Plate Coins & Old Collections from the Roman Provinces [16 Coins]
Created: 22 Mar 2024 ; Last Updated: 29 Mar 2024. Change Log.
Other Pages in this Series:
- Return to: The “Top Shelf”: Object Biography, Plate Coins & Provenance Glossary
- Return to: Page I (Greek, West: Celts through Central Greece)
- Return to: Page II (Greek, East: Asia Minor, Persia & Jewish Coinage)
- Continue to: Page IV (Roman Provincial Egypt)
- Continue to: Page V (Roman Republican & Imperial) Just Started
- Forthcoming: Page VI (Byzantine & Contemporaries); Page VII (Numismatic Literature).
Contents of This Page:
Central Greece (Thessaly, Peloponnesos, Lokris);
N. Greece & Aegean (Thrace, Ionia);
W. Asia Minor (Lydia, Phrygia, Pisidia);
E. Asia Minor (Cilicia, Cappadocia);
“Star of Bethlehem” Coin (Antioch);
CENTRAL GREECE (Thessaly, Peloponnesos, Lokris) [top]:
Thessaly, Koinon (Thessalian League), Nero AE Diassarion (22mm, 9.52g), Aristion, Strategos, c. 66-8 CE. Nero as Apollo Citharoedus.
(Photo credit: CNG.) Collection Hist.:
BCD Collection [CNG EA 325, “Coinage of the Thessalian League…” (23 Apr 2014), 29];
Peter J. Merani (1936-2020) Collection [CNG EA 490, NVMMIS HISTORIAM DISCENS, Part II (21 Apr 2021), 65].
Published: Burrer 1.1 (A1/R1), this coin illustrated on pl. 9: Friedrich Burrer (1993), Münzprägung und Geschichte des Thessalischen Bundes in der Römischen Kaiserzeit bis auf Hadrian (31 v. Chr. – 138 n. Chr.);
RPC Online I 1439, ex. 25 (this coin illustrated online);
RPC Supplement I (1998), p. 20 (this coin cited) & Consolidated Supplement I-III (2015), p. 78 (cited).
See also: My “Numislit Exhibit” for Merani, BCD & Burrer.
Notes: An important type, probably intended to flatter Nero after his tour of the Greek Games, c. 66/7, during which he liberated Achaea. Suetonius described the Roman Imperial brass coins of this design.
Achaea, Patras, Claudius AE As (25mm, 11.56g), Legionary Issue, c. 41-54 CE. Aquila between standards, COL A A PATR X XII.
(Photo credit: CNG.) Collection/Publication Hist.:
Peter J. Merani (1936-2020) Collection [CNG EA 490, NVMMIS HISTORIAM DISCENS, Part II (21 Apr 2021), 70];
BCD Peloponnesos II 2782 = BCD Collection [CNG 81.2 (20 May 2009), 2782];
Frank Kovacs Collection [acq. by BCD, Dec 1996];
[prob.] Ex Jacob Hirsch Estate [Kovacs tag indicating acq. from A.S.W., “Ex Bank Leu, Zurich, Old Stock,” which phrase usually denoted “Old Stock of Jacob Hirsch” (d. 1955)]
See also: RPC 1256, ex. 24, corr. = this coin, wrong photo & note (GERMANICVS), mistakenly using the BCD Peloponnesos I photo, which should actually be ex 32, corr. (GERM).
See also: My “Numislit Exhibit” for Merani, BCD & Burrer (comparandum).
Notes: Issued for Colonia Augusta Achaica Patrensis, the veterans colony for Legio X Fretensis and Legio XII Fulminata.
Lokris, Lokri Opuntii AE (21mm, 5.96g), Mag. M. Cl. Serapion, temp Galba, c. 69 CE. Countermark over Demeter / Warrior.
(Photo credit: Naumann.) Collection Hist.:
Francis Jarman (1948-) Collection: Mints of the Roman Empire [Naumann 100 (6 Mar 2021), 1215];
BCD Collection [NAC 55 (8 Oct 2010), 157 (part)];
Findspot, “West of Exarchos” (n.d.).
Published: BCD Lokris-Phokis 157.5;
RPC I Online 1342, ex. 14 (this coin illustrated online);
RPC Consolidated Supplement I-III (2015), p. 71 (this coin cited);
Humphris & Delbridge (2014), The Coinage of the Opountian Lokrians (London: RNS), p. 218, “unidentified dies” (this coin cited, but mercifully the only from the group not illustrated!).
