/~jdk3t/RG/RG1-3209.html

The countermark looks to me like the value-mark H; I think I've seen the same on another Maximinus Nicaean issue.

[OldMoney]

I have come across a couple of what appear to be new types to add to the corpus.

1.
Bithynia, Nicaea, Marcus Aurelius 161-180 Æ35
Obv: Bare-headed, half-length figure of Marcus Aurelius wearing cuirass
and paludamentum right.
Rev: Pan standing left, wearing conical cap, holding branch and wine-skin.
(25.65g) Not in standard references (that I could find).
Same obverse die as RPC online 5913 (Rec.Gen. 138, pl.LXX,5).
Same reverse die as RPC online 5507 (Rec.Gen. 157, pl.LXX,22).
Traces of reverse legend: ΕΠ ΩΦΕΑΝΝ-OY / ΝΙΚΑΙΕΙΣ in ex.

2.
Bithynia, Nicaea, Severus Alexander 222-235 Æ27
Obv: Laureate, draped and cuirassed bust of Alexander right.
Rev: Dionysus in panther biga right.
(9.80g) Not in Rec.Gen.; Not in BMC; Not in SNG Cop.; Not in SNG Schweiz II;
Not in SNG Hunterian. Unpublished?

3.
Bithynia, Nicaea, Gordian III 238-244 Æ32
Obv: Radiate, draped, and cuirassed bust of Gordian left, as seen from the
front, holding spear and shield which is decorated with an aegis (head of
Medusa), two countermarks.
Rev: Nike standing on right crowning a seated Tyche who turns to face her.
(20.05g) Not in any of the references I have to hand. Same obverse die as
Rec.Gen. 710; Gorny & Mosch 114/171; Helios 5/631; and CNG E233/281.
Ticket indicates it was bought from "E.Gans Oct.1959" and also states "SNG
von Aulock 654 (THIS)" (*I haven't been able to check v.A. just yet).

I would be interested in hearing whether anyone else knows of these items,
knows anything about them, or knows of any associated references that I
may have missed or overlooked.

Walter Holt

[archivum]

I have come across a couple of what appear to be new types to add to the corpus.

1.
Bithynia, Nicaea, Marcus Aurelius 161-180 Æ35
Obv: Bare-headed, half-length figure of Marcus Aurelius wearing cuirass
and paludamentum right.
Rev: Pan standing left, wearing conical cap, holding branch and wine-skin.
(25.65g) Not in standard references (that I could find).
Same obverse die as RPC online 5913 (Rec.Gen. 138, pl.LXX,5).
Same reverse die as RPC online 5507 (Rec.Gen. 157, pl.LXX,22).
Traces of reverse legend: ΕΠ ΩΦΕΑΝΝ-OY / ΝΙΚΑΙΕΙΣ in ex.

2.
Bithynia, Nicaea, Severus Alexander 222-235 Æ27
Obv: Laureate, draped and cuirassed bust of Alexander right.
Rev: Dionysus in panther biga right.
(9.80g) Not in Rec.Gen.; Not in BMC; Not in SNG Cop.; Not in SNG Schweiz II;
Not in SNG Hunterian. Unpublished?

3.
Bithynia, Nicaea, Gordian III 238-244 Æ32
Obv: Radiate, draped, and cuirassed bust of Gordian left, as seen from the
front, holding spear and shield which is decorated with an aegis (head of
Medusa), two countermarks.
Rev: Nike standing on right crowning a seated Tyche who turns to face her.
(20.05g) Not in any of the references I have to hand. Same obverse die as
Rec.Gen. 710; Gorny & Mosch 114/171; Helios 5/631; and CNG E233/281.
Ticket indicates it was bought from "E.Gans Oct.1959" and also states "SNG
von Aulock 654 (THIS)" (*I haven't been able to check v.A. just yet).

Walter Holt

Thanks for posting these three coins; #2 really isn't in Isegrim, and ##1 and 3 are almost as noteworthy for other reasons.  A few followup notes:

1) Here is Isegrim's closest entry for your #1, very rare, with a different obverse portrait:

PRO: BITHYNIA
PO : NICAEA
PZ : Between 161 and 180 
BNG: WP'E ANN..OY
 Obverse
VSG: ..
VT : PORTRAIT MAN R / MARC AUREL
VA : WREATH LAUREL / BEARD / CLOTHES
 Reverse
RSG: EP WP'E ANN..OY
RT : MAN WALKING L(1) / PAN(1)
RA : NUDE / HORNS / BRANCH(1) / WINE-SKIN(1)
 Technical details
M  : AE
GR : 41(1)
 Bibliographical references
ZIT: WADD RG S419,157(1) / COLL BERLIN(1) [ http://people.virginia.edu/~jdk3t/RG/RG1-3026.html / http://people.virginia.edu/~jdk3t/RG/RG1-3185.html, diff. obv. die as noted; better img. of RG rev. below]
FR : VS: .. RS: EP WP'E ANN..OY 

2) An extremely uncommon reverse for Nicaea, although found on this issue of Commodus:
PRO: BITHYNIA
PO : NICAEA
PZ : Between 177 and 192 
 Obverse
VSG: M AY KOM ANTWNINOS
VT : PORTRAIT MAN R / COMMODUS
VA : WREATH LAUREL
 Reverse
RSG: NIKAIE..
RT : BIGA PANTHERS R / WITH / CHARIOTEER(1) / DIONYSOS
RA : KANTHAROS(1)
 Technical details
M  : AE
GR : 27.94(1) / 29(1-2)
 Bibliographical references
ZIT: WADD RG S433,270(1-2) / BMC 11 S159,44(1)
VGL: COLL WIEN(2)
 Additional remarks
FR : VS: <M AY?> KOM ANTWNINOS RS: NIKAIE.. 

3) Very likely your coin (perhaps your very specimen when it comes to the von Aulock entry), although badly described in this listing:
PRO: BITHYNIA
PO : NICAEA
PZ : Between 238 and 244 
 Obverse
VSG: M ANT GORDIANOS AYG
VT : PORTRAIT MAN L / GORDIAN III
VA : RADIATE / CLOTHES / SPEAR / SHIELD
VG : ROUND / LET I / ROUND / HEAD MAN ? / EMPEROR
 Reverse
RSG: NIKAIEWN
RT : PERSONS 2 / WOMAN SITTING L(1) / TYCHE(1) / ON / STOOL <?> / MAN STANDING HL(2) / DIONYSOS(2)
RA : HEAD R(1) / STAFF(1) / TURRETED(1) / CORNUCOPIAE(1) / WREATH(2) / THYRSOS(2)
 Technical details
M  : AE
GEW: 20.09(1)
 Bibliographical references
ZIT: SNG AUL 654(1) [another specimen FONTANA RIN 1966 S41,15(1)]
 Additional remarks
FR : VS: M ANT GORDIANOS AYG RS: NIKAIEWN 

[KIR]

Dear All

Nicaea, Bithynia, Plautilla 6.0g 22mm