From our Collection of Classical Marbles
RomalJ morble hllsl o/a b('(jfdcd imd/ertunl Gsa Greek ROII/mill/orbie life-size bus/ oj M ClUmder, AlilclliolJ IJOCI, philosopher. SecQnd half of 211d CC III"'y A .I>. k (l(lillS writer of Ihe Nf'>V COIIII'f/Y (CII. 342-293 B.c. ).
22- //2~ (57.1 CIII.) Earl)· lSI Cemllry /1.0. 15 H (38./ cm.)
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We f<;:l lurc over 3500 works o f ,In ranging from $100 to $1 .000,000 ON 1': TlIOUSA ND YEARS OF GREE K VASES (1990), all d more, wk ing great pride in ollr ex pertise, connoisseurs hip, :md 52.pp ...... $ 4.00 compelitive pricing. all in:l11 open and friendly mmosphere. GODS & MORTALS: An cicnl Bronzes (1989), 52 pp ...... $ 4.00 Sl'n e! fur !ILl I" NEW FREE full-colo!' J 2-p;lgc hr oeh llrt,! THE AGE OF CLEOPATRA (1988),32 PI' ...... 5 2.00 The following full -color publications arc aJ!;() availahle: ART OP THE AN CIENT WO I ~I . ]) (1 9R5). 208 pp ...... 515.00
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Vol. 6, No. 5 FEATURES May 1992
6 Consecration issues commemorated the 'Ifie CeCator deification of the Roman emperor by James Meyer Publisher/Editor Wayne G. Sayles 22 Depictions of the lyre and kithera indicate Office Manager the importance of music in ancient Greece Janet Sayles by Mark Rakicic Associate Editor Page 6 Steven Sayles Consecratio coinage 30 Markings indicate the denominations of ancient Rome RCC Liaison of Byzantine minor coins James L. Meyer by James Meyer by Stewart J. Westdal Production Asst. Chris Lane 36 Two methods Dislribution Asst. Cataloging an ancient coin collection C hristine Olson by Warren w. Estyand Marvin Tameanko Rochelle Olson Art 42 Who 's on First? Hypothetical history: Parnell Nelson Scrabble of the ancient world The Celalor by Tertius Chandler (ISSN 1110480986) is an independent journal published on the first day of each month at DEPARTMENTS 226 Palmer Parkway, Page 22 Lodi, WI. II is circulated The lyre and kithera on coins internationally through The Celator's Point of View subscriptions and by Mark Rakicic 2 special distributions. Subscription rates. 4 Letters to the Editor payable in U.S. funds. are $24 per year (second class) within 26 People in the News - Profiles in Numismatics the United States; $30 to Canada: $48 27 Art and the Market - Quotes from the Past per year to all other addresses (Air Printed Marter). Advertising and 28 Coming Events copy deadline is the second Friday of each 33 Book News month. Unsolicited articles and news releases are welcome, however 34 Antiquities by David Liebert publication cannot be guaranteed. Second Page 30 41 Just for Beginners by Wayne G. Sayles class postage paid Byzantine minor (USPS #006077) at lodi, WI 53555. coin denominations 44 Coins of the Bible by David Hendin Copyright @t992, by Stewart J . Westdal Clio's Cabinet. Postmaster; send address 45 Coin File - Trivia - Humor changes to P.O. 60)( t23. Lodi. WI 53555 Aboullhe cover: 46 Reference Reviews by Dennis Kroh Reverse of an AE-Sestertius, 608-592-4684 commemorating Divus Anton 48 Professional Directory in us Pius. Struck under Marcus (same fOf FAX, after hours Aurelius (A.D. 161-180). activate with asterisk on 56 Index of Advertisers - Classifieds touch tone phone)
Deadline for the June issue is Friday, May 8 usually starts with a feeling, not wilh a discovery. The reason Ihat expertise can be acquired in this area is that there arc so many coins of absolute authentic ity passing through the coin market each • • year that one who spends a lifetime working in this field cannot help but Commentary by Wayne G. Sayles develop an insti nct aboulthesecoins. It is probably not far afield from Pavlov's dogs (no offense 10 coin dealers) that conditioned response manifests itself in he International Bureau for the cas on the prototype coins are usually the unconscious reaction of an "expert". Suppression of Counterfeit repaired or masked with the addition of This suggestion may be hard to accept T Coins, based in Zurich, Swit some detail; fields on gold coins kad 10 for those who have scientific and ana zerland, has released Bulletill on COUIl be perfectly flat, like "'melted choco lytical minds, but I assure you it has lerjeils Vol. 17, No.1 for 1992. In the late"; pal1ern of wear docs not make merit. current release, the agency unmasks the sense, e.g. sharp detail on high points So, if these "experts" are so instinc activities of two clever and extremely but wear on lower parts of the relief. tive, how did they miss the BMF forger competent forgers who had deceived Although 30 specimens were listed ies for so long? Well, another feature of much of the numismatic fT