Notes: The editors of RPC doubt whether this ex. is correctly identified. I could see the obv. remnants as Hades from RPC 1341, but since the Howgego 620 countermark appears only (& nearly always) on RPC 1342, I think BCD must be right. His notes: “poor … (but unique?),” the latter in reference to the pair of countermarks (“ΛΟ in circular incuse” [Howgego 620] + “helmeted head of Athena r.”).
NORTHERN GREECE & AEGEAN (Thrace, Ionia) [top]:
Thrace, Hadrianopolis. Antoninus Pius AE Großbronze (34mm, 21.25g, 6h), c. 138 CE. One of Dioscuri (Castor?) & horse.
(Photo credit: CNG.) Sale Hist.:
Classical Cash MBS 1 (Matt Kruezer, Boston, 13 May 1995), 1116 (“Possibly Macedonia…Apparently unpublished and probably important”);
CNG 61 (25 Sep 2002), 1021;
Conti Collection [CNG EA 524 (28 Sep 2022), Lot 311, corr. (provenance & publication)].
Published: RPC IV.1 (Temp.) 11165 (this coin illustrated, only specimen);
Varbanov II 3145 (this coin illustrated from CNG 61, but edited).
See also: Wildwinds “digital plate coin” (corr., cited as Moushmov 2498) on pp. for Thrace, Hadrianopolis & Antoninus Pius.
Notes: Still the only specimen published anywhere since Kreuzer cataloged it in 1995. For a time, both CNG and RPC listed this as the second specimen, but on closer inspection I found that the Varbanov photo was edited from CNG’s.
Ionia, Samos. Augustus AE (18mm, 5.43g), c. 20 BCE. Peacock & Caduceus.
(Photo credit: CNG.) Collection Hist.:
John Richard-Brinsley Norton, 5th Baron Grantley (1855-1943) Collection [Glendining, Lord Grantley Part VI – Greek II (29 Jun 1944), 2309 (part of 50)];
Richard Cyrill Lockett (1873-1950) Collection, Part XII [Glendining (23 Feb 1961), 2894 (part)];
Cornelius Vermeule (1925-2008) Collection, sold for the benefit of the Boston Museum of Fine Arts [Triton III (30 Nov 1999), 1709 (part)];
St. George Collection [CNG EA 550 (13 Nov 2023), 358; CNG EA 297 (27 Feb 2013), 172].
Published: RPC I 2681, ex. 30 (illustrated online).
See also: Recorded in Lockett Purchase Notebooks (BNS), Vol. 58 – Greek AE No. 20: p 18 (r. col.).
Notes: I have others from each individually but this is my first to connect all three old collections (Grantley-Lockett-Vermeule), though many flowed through the same pathway. Unfortunately, for different reasons, none of those very significant collections of Greek/RPC bronzes were well illustrated (or at all, in Grantley’s case) and many of their provenances have been lost.
WESTERN ASIA MINOR (Lydia, Phrygia, Pisidia) [top]:
Lydia, Thyatira AE (21mm, 7.71g), late 2nd CE. Artemis Boreitene / River god Lykos.
(Photo credit: Jacquier.) Collection Hist.:
Henry Clay Lindgren (1914-2005) Collection;
Marcel Burstein Collection [Peus 366 (25 Oct 2000), 745, pl. 39];
Michel Thys (Slg. Flussgötter-Darstellungen) [Jacquier 52 (15 Sep 2023), 588].
Published: RPC IV, 2 (Temp) 2502, ex. 6 (this coin illustrated online);
Lindgren I A831A (this coin illustrated), in: Lindgren & Kovacs (1985), Ancient Bronze Coinage of Asia Minor and the Levant.
Phrygia, Eumenia. Nero AE (19mm, 5.17g), 54-59 CE. Apollo w/ double-axe & raven.
(Photo credit: Noble.) Collection Hist.:
Richard Cyrill Lockett (1873-1950) Collection [Glendining, Lockett XII – Greek IV (21 Feb 1961), 2927 (Pl. 31, ill.)];
acq. by Lockett from Lincoln (multi-generational London coin dealer, prob. F.W. Lincoln, Jr. [d. 1929]);
Cornelius Vermeule (1925-2008) Collection, sold for the benefit of the Boston Museum of Fine Arts [Triton III (30 Nov 1999), 1668 (part)].
See also: Catalog Favorites: Lockett & my Hidrieus Tetradrachm also illustrated in Lockett XII.
Phrygia, Grimenothyrai AE (23.5mm, 7.36g), Magistrate Tullius, temp. Trajan, early 2nd CE. Senate / Mên holding spear, pine cone.
