Author Topic: My Man-Faced Bull Gallery (Read 9708 times)

Molinari · « **on:** December 16, 2013, 07:28:38 am »

A new one for my man-faced bull gallery., courtesy of Lars, which I happily won yesterday. I figure I'll start a thread for this gallery adding my new coins.

Tauromenion, Sicily. AE26 (16.44 g), c. 340-315 BC.
Obv. Laureate head of Apollo left, APXAΓETAΣ before.
Rev. Man-headed bull left; TAYPOME-NITAN around.
SNG Cop. 916; SNG ANS 1108.

The album itself: https://www.forumancientcoins.com/gallery/thumbnails.php?album=3892

Molinari · « **Reply #1 on:** December 16, 2013, 02:38:08 pm »

I wonder, is this the same coin?:

TAUROMENION. Bronze, 344-275. ARCAGETAS Apollonkopf mit Lorbeerkranz n. l. Rv. [TAUROME]N[ITAN] Androkephaler, bärtiger Stier n. l. 16,44 g. SNG ANS 1108. Calciati III, 209, 1. Selten. Feine dunkelgrüne Patina. Oberfläche leicht korrodiert. Sehr schön

M&M Auction 11, lot 567.

The weight matches.

Jay GT4 · « **Reply #2 on:** December 16, 2013, 02:46:39 pm »

Certainly looks to be the same coin.

Enodia · « **Reply #3 on:** December 16, 2013, 03:14:28 pm »

absolutely the same coin.
and a nice addition to your gallery too.

~ Peter

Molinari · « **Reply #4 on:** December 16, 2013, 03:31:54 pm »

Thanks guys. I've been looking for one of these for a while

JBF · « **Reply #5 on:** December 16, 2013, 04:04:05 pm »

Molinari,
How did you get into man-faced bulls?

Molinari · « **Reply #6 on:** December 16, 2013, 07:03:10 pm »

Quote from: JBF on December 16, 2013, 04:04:05 pm

Molinari,
How did you get into man-faced bulls?

In all honesty, it was love at first sight. I've been fascinated with the man-faced bull since the very first one I saw.

Molinari · « **Reply #7 on:** January 18, 2014, 02:52:11 pm »

Two new man-faced bulls. As you can see, the face on each of the bulls is remarkably clear. In fact, I would go so far as to say the Sambon 625 (Phyrigian helmet) type is among the finest known, and certainly the finest I've seen.

Now to get a more specific attribution on the second coin, which appears to have a wreath above and thus is related to Sambon 629!

Hope you like them

Molinari · « **Reply #8 on:** February 12, 2014, 08:58:53 am »

My first true man-faced bull purchase of the year (the last two were delivered in 2014, but purchased in 2013). It should arrive any day now.

SICILY. Agyrion. Ae (Circa 405-320 BC). Obv: AΓYPINEION. Obv: Head of young Herakles right. Rev: ΠALAΓKAIOS (retro). Forepart of man-headed bull right. SNG ANS 1303. Weight: 5.3 g., Diameter: 20 mm. (Pencunem 12, lot 22)

I originally cataloged this piece on my website under the first one listed for Agyrion, but Nico pointed out that the inscription is retrograde, so it now has its own listing.

http://manfacedbulls.wordpress.com/agyrion/

I hope you all like it.

Enodia · « **Reply #9 on:** February 12, 2014, 03:00:32 pm »

nice coin Nick, especially the reverse!
congratulations on getting 2014 off to a good start.

~ Peter

Molinari · « **Reply #10 on:** February 12, 2014, 04:06:40 pm »

Thanks, Peter. I was disappointed to see the Fed Ex sorry-we-missed-you tag on the door today. That's why I love usps, because if I miss them, I walk half a mile and pick it up myself!

Molinari · « **Reply #11 on:** March 05, 2014, 09:55:30 am »

My second man-faced bull coin of the year, also very rare. I debated buying the Virzi specimen for about double the price, but that one appears to either have bronze disease or is on the cusp of developing it. Since this example shows the MFB's face, which is very important to me, I deicided that it would do!

SICILY. Himera. Ae, 17mm, 4.1 g (After 409 BC). Obv: Man-headed bull standing left. Rev: Boar standing left.Calciati I 44. Very rare.

Molinari · « **Reply #12 on:** March 30, 2014, 09:25:16 am »

My most recent addition. I know, it isn't ancient, but how could a collector of man-faced bull coinage resist!

