Greek AE Obv Hercules Rev Lion

[basher_boy]

Thank you for the help on the coins yesterday.

https://www.forumancientcoins.com/board/index.php?topic=97517.0
https://www.forumancientcoins.com/board/index.php?topic=97529.0

I have been looking at four or five coins for several months that have me stumped.  #1, above, was easy for you guys.  My hope was at least one will be hard enough to warrant my requests for assistance but I think I will fail.

I have been working on a box of "greek" coins my late father had stashed away.  Some my father or grandfather had attributed, many they had not, many incorrectly, but I can't blame them it must have been super hard before the internet.  These coins were almost certainly from my grandfather who was a civil engineer all through Europe and Africa in the 1910 and 1930s.  Most of the coins were found on the job site but some were bought in Vienna when he retired in the 30's.

Here is 3 of 3 of my stumps

It is a bronze 7.81 grams 19.1mm  The Obverse is Hercules left (I believe) and reverse is a stylized lion (again I believe).  I feel like this one should be easy but I haven't been able to get it coming back to it several times over the last couple of months.  I would guess Sicily, Syracuse, but the lion is so odd.

The only attribution I have is "similar to LEU 6-241."  I can't find that catalog in the boxes of ancient coin catalogs I have.

Thanks again for the expertise. You guys have been very helpful how can a neophyte like myself add to this forum.

[Lee S]

Looks more like Apollo to me...

[Mark Fox]

Dear basher_boy & Board,

It is hard to say exactly what variety you have since the obverse is not centered too well, but please compare your specimen with this issue of Syracuse struck under Agathocles:
 
http://www.acsearch.info/search.html?id=562646

There does appear to be a spear (also described as an arrow) in the exergue.

Hope this helps.  You are one fortunate person to have a collection to enjoy like this. 


Best regards,

Mark Fox
Michigan

[PtolemAE]

Thank you for the help on the coins yesterday.

https://www.forumancientcoins.com/board/index.php?topic=97517.0
https://www.forumancientcoins.com/board/index.php?topic=97529.0

I have been looking at four or five coins for several months that have me stumped.  #1, above, was easy for you guys.  My hope was at least one will be hard enough to warrant my requests for assistance but I think I will fail.

I have been working on a box of "greek" coins my late father had stashed away.  Some my father or grandfather had attributed, many they had not, many incorrectly, but I can't blame them it must have been super hard before the internet.  These coins were almost certainly from my grandfather who was a civil engineer all through Europe and Africa in the 1910 and 1930s.  Most of the coins were found on the job site but some were bought in Vienna when he retired in the 30's.

Here is 3 of 3 of my stumps

It is a bronze 7.81 grams 19.1mm  The Obverse is Hercules left (I believe) and reverse is a stylized lion (again I believe).  I feel like this one should be easy but I haven't been able to get it coming back to it several times over the last couple of months.  I would guess Sicily, Syracuse, but the lion is so odd.

The only attribution I have is "similar to LEU 6-241."  I can't find that catalog in the boxes of ancient coin catalogs I have.

Thanks again for the expertise. You guys have been very helpful how can a neophyte like myself add to this forum.

Syracuse ca. 310-290bc
Agathocles
Note club above the lion (nearly off the edge on this specimen)

The lion style is somewhat similar to those seen on southern Italian coins of Velia, etc.  We may suspect that, unlike more common animals, the celators didn't actually see lions every day to model their die sculptures but likely referred to other artistic works for the imagery.

Many examples of this type are seen in reference books, museum collections, current SixBid auctions, various dealer offerings, etc.  A number of them can be found here using the research/search function.  Same type as SNG ANS (Sicily, Syracuse) 732 - 742 etc.  Weight typically ranges from about 5 grams to about 10 grams.

PtolemAE

[basher_boy]

I didn't see the club and the lion was throwing me (I wasn't fully convinced it was a lion).  It was different than the predominant style I saw from that city during that time frame which is less stylized.  Once Mark Fox pointed me to a better condition version it was easy to see.

Thanks for helping me with the stumps.  All the Greeks are attributed, but looking at your signature I may have to go back to the handful of Ptolemy's and do a better job than I did.

[PtolemAE]

I didn't see the club and the lion was throwing me (I wasn't fully convinced it was a lion).  It was different than the predominant style I saw from that city during that time frame which is less stylized.  Once Mark Fox pointed me to a better condition version it was easy to see.

Thanks for helping me with the stumps.  All the Greeks are attributed, but looking at your signature I may have to go back to the handful of Ptolemy's and do a better job than I did.

Yes, the club is almost off the edge of your coin completely but the rest of the coin's appearance says: 'look for the club - it should be there'.  It's a pretty well-known and recognizable type.

Ptolemaic bronze coins will be a piece of cake if you refer to the 'coin photos' page at

www.ptolemybronze.com

Hundreds of reference catalog types of Ptolemaic bronze coins are covered there - all the more common types and some not so common ones, too.

PtolemAE