Another interesting unpublished Philip II ant from Antioch

[silvernut]

My most recent purchase:

Radiate, draped and cuirassed bust right.
IMP M IVL PHILIPPVS AVG
PM TR P VI COS PP
Lion walking right.

RIC and RSC both cite either bust left with lion right or bust right with lion left, both R², but not this particular combination which seems even rarer.

Regards,
Ignasi

[bpmurphy]

Interesting coin Ignasi, from different dies than the one I had. Here's what I wrote for mine:

PHILIP II. 247-249 AD. AR Antoninianus - 22mm (4.34 g). Antioch mint. Struck 249 AD. Radiate, draped and cuirassed bust right, seen from behind / P M TR P VI COS P P, radiate lion walking right. RIC IV 238 var. (bust left); RSC 42 var. (same). EF, a trace of minor porosity. Very rare, unpublished (?) with the right facing bust and right walking lion.

Ex Harlan Berk Buy/Bid Sale 56 (17 January 1989), lot 359

This same reverse die was also used to strike a small binio issue, see NFA XXVI (14 August 1991), lot 287 for the unique binio with Philip's head facing left and this same reverse die.

Barry Murphy

[bpmurphy]

This is the more typical variety.

Barry

[silvernut]

Thank you Barry. Thibaut Marchal's website mentions a total of 4 coins of this type known to him. I don't know if that includes either yours or mine. Very interesting comment about the binio!

Regards,
Ignasi

[jmuona]

I do not have RIC at hand now, but I do have the "Roger Bland unpublished list of Antioch radiates" and it tells a slightly different story.
First, Philip II is known only bust right lion left in RIC (239). Second, Bland knows 9 specimens of bust right, lion right type an 7 of bust right, lion left type - in addition one with bust seen from front and right, lion left.
All lion types appear much rarer with Philip I, as Bland lists 22 coins of 4 types for the son, 11 coins of four types for the father.
s.
Jyrki Muona

[silvernut]

Thank you, Jyrki. As I said before on this Forum, I'd very much like to get my hands on a copy of Bland's work, as I believe it is much, much needed in view of the lacunae that RIC shows for these coins. RIC 239 is, as you say, bust right, lion left. RIC 238 is bust left, lion right. I guess it follows Cohen.

I'll duly note that my type (bust right, lion right) is known of 9 specimens. Thank you for the info. I would love to know, however, if the coin I showed, or the one Barry showed, are included in the 9.

As a note of further interest, I have found online a Philip I coin with the same reverse die as my coin of Philip II... Another interesting example of die links between father and son!

Regards,
Ignasi

[jmuona]

Dear Ignasi,
I am afraid it is impossible to know whether the coins are included in Bland's tabulation - that is until he continues his work. However, if you know that the coins in question have been found lately, they are new as the list is more than seven years old.
s. Jyrki

[Callimachus]

Hello.  If the people who participated in this discussion are still around, I'd like to ask a question.

The coin that starting this posting has the bust facing right, and the lion facing right.

Above, jmuona says "Bland knows 9 specimens of bust right, lion right type" but does not give any Bland numbers.  On this website <http://ettuantiquities.com/Philip_1/Philip2-list.htm> Bland numbers are listed for coins of Philip II. Coins with the lion on the reverse and legend PM TR P VI COS PP are as follows:

Bland 97 bust left, lion right
Bland 94 bust right/front, lion left
Bland 95 bust right, lion left
Bland 95v bust right, lion left with thunderbolt in mouth
Bland 96 bust left, lion left

I don't see "bust right, lion right" here.  What am I missing?  It sure would be nice to have a complete copy of Bland's work available on-line.

[curtislclay]

The problem may be a typo in Bland's list.

His no. 97, as it stands, is Philip II, lion r., bust draped, cuir. right, seen from behind, 9 spec. recorded.

However, Cohen 42 illustrates and describes a coin in Paris, which must have been known to Bland, with Philip II, lion r., bust draped, cuir. LEFT, SEEN FROM FRONT.

So Bland's bust code for this number may be an error; he says D2, dr. cuir. r. seen from behind, but may have meant D1l, dr. cuir. left seen from front.

[Callimachus]

So if Bland 97 is in error and should be "bust left/front, lion right," then the coin pictured at the top of this page is unknown to Bland. Correct?

[curtislclay]

Correct. Bland only listed one antoninianus type of Philip II with lion right.

[Callimachus]

Thank you for the clarification.

[jmuona]

Ferenc Ovari has this type illustrated and listed in his paper as 45b. When at home, I will check how many specimens he new of it, but a third coin for sure! I have in my own pictorial guide marked it as Bland 97 - probably because Curtis mentioned the possibility of an error in the past as well - I cannot recollect.
I just noticed that Marchal lists four of these known to him:

http://marchal.thibaut.free.fr/e_number.htm

[Callimachus]

More than 9 years later, here is another coin of the type under discussion in this post.

Philip II as Augustus.
Antoninianus, 249 AD, Antioch mint.
Obverse: IMP M IVL PHILIPPVS AVG / Radiate bust of Philip II facing right.
Reverse: PM TR P VI COS P P / Radiate lion walking right.
4.40 gm., 21.5 mm.
RIC 238 / 239 var; Sear 9272 / 9273 var.

[Anton P]

Hello. Sorry, if a bit off-topic, still believe it is right place to share.

My specimen of Bland 95v bust right, lion left with thunderbolt in mouth:

Looks like the full die match to Classical Numismatic Group, Inc. Mail Bid Sale 61 Lot 2023 (3rd picture).

If someone could share a copy of Roger Bland completed work, I would really appreciate. Mine was lost together with busted HDD.