Ancient Coin Specialist
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.' Numismatic Art of Antiquity VO/4. No, 8 AUGUST 1990 $2,00 Timeless tradition Origin of piggy bank traced to life style of Romans by Marvin Tameanko vernacular we might say - ownership of Of all the Roman inventions which a pig was like having "money in the are still in use today. the most mundane banJc" , but numismatic ally interesting is the Roman savings banks were very common "piggy" bank. The earliest common and examples are lrnown from known example of a piggy bank was as early as Republican times. These found in 1908 during the excavations of banks were usually made of a ceramic Pompeii. the Roman city buried by the material in the form of urns, temples volcano of Vesuvius in A.D. 79. This and dome shaped beehives. Urns were savings bank. was found hidden in the used by Romans for storing valuables garden wall of a large house. It was and for receptacles for donative offerings made of terracotta in the form of an to the gods. The temples. being sacred elaborately ornamented, decorative chest buildings. served as the banks in ancient It was obviously meant to be a times and Romans deposited large sums miniature imitation of the strong boxes of money to temple ueasuries for usually located in the atrium of the safekeeping. Honey was the commonly Roman home which contained the used sweetener in ancient times and the family's funds and valuables. Incised on bee was known as an industrious saver The "Piggy Bank" found at Porrpeii in 1908, the lid of the bank was a drawing of a of honey. For these reasons. the now in the Yale Unwersity All Gallery, Drawn from a photograph, Jarge pig and the word "FELIX". Felix Romans usually adopted the forms of is the beautiful Latin word for urns, temples and beehives for savings happiness. The Romans of the fint banks. The savings bank found at century AD. probably considered a man Pompeii is the fim example found who owned a pig to be very happy which features a pig in its design. techniques were unscientific in 1908. emperors Augustus, Claudius, Galba, because the pig would assure him and The bank is about 4 inches long by the excavators crudely broke through the Vespasian and Titus as Caesar. his family of food for many months. 2 inches wide and 2 112 inches high. It top around the slot to remove the coins. To express this thought in the modem contained 10 -asses and as archaeological The ten asses were struck under the Please tum to page XXlIIl Classical images Turkoman die-engraver borrowed Hellenistic motif by Wayue G. Sayles pictorial series which was mostly Leo. This theme, usually represented coins depict riden on lions, but this one Of the bronze coins struck by zodiacal in nature. Included in this by Man riding on the back of a lion, is is c~y different Artuqid princes in the 13th century, one series were representations of a number not uncommon in zodiacal references in particular stands out as clearly of the known planeu as well as at least dating back to much earlier times. On the earliest of these Tur:k:oman representative of an ancient motif. two constellations. It has been There are some pecul1arities of the "Iion·riders", struck under the Nasir al·Din Artuq Arslan, who ruled at commonly accepted that one of those representation found on Nasir al-Din's Danishrnendid king Imad al-Din Dhu1· Mardin from AD 1201 • 1239 (AH 597- representations depicted the planet Mars coin that have caused this issue to be Nun b. Muhammad (AD 1142-1175), 637), was responsible for the issue of a in conjunction with the constellation referred to by earlier numismatists as a the rider bears a dagger in his upraised man riding a buffalo or a ram, as well as right hand. Later examples generally a lion. The animal is clearly a feline, portray the rider with either a dagger or a but it does not bear the typical attributes sword - typical attributes of Mars. The Miscellanea .. .. .. .. of a lion. The shape of the head is at rider in this Artuqid motif, quite unlike least not typical of a male lion. Mars, holds a cup or bowl in his right • Sadigh expansion continues Furthermore, a well struck example of hand and a shaft. the top end of which Mehrdad Sadigh recently announced a significant expansion of Sadigh the coin shows the beast to be covered disappears off the flan. in his left He Gallery in Manhattan. The gallery of ancient an and artifacts, located at 303 with circular markings or spots. It is appears to be seated side-saddle. as the Firth Ave., specializes in monumental as well as minoc antiquities. The beyond doubt the representation of a shoulders and chest are