FRANCE, Premier Empire. Caroline Bonaparte. Queen Consort of Naples and Sicily, 1808-1815. Æ Medal (23mm, 5.84 g, 12h). By Brenet (after a nomos of Neapolis). Struck 1808. BAΣIΛIΣΣA KAPOΛINH, diademed head right, wearing triple-pendant earring and pearl necklace / Man-headed bull standing right, head facing; above, crowning Nike flying right; NEΩΠOΛITΩN in exergue. Bramsen 772.

https://www.forumancientcoins.com/gallery/displayimage.php?pos=-108192

quadrans · « **Reply #13 on:** March 30, 2014, 12:57:23 pm »

Hi Nick!
Any way, very nice...

Q.

Molinari · « **Reply #14 on:** April 01, 2014, 12:13:47 pm »

Quote from: quadrans on March 30, 2014, 12:57:23 pm

Hi Nick!
Any way, very nice...

Q.

Thanks, but upon receiving the coin today, I noticed on the edge it has a small cornucopia and the word BRONZE, which means it is actually a post 1880 restrike. I'll be sending the coin back :-(

Nick

Molinari · « **Reply #15 on:** May 05, 2014, 08:09:57 am »

To make up for the last one which turned out to be a re-strike (serves me right for buying a modern coin), I won this lot yesterday. It's quite rare.

AKARNANIA. Leukas. Ae (Circa 350-300 BC). Obv: Chimera walking left, monogram below.
Rev: Head of river god Acheloos left, monogram behind. BCD Akarnania 236.
Weight: 5.99 g.
Diameter: 21 mm.

gordian_guy · « **Reply #16 on:** May 05, 2014, 11:08:48 am »

Nice coins Nick!!

c.rhodes

Molinari · « **Reply #17 on:** May 05, 2014, 11:19:03 am »

Thanks for the compliment. The next one I post will be the coin I've been wanting for a very long time and finally got (I think), but I'm waiting to receive an invoice (5 days already!) and make payment before I celebrate.

Molinari · « **Reply #18 on:** May 12, 2014, 07:46:18 am »

I've wanted one of these for a very long time and didn't think I'd get one. You know you've got a problem when you bid so enthusiastically on a horribly corroded bronze, and that coin becomes an essential part of your collection.

Sicily, The Sileraioi, Litra, c. 357-339 BC, AE (g 32,27 mm 31 h 9), ΣIΛEPAIΩN (retr.), forepart of bull swimming l. linear border, Rv. [ΣIA], nude warrior running r., holding shield and spear. CNS III, n. 1 SNG Copenhagen 607 SNG ANS -.Brown patina. Fine. Ex Gorny & Mosch, Auction 208 lot 1150. Ex. ACR, Auction 9, lot 160.

Molinari · « **Reply #19 on:** May 29, 2014, 12:37:26 pm »

One of my wins yesterday. I didn't expect to get this one, but with so many special coins in a single auction people had to focus on some and ignore others, which worked out in my favor here.

Not the most beautiful, but the MFB is clear enough for me and I get to check off an important box.

https://www.forumancientcoins.com/gallery/displayimage.php?pos=-109749

Molinari · « **Reply #20 on:** May 29, 2014, 01:02:30 pm »

This coin was also a bonus that I was able to grab at the end of the auction, not having reached my budget. Very rare and, although a little rough, a nice example for this type!

https://www.forumancientcoins.com/gallery/displayimage.php?pos=-109750

Carausius · « **Reply #21 on:** May 29, 2014, 01:08:57 pm »

You had a good day! Congratulations.

Molinari · « **Reply #22 on:** May 29, 2014, 01:12:16 pm »

Tied with my tetras of the Sileraioi for my top two coins ever purchased is this crude little guy, issued by the Kersini and one of only four known. The Kersini were a group of mercenaries that issued coinage in the mid. 4th cent. BC in the area of Santa Caterina Villarmosa.

https://www.forumancientcoins.com/gallery/displayimage.php?pos=-109751

Molinari · « **Reply #23 on:** May 29, 2014, 01:12:50 pm »

Quote from: Carausius on May 29, 2014, 01:08:57 pm

You had a good day! Congratulations.

Thanks, Mike. I had a fantastic day.

Molinari · « **Reply #24 on:** May 29, 2014, 01:14:21 pm »

To keep my thread complete I add this one, already posted in the Greek section to see if it is indeed a match to the Calciati specimen, which it is.

https://www.forumancientcoins.com/gallery/displayimage.php?pos=-109744

News:

Author Topic: My Man-Faced Bull Gallery (Read 9708 times)