(Photo credit: CJJ.) Collection Hist.:
Henry Clay Lindgren (1914-2005) Collection, w/ his envelope [pub. 1985];
Michel Burstein [privately sold, not in Peus 366];
Garth Drewry (1928-) [CNG EA 127 (23 Nov 2005), 101];
Noble Numismatics Auction 129 (29 Mar 2022), 3271, var. tickets.
Publication History: Lindgren I 955 (this coin ill.), in: H.C. Lingdren & Frank Kovacs (1985), Ancient Bronze Coins of Asia Minor and the Levant (San Mateo: Chrysopylon);
Phrygiens II 340 (this coin), in: Hans von Aulock (1987), Münzen und Städte Phrygiens, Teil 2 (Tübingen: Wasmuth);
RPC III 2482, ex. 17 (this coin).
See also: = AsiaMinorCoins 3158 [Archived].
Pisidia, Apollonia-Mordiaeum AE Großbronze (29mm, 16.34g), alliance w/ Koinon of Lycia, c. 193-217 CE. Alexander III / Tyches of Apollonia & Lycia.
(Photo credit: CJJ.) Collection Hist.:
Thomas Ollive Mabbott (1898-1968) Collection [Part I, H. Schulman (6 Jun 1969), 2045];
“Morris Collection” / Phil Peck [Part IV, Heritage 61160 (10 May 2020), 97068];
Ex NGC 4884253014, w/ tag (removed from encapsulation, c. 2020-3);
CNG EA 543 (2 Aug 2023), 319 (cataloged by TM).
Published: Pisidiens II 29 (this coin), in: Hans von Aulock (1979), Münzen und Städte Pisidiens, Teil II (Tübingen: Wasmuth).
Notes: My copy of Mabbott I: Greek (shown below) has Phil Peck’s (previous owner of this coin) name & number written on the cover, lower left! Did John Aiello (one of Peck’s coin dealers, reportedly his copy) buy this coin for him at the sale? Peck was then (1965-1977) a curator at the Chase Money Museum. Also written in the catalog, the phone number of a Chase Bank Vice President who was a philanthropist & AIA Trustee. Perhaps Aiello was acting as agent for Chase Bank and/or for Peck? (More: Catalog Favorites: Mabbott.)
Pisidia, Ariassus. Caracalla AE Assarion (19mm, 4.94g), Dionysus pouring wine, panther (drinking it?).
(Photo credit: Leu WA 23.) Collection Hist.:
Rainer Postel (Hamburg, 1941-) [before 1977];
Henry Clay Lindgren (1914-2005) Collection [published 1985];
Slg. Gerhard Plankenhorn (1941-), w/ ticket [Gorny & Mosch 126 (14 Oct 2003), 1906 ; acq. Schenk-Behrens 72 (?) (Essen, 6 Dec 1996), 454]
Dr. Peter Vogl (1949-) [Naumann 56 (6 Aug 2017), 406].
Published: Lindgren I 1264 (this coin illustrated), in: H.C. Lingdren & Frank Kovacs (1985), Ancient Bronze Coins of Asia Minor and the Levant (San Mateo: Chrysopylon);
Pisidiens I 445 (this coin), in: Hans von Aulock (1977), Münzen und Städte Pisidiens, Teil I (Tübingen: Wasmuth).
EASTERN ASIA MINOR (Cilicia, Cappadocia, Syria) [top]:
Cilicia, Anazarbus. Domitian AE Hemiassarion (18mm, 3.84g), 93/4 CE. Head of Zeus, dated year 112 (IB-R).
(Photo credit: CNG.) Collection Hist.:
Henry Clay Lindgren (1914-2005) Collection;
MDA Collection [CNG EA 510 (23 Feb 2022), 419].
Published: Lindgren & Kovacs (1985): Lindgren I 2192, corr. (this coin illustrated, described as Caesarea Paneas, Caligula on p. 116; and “corrected” to Irenopolis in Errata on p. 187);
Lindgren (1993): Lindgren III 773 (this coin illustrated & corrected on p. 43, also in Errata Supplement, p. ii);
Ziegler, R. (1993), Kaiser, Heer und Stadtisches Geld…: Ziegler 73.3 (this coin illustrated);
RPC II 1750, ex. 4 (this coin illustrated online, cited in print vol.);
RPC Supplement I (1998), p. 50 & RPC Consolidated Supplement I-III (2015), p. 180, 5456: “Delete…” (this coin referenced in detail).
Notes: One of my favorite “object biographies” for the repeated errors of attribution in this coin’s initial publications! A perfect illustration of how rapidly our knowledge of previously unknown types was moving in the 1980s & 1990s.