facing directly expansion has added 1,000 square feet to the finn's 16th floor showroom by leopard. Why should the die engraver toward the viewer. The legs are covered physically combining rooms 1602 and 1603. have gone to such extremes unless it by a long robe. Dots, representing The expansion was needed. according to Sadigh, to provide adequate was, in fact, important that the display space for the fInn's increasing inventory of larger Egyptian and distinction be made? Other Turkoman Please tum to page XXII classical items. For an appointment to visit Sadigh Gallery call Mehrdad Sadigh or Pat Rem1er at (800) 426-2007 or (212) 125-7537, • Seaby celebrates gallery opening INSIDE B.A. Seaby, London numismatic and antiquities publishers and dealen, 0... "' ..;r held a reception to mark the opening of their new Antiquities Gallery. Open THE CELATOR: 0.-, 0" house was held on Tuesday: July 10. Chairman Jerome M. Eisenberg and . 0 Directors of B.A. Seaby were pleased to invite Seaby customers to view the :Em"0_ -~m new antiquities gallery. The gallery is located at the fIrm's offICeS at 7 Davies en - S..... London, WI. telephone 071-495 2590. FAX 071-491 1595, Point of View II ",-0 en"'~ Book News 1111 en'" • Celotor changes to magazine format People VI en Beginning with the September issue, TM Cekuor will change to a Market signalu.re, magazine style format. Publisher Wayne Sayles commented that XII "We have come as far as the tabloid newspaper format will allow, and any Calendar · XXI improvement in quality mandates a change in format We view this change Coin File XVIII H. Il as a major milestone in the evolution of TM CelaJor and see it as a distinct Trivia XVIII 8:. impovement both for the reader and the advertiser." Readers who have seen Prof. Directory XXVIII . 1 Tite Best of TIle CeialOT "88" or "89" will immediaIely m:ognize the new -= Classlfieds !!i. format. Deadlines, features, subscription cost, frequency and distribution will XXX remain unchanged ii. ', . , '. .. .... .II August 1990 Letters to the Editor Dear Editor: PROBABLY WON'T BE AMONG ••• OUR CLIENTELE". As a collector of I've been an avid reader of The the coinage of Roman Egypt, I quickly Commentary by Wayne G, Sayles Celator since its inception and would realized that I was destined not to be like to suggest an improvement to your among Dr. Saslow's clientele. As a fine publication. Shorten it by one person who loves the provincial coins he next time you read this courtesy and privilege given any other page. column it will look considerably advertiser. he collects, I have always resented the tone of this ad, which implies that T different Starting with the Sep . We deeply regret the fact that some Patric/c Cecere collectors of the above coin types are tember issue. we will be presenting The of our readers have from time to time California . Celator in a signature format For those felt insulted by comments published in somehow deficient, not worthy of Dr. of you who are not familiar with the the "Back Page\ and can only Saslow's time. My guess is that buyers term, that essentially means magazine recommend that those parties deal with ••••• of the above coin types are usually style format We have always felt that individuals or firms more closely collectors and not the investors that Dr. quality production was an important aligned with, and supportive of. their Saslow would rather work with. Will ingredient in our special "mix" and have own personal preferences. TM CelatOT • I would like to comment on "A NAB tum into an investor oriented done everything possible to set and as a matter of policy, does not in any coin's point of view' (July, 1990). I show like the U.S. shows have? maintain a high standard. After nearly way endorse the claims or opinions of enjoyed Bob Levy's piece immensely. Luckily there are many other dealers four years of working with the tabloid any of its advertisers. contributing The anthropomorphic perspective he who will take the time to work with newspaper format, we feel we have authors, or responding readers beyond chose to use was both informative and collectors of provincial coinage etc. Now if we can just find someone to reached a point where future improve assuring the conditions of advertising as entertaining. From the outset, this coin carry on the concept of the Classical ment dictates a change in approach. published took on an attractiveness I ordinarily Numismatic Bourse. OUT readers who have ordered the As editor of TIu! Celator, I have associate with teddy bears. As I read "Best of The Celator - 1988" and "89" often stated my own opinions about about the adventures of O.