'Jhe Cdato, ii named fa, and dediaahd to the,aoin die-w;pacTeH of antiquity I
W/'IOi£ a,t "main; Qi pownfut and appw{infJ today Qi in thei, own tim;:'
2 The Gelator Some Impressive Results frOlTl our Auction for the N ew York International
Civil w.m;. Gold Allll;'llS Ntllllcri:l1l. Gold Atm.'us Sold for $25.300 Sold forS33 .1 )()( ~
M 3b>11 i3 Urbic3, Gold Aurt'liS M:lxirni:lllllS. Gold Aurcm Sold for $30.800 Sold for$lo,50(~
\Ve are now accepting consignmcms for our Spring 1992 auctions.
For further details contact James Lamb or Christine Deusscn a l Christie's, 502 Park Avenue, New York, NY 10022, Tel.: 212/546·1056.
For caralogue subscriptions C.1t1 Christie's Publications at 718/ 784.1480.
May 1992 3 If that citizen was a financial success, expression of Roman creatilfity until they he/she: lived in a house with running discovered it was an inferior copy of Ihe water, central heating, and window Gr6ek original. In matters of history and panes of glass; traveled with reasonable human natu(s we should keepan open mind.) speed and comfort over a road system that reached all parts of the empire; used fore ign products such as Chinese Open minded look silks, Indian pepper, African ivory, Arabian and Persian spices - all being In the April issue of The Celator you commonplace and transported in cargo mentioned that a reader said that the magazine was "anti-Christian". This ships that were larger than any the world was to see again until the time of Queen belief is perhaps understandable Elizabeth I of England; paid no restrictive considering that in sheer numbers there Food for thought is an emphasis on ·pagan~ articles. tariffs - glassware of Syria, Egypt and After reading Mr. Charles Robinson's later Cologne, wines of Italy and France, However, this is not inconsistent with Aoman and ancient coinage types, which article on the psychological profile of woolens of Spain, tableware of France, Roman culture in the April issue of The paper of Egypt were all distributed in are overwhelmingly dealing with pagan Gelator, it occurred to me that many of large volumes over large areas of trade; themes. Evenwhenthe empire became his observations about ~civiljzed used a universal monetary system; paid Christian and on into the Middle Ages, there were much fewer "Christian" savages~ can be easily applied to comparative taxes with all laws being countless other ancien! - and modern reasonable and generally well themes to write about. For instance, - cultures. Even ours! administered." there were hundreds of gods, goddesses, and fables in the ancient It remains that in the troubled history Life was different, of course, for the of Europe the Roman Empire seems an individuals and families who were slaves world, each providing interesting era of comparative order, peace and or were not financially successful. We explanations of their origins. However, legality. The final collapse of Aoman should not rush to jUdgement, however. during certain periods of the Middle rule was followed by a period of violence "Civilized savages" exist today as they Ages, the major and sometimes only Christian coin design was a cross, and chaos that is difficult to match in did yesterday - and as they probably Another misconception is that if human history. II has been argued will tomorrow, Even in America, persuasively by individuals such as John Psychological profiles such as that someone writes about a pagan theme in G. Jackson that Europe might still be in featured in The Celator are interesting an open minded (perhaps a bit positive) mental darkness were it not for the but often raise more questions than way, this is pro-pagan and thus anti periodic injections of Arabic brilliance. answers. Perhaps that is what makes it Christian. But, this is not true. To be Europe, he suggests, was saved from aU interesting reading. objective in any article the main its abysmal dark ages not through a requirements for all writers must be truth, open minded ness, and