Cilicia, Hierapolis Castabala. Faustina II AE Triassarion (29mm, 10.11g), temp. M. Aurelius 161-180 CE. Bust, crescent / Helios, countermark.
(Photo credit: CNG.) Collection Hist.:
Hans von Aulock (1906-1980) Collection;
Edoardo Levante (1932-2007) Collection;
CNG EA 504 (17 Nov 2021), 204.
Selected Publications: RPC IV.3 4976 (Temp), ex. 6 (this coin illustrated);
SNG von Aulock 5572 (this coin illustrated);
SNG Levante 1586 (this coin illustrated);
Robert 27, pl. XXVI.77 (this coin illustrated), in: Robert (1964), La Déesse de Hiérapolis Castabala (Cilicie);
Howgego GIC 686 (this coin cited, Robert 77).
Et al. (full list saved in notes).
Notes: In addition to those listed above, this coin is commonly cited or illustrated as a reference coin after Levant, von Aulock, and Robert.
Cappadocia, Caesarea. Nero & Agrippina II AR Drachm (18mm, 3.68g, 12h), c. 55 CE. Countermark “KK” in rectangular incuse.
[this coin also shown on RIC page]
(Photo credit: CNG.) Collection & Selected Sale Hist.:
(prob.) 1906 Caesarea Hoard (Noe 1937: 179) [dispersed by Indjoudjian Frères, Paris & Istanbul];
Franz Trau Jr. (1881-1931) [Hess/Gilhofer & Ranschburg, (22 May 1935), 394];
Walter Niggeler (1878-1964) [Leu/Münzen & Medaillen AG, Slg. Niggeler, Part II (21 Oct 1966), 659];
Peter J. Merani (1936-2020) Collection [CNG Triton XXIV (19 Jan 2021), 139; video on YouTube];
Four additional sales not naming consignors.
Selected Publications: RPC I 3637, ex. 5 (this coin illustrated);
RPC Supplement II (2006) p.56 & Consolidated Supplement (2015), 3637.5 (this coin cited);
CNR 16, p. 136, no. 73 (this coin illustrated), in: A. Banti & L. Simonetti (1978), Corpus Nummorum Romanorum, Vol XVI: Da Messalina a Nerone.
Trau 394 (this coin) in: Attic Books (1976) reprint, Hess/Gilhofer & Ranschburg, Sammlung Franz Trau: Münzen der römischen Kaiser.
Howgego 850i (6th coin cited);
Wildwinds “digital plate coin,” Caesarea & Nero pp.
Cappadocia, Caesarea. Antoninus Pius AR Didrachm (20mm, 6.91g), 139 CE. Helios standing atop Mt. Argaeus, dated RY 2 (B).
(Photo credit: Naville [ed.].) Collection Hist.:
Rev. E. A. Sydenham (1873-1948) Collection [Hess (28 Apr 1936), 130 (illustrated on pl. 3 & descr. on p. 5 as Syd. 296 w/ identical weight)];
“Mentor” Collection (George Muller) [Naville 87 (11 Feb 2024), 527 (prior prov. absent)].
Selected Publications: RPC IV.4 (Temp) 6922, ex. 3 (this coin illustrated & cited in “Reference”);
Sydenham 296 (this coin cited & described), in: E.A. Sydenham (1933), The Coinage of Caesarea in Cappadocia (London: Spink & A.G. Malloy’s [1978] Attic Books edition).
Secondary Citations (not ill.): Metcalf 118b (this coin cited on p. 127, “Ref: S. 296”), in: Metcalf, William E. (1996), The Silver Coinage of Cappadocia, Vespasian-Commodus (NY: ANS);
SNG Righetti p. 120, No. 1772 (this coin cited as type ref.).
See also: This coin grouped in avg. weight calculations by Louis C. West (1941) in his Gold and Silver Coins Standards in the Roman Empire, pp. 1-199 in NNM 94. See pp. 97 & 22 (Table D).
Syria, Laodicea ad Mare. Elagabalus AE Assarion (17mm, 4.29g), 218-222 CE. Tyche in shrine.
(Photo credit: Künker/RPC.) Collection Hist.:
Salton Collection, w/ hand-written tag & envelope [Mark Salton (1914-2005, born Max Schlessinger) & Lottie Salton (1924-2020, née Aronson) ; Künker 378 (21 Oct 2022), 6739];
Salton-Schlessinger FLP 27 (Fall 1958), No. 133 (not illustrated).
Publication: RPC VI (Temp) 8177, ex. 23 (this coin as primary illustration).
Notes: The same Salton FPL (my copy is ex BCD Lib. Dupl.) also includes my Athens “New Style” Tetradrachm (ex Laval = Thompson 540d.3). More in Catalog Favorites.
MICHAEL MOLNAR’S “STAR OF BETHLEHEM” COIN [top]:
Syria, Antioch Æ22 (8.29g), Q. Caecilius Metellus Creticus Silanus, legatus. Dated year 44 of Actian Era (13/14 CE). Zeus/Ram leaping, star.
(Photo credit: CJJ.) Notes:
This coin has to be done differently because its publication history is so extensive. I suspect it is one of the most widely reproduced ancient coins in the world. (Precise quantification is impractical, but national newspapers [e.g., the New York Times] have printed millions of photos of its reverse. It has appeared in various documentaries & television programs totaling at least tens of millions of viewers over the past 20-25 years. And so on.)
The coin itself is common, but its previous collector (from 1970-2023), Michael Molnar, credited this specimen with inspiring his theory about the “the Star of Bethlehem,” which was/is extremely popular among large non-numismatic audiences (for religion, astronomy/popular science, ancient history). He always used this coin for narrative purposes, as did others when presenting his theory. Molnar was a very successful popularizer: he posted high-resolution photographs on his website & made them free-to-reproduce (many newspapers did so) and made frequent media appearances, always showing this coin. Finally, being part of a holiday story, this coin is perennially relevant and published again every December.
Ex Collection of Michael Molnar (1945-2023), purchased by him in 1970 at a NY coin while he was a doctoral student in astronomy at University of Wisconsin. I’ve tried to break publications down by type & present selected examples below to illustrate the range of this coin’s reception:
SELECTED TELEVISION DOCUMENTARIES:
History Channel (Dec 2021 & earlier airings), “In Search of Christmas,” Episode 1: “Evidence of Jesus Birth Revealed.” Starting at 50:45 (Michael Molnar…);
BBC (24 Dec 2008), Australian Broadcast Company (25 Dec 2010), Discovery-Science (various), “Star of Bethlehem: Behind the Myth,” Dir. by Tim Walker. Illustrated at 0:46 in promotional trailer;
CNN Presents: The Mystery of Jesus (22 Feb 2004, 10 & 11 Apr 2004, 25 Dec 2010, 25 Dec 2013, etc.), this coin illustrated & narrated by Liam Neeson (!).
SELECTED BOOKS & MOLNAR WEBISTE:
1999 (and multiple later editions & translations): Molnar. The Star of Bethlehem: The Legacy of the Magi. Rutgers University Press.
2015 (contribution to edited volume on his theory): Molnar. “The Historical Basis for the Star of Bethlehem,” pp. 17-42, in Peter Barthel & George van Kooten (eds.), The Star of Bethlehem and the Magi: Interdisciplinary Perspectives from Experts on the Ancient Near East, the Greco-Roman World, and Modern Astronomy. Leiden: Brill.
2021: Hutchinson, D. The Lion Led the Way (4th ed.). St Paul-Trois-Chateaux, France: Signes Célestes
n.d. (website): “Revealing the Star of Bethlehem” (website created 1997, Archived 1999-).
SELECTED ARTICLES BY MOLNAR:
1991 (Dec): The Celator v. 5, n. 12; 1992 (Jan): Sky & Telescope (magazine) v. 38; 1995: Quarterly Journal of the Royal Astronomical Soc., v. 36: pp. 109-126; 1998 (Dec): The Ancient World v. 29, n. 2; 2002 (Dec): The Numismatist v. 115, n. 12; 2009 (Winter): Glimpse v. 2, n.4.
SELECTED ARTICLES, NOT BY MOLNAR (among countless others):
New York Times (21 Dec 1999), “Coin May Link Star of Bethlehem to King of Planets”; Christianity Today (22 Dec 2014), “O Subtle Star of Bethlehem”; Arizona Republic (23 Dec 1999), “Jupiter Tagged as Star of Bethlehem”; Milwaukee Journal Sentinel (1 Jan 2016) “Astronomer from UW thinks his Star of Bethlehem theory is gold”; Wisconsin Life Magazine (6 Jan 2017), “The Astronomy Behind The Fabled Star Of Bethlehem”; Coin World (20 Dec 1993), “Astronomer Claims Roman Coin Depicts Star of Bethlehem” [v. 34, n. 1758, “cover coin”]; Calcoin News (Winter 1996), “Coins and Stars”.
Change Log (return to top): 22 Mar 2024 (created, w/ 11 coins) ; 27-29 Mar 2024 (up to 14 coins).