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Author Topic: Who Is This??  (Read 2592 times)

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Offline Schatz

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Who Is This??
« on: September 14, 2016, 09:13:29 am »
Hi out there,

I am in the process of uploading my bronze Parthians to my gallery and have come to a coin which puzzles me. It was attributed by the seller (Jean Elsen whose identifications are usually right on the mark) to be a chalkous of Artabanos II. (Sellwood 61.15), but the obv. seems to contradict that. Artabanos II., and for that matter Gotarzes II., and Artabanos III. have very straight hair, not 4 bushy waves, and they do not have a rounded short beard.   On the other hand, it cannot be an Orodes II., because the only bronze that would fit (Sellw. 43.16) is a dichalkous , and my coin weights barely 1 gram.
Generally speaking, the portrait style of this coin is rather unusual, and I do not recall having seen one like that before. There are other small bronzes from Mithradatkart that have a similar strange style, but none with the features of mine.

Is there anyone who can shed light on this?
Eagerly awaiting your insights,
Schatz


Offline Kamnaskires

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Re: Who Is This??
« Reply #1 on: September 14, 2016, 08:37:19 pm »
Hey, Schatz.  My first thought is that it is a Sellwood 64 variant (Vardanes I) from Mithradatkart, like one listed in a past sale at CNG.

The coin, as listed at CNG (see item C at http://www.cngcoins.com/Coin.aspx?CoinID=153476) has this description: "Æ Chalkous (0.90 g). Mithradatkart mint. Monogram. Cf. Sellwood 64 (for obv. type); Shore - " I assume the "Monogram" in the description refers to the reverse, which I believe is a Mithradatkart monogram surrounded by dots/dashes.  If you rotate the reverse image at CNG 45 degrees counter-clockwise, it kinda sorta resembles the reverse of yours.

The same coin is listed at coinproject, with the reverse properly rotated:
http://coinproject.com/coin_detail.php?coin=231936
and
http://www.coinproject.com/siteimages/97-83000732c.jpg

The description there, at coinproject, has the reverse as "monogram ΜΤΘ; legend as dashes."  Curiously, they list it as a S.64.40 type variant...rather than a more appropriate "type 64 variant."  (Given that the reverse is completely different from 64.40 AND that it was minted at Mithradatkart and not Ecbatana, calling it a 64.40 variant rather than a more general 64 variant seems, well, wrong to me)  I see that same coin is an ex-Ballen and is listed at Parthia.com with that same curious 64.40 variant listing...See PDC 59884 here: http://www.parthia.com/pdc_ballen_9.htm




Offline Alwin

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Re: Who Is This??
« Reply #2 on: September 15, 2016, 09:20:37 am »
Hi,
Another similar (1,80g)

The seller said Pacorus II (IMHO erroneously)

Offline Schatz

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Re: Who Is This??
« Reply #3 on: September 15, 2016, 12:42:37 pm »
Hi, Robert,

and thanks for doing my homework for me. You are right, a 64 var. is the most plausible answer, though I would have loved to have a unique, undocumented coin (Alwin has put a stop to that illusion with his coin pic). I had looked at the Vardanes I. bronzes in Sellwood but made the mistake to expect finding a perfect obv./rev. match and should have looked for less than that. The obv. portrait of the 64 chalkoi is certainly what comes closest especially if one takes a look at this ruler's Eastern AR drachms (image below) with the wavy hair, the round beard and the earring (which is not so clear on my AE coin).

I will have to force myself to spend more time with the bronzes. They are an interesting lot with sometimes fanciful reverses. The smaller they are the more amazing is this endeavor to create something artistic though the eagle heads on my coins look like moose heads.

Offline Schatz

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Re: Who Is This??
« Reply #4 on: September 15, 2016, 12:50:05 pm »
Hello Alwin,

your picture definitely shows a cousin to my coin with the same attribution - as Robert points out - most likely a Sellw. 64. I had hoped to have a unique coin, but well, there goes another illusion ..

Schatz

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Re: Who Is This??
« Reply #5 on: September 15, 2016, 05:22:09 pm »
I like this thread.. +++

Nice discussion

Q.
All the Best :), Joe
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