most important Greco-Roman "Renaissance" but by the Arthur E. Noor the author should harbor no biases pro entrance of Moors into Spain, and the Minnesota influence of Moorish civilization in the or against. However. just because an Mediterranean and Southern Europe, A article is not anti-pagan, does not make gentleman by the name of Joseph it pro-pagan or anti-Christian for that McCabe wrote at one time that: matter. This would be like considering , .. no article which displays such a an author who wrote about the many "None of our modern sophistry redeems the total lack of understanding of the facts, bridges and dams Stalin built as pro squalor of Europo from the 5th to the 11th processes and subtleties of cultural and Communist. century. And it was . .. the dark skinned men historical development should ever have Finally, stUdying pagan religions can of the south who restored civilization. By the been allowed to appear in print. It be considered as complementing year 1000, Europewasreducedtoa condition frightens me to think that anyone might Christianity, not as opposed to it. ... ws should frankly call barbarism, yet at read that article and come away feeling Understanding the pagans can help to that same time, th6 Arabs had a splendid that he or she now understood the understand the origins of early civilization in Spain, Sicily, Syria, Egypt and essence of Roman civilization. Persia, and it linked on to those of India and Christianity, as well as the reasons China. We write manuals of the his/ory of Christianity developed as it did. On the Europe, orof/he Middle Ages, and we confine Name Withheld coins it can explain why Victory, for ourselves /0 a small squalid area. and Connecticut instance, remained on the coinage ignore the brilliant cilfilization that ran from designs into the Christian era. Another Portugal to th6 China Sea. (A psychological profils is certainly not a example might include other people's statemont of fact, and porhaps not (wen a beliefs in a flood story, A Christian may It is difficult to define or to accurately position upon which the proponent might dismiss it. But, I prefer to think it just characterize the development, rise and find a concensus. We offer articles of this adds credence to the Bible story of collapse of any cul ture. We do have a type in the hops that they will serve as a Noah. In otherwords,! don't think other ca/alyst for thought and deba/e. This one rough sense of what existed in Europe, people's beliefs are necessarily anti did its job. If we printer! only articles that ws the Middle East, and North Africa before psrsonal/y agresd with - what a r!ull Christian at all. and during the Aoman Empire - and publication The Celator would be! Since we Any in-depth and open minded look what happened after the empire no are not a "scholarly' journal in the acar!emic at ancient coins must include a healthy longer existed. We have a similar rough sense. we can and do take lib6rTies that other amount and variety of views on all idea of events elsewhere in the world. journals might alfoid. Presenting alternatilfe aspects of the hobby, and this includes I've mislaid the author of the views will only misinform the benigh/ed pagan themes. The worst that can lollowing, but have always been reader - of which we halfe very few. Man's happen is that the writer is wrong. But, impressed by his/her affirmative Ifiew of the past changas dramatically olfor even if wrong, everyone benefits in the timo. For example, scholars traditionally statement that ", .. We do know that in thoughtoflhe Minoan cilfilization as peaceful subsequent articles and discussion on the Second century, the Roman citiZen and sedate; now we realize that they ol/ered the subject in later issues of The Celator. was part of a State that extended from (and perhaps ate) human sacrifices. Art Scotland to the Sahara and from the Historians thought Ihs sculpture known as G. Derk Dodson Atlantic Ocean to the Euphrates River. Apollo Bellfedere was an extraordinary Virginia
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~------l ! NU~ P.fa. ~ts I Whether you are a novice col lector or a seasoned numisma 1 1 Want List Coupon tist, NFA would like to assist 1 N""" ______you in the development of your 1 1 ,. I If DOC, are you Interested ill subscriber lnformlloo? 0 Yes 0 No 1 I Otbcr COmmcDls: ______1------1------1 I lOlOOSRntRMrmiUlBoukvIl,.d.,6tbFlDor I ~s Angeks, CA..5.310) 278·1535!....'" (310) 785-0457J May 1992 5 Consecration issues commemorated the deification of the Roman emperor by jallles Meyer INTR ODUCTION lenge rational thought. The more en For the majority of the populati on, In many cultures it is common for lightened preferred to regard the whole however, the interpretation was more some rulers, politicians, or generals to affair as a symbolic reward, rather than literal. Reflections of popular fee li ngs ach ieve (before or after their deaths) the an actual metamorphosis. Aflcr (l long are echoed in the works of poets such as status of folk heroes. In some cases Ihe discourse on the inherent irrationality of Horace and Ovid. Apart from a tradi process is encou ra ged (and ex ploited) mythology, Pliny the Elder sums up his tion of ancestor worship, Augustus' task by governments, but it may also occur views on deification: of developing credibility was assisted spontaneously. In antiquity, as well as by mythological precedents, where mete today, the outward signs of personality ~ ... for a morral to help another, mortals or demi-gods had become gods. culls (monuments, StntuCS, coins, and thar is god; and it is the palh 10 pn im ings) are more prominent in total i elernal glory. By this road weill MYTH OLOGICAL PR ECEDENTS larian societies. Rome was no excep our Roman rulers; by this path goes Greek Myths tion . The most numerous and grandiose IIOW our greatest ruler. .. the The Greek myths of Hercules, which relics of Ihis type were built during Ihe august Vespasiall alld his children describe his labors and suffering in the Empire, in hOllor of the emperor and his are bringi"g help to an exhausted service of mankind, form a sort of mo fa mily. world. To enroll Sti ch mell among rality play in which good is ultimately In spile orlhe high visibility of Im the gods is the most ancient method rewarded. When Hercules is on his pcriflJ personality cults, Ihe concepts ofrepaying themfor their benefac funera l pyre, being burnt alive, the gods which promoted them can be traced tions . .. "4 finally bless him wi th eternal life. The bnck \0 Republican, .md even prehi !> human part of his soul, like other mor torie time!>. The Romans were predi!> tals, must descend into the underworld, posed to such cults through their tradi but the divine port ion is allowed to as tion of ancestor worship. Through in cend into heaven (Olympus). Hercules scriptions, coinage, and nncient lit is now two persons, one in heaven ermurc, it appears thn! ancestor and one in hell. This dual ily is also worship reached an apogee dur found in the Roman concept of ing the Republic. The benefits consecnHion. in prestige cenainly encour aged wealthy and powerful Roman Myths f:uni lies to hOll or their illus Long before personal triousancestors, but evcll in political gain can be as poor families the dcparted cribed as the motive, an c011l inued to exert a con cient heroes such as tinuing (if shadowy) influ Aeneas5 and Romulus6 ence on the survi ving mem were being described as bers of the family. This demi-mortals 7 transrormed belief is il lustrated by the into gods. In his historical Lemuria festival I and other works, Ennius (239- 169 funemry customs.2 B.C.) tells us that: 'Llking advantage of this tradition, the first e mperor of "RolI/u /us lives in the sky Rome (Augustus) took the process with the gods that engell one step f urt her by having his adopted dered him . .. ~8 father (Julius Caes.1f) declared a god. This, of course, made Augustus the son In A.D. 8, Ovid composed a long of a god. Curiously enough, Augusllls poem to the glory of Romulus and hi s also made preparat ions for his own con Figure 1 wife (Metamorphoses, Book XIV), in secration.3 These ceremonies, in turn. SesterUus minted for Marcus which the poet consciously presents a became the blueprint for successive Aurelius, shortly after his death in story in line with Augustus' propaganda: etn perors for the next three hundred A.D. 180. This obverse shows an yea rs (see Figure I). From the amount unadorned bust and the legend ~ ... Alld Mars spoke in these terms of publicity given to these deifications, DIVVS M ANTONINVS PIVS. The title 10 the father a/the gods (Jupiter): it is clear that they were meant to be DlVVS indicates that Marcus 'The time has come . . . to give the taken seriously, at least by the masses. Aurelius has been declared a god. re ward promised to me and your The authori ty of a body of men (osten The emperor no longer bears a gralldsoll (Romulus) ' . . . With a sibly the Senate) to elevate a deceased crown, as his divine status places 1I0d, the all-powerful god COllsellts; person to godhood did, however, chal- him above mortal trappings. he darke/IS the sky, and by lightnillg 6 The Gelator and lhunder throws lerror illlo lhe TRADITIONAL world. Mars undersrands by Ihese STATE FUNERALS siglls the rarificalion oflhe promise As the ceremoni es em ... fie climbs ill his chariot ... ar the ployed in consecration rites lOp oflhe wooded hill oflhe Pala arc in pan derived fTomlra lille he takes Romulus. His lII ortal dit ional funerary practices body, as it flows through Ille sJ.;y of the Republ ic, it is rel (like a balf 0/ lead shol from a evant to review Illese here. slillg), is dissolved. In its place, a Powerful families ty pically shape ofullcommon beauty is sub· turned their fun eral s into a stituted, more ill lille willz Ihe gods public affair. A fun eral seated all highcushiolls, theolle we speech, delivered from the kl/Ow as Quirillus (see Figure 2). rostrum (sec Figure 3), eu logized the civic and mili ta ry accompl ishments of t he deceased, to emphasize the services rendered by th e family to the state. Oft en, a pair of gladi<1tors provided the blood sports required to Figure 3 appease the departed. On Hadrian stands on a rostra in the Forum. the way to the pyre o r tomb, a group of pro fes- sional actors, mu sicians, and hired THE FIR ST APOTHEOSIS mourners accompanied th e family OF A HI STORICAL FIGURE and the deceased. The actors wore Historical Background wax masks of the more illustrious As a general and statesman, Julius ancestors, including the dead person Caesa r W<1S already recognized by his himself. The actors would mimic contemporaries <1S <1n outstanding suc Figure 2 these <1nc estors, repeut ing famous cess. [n order to further increase his Quirinus as seen on words or ta les about th e persons they prestige, Caesar rou ti nely claimed di a denarius of 57 B.C. represented. vine assistance. E<1rlier politicians, such His wife, thillking himlosl, wepl for him, bur JUliO, qlleell of the gods, Ihell orders Iris9 to descend 10 Miinzen und Medaillen AG Hersilia all a rainbow.. alld wilhoUl delay (Ihey) go to the Pala 1942-1992 lille hill. There, a star fallen/rom For SO years we have been serving he(l vell h(ls landed; her hair shill ing like fire, Hersilia climbs illto collectors of Ancient Coin s. .. th e heavens with tile star . .. the alld we wO ll/dlike to serve you too! fOlillder of Rome greets her, and at the same time trails/arms boll, her bolly alld her lIome. He calls her Hom, which is today IIze goddess we associate with Quirillus. ~ Lm er aUlhors, such a~ Livy (59 B.c. - A.D. 17) and Plu tarch (A .D . 46- 126), . Monthly Illustrated Fixed Price Lists· provide thesubstanceofthc above myth, . Public Sales· Appraisals· Buying and Selling but <1150 <1 more cynical parallel story: Romulus was in reality murdered by the • Large Stock in All P"ice Ranges· Senmors, and his body discretely di~ posed of. The deification story is an Please send us your want list. We willfill it! inventi on to cal m the mood of the people and theamy. Livy adds that: "as Great Please contact: as he was, Romulus was more loved by the people than by the Senate, and loved Miinzen und Medaillen AG by the army best of all." As we shall see later, thiS descripti on fits Julius Caesar P.O. Box 3647 . Malzgasse 25 exactl y, and contemporaries of Li vy CH - 4002, Basel, Switzedand probably sa w the cynical version of the Romulus myth as a veil ed reference 10 Tel. (06J) 272 75 44 Fax. (06J) 272 75 14 the deceased di ctator. May 1992 7 as Sulla, Marius, and Pompei us, had 15th, 44 B.C., Ihe conspirators lost lhe also erected a gildetl shrine on the employed this tact ic to good advantage, init iative 10 the ringleaders of the rostra, resemblillg the temple 0/ but the Julian clan, likea few other bold Caesarian pany, and Ihe Senate was Venus Genetrix. J3 In it they set an families, went furthe r: Caesar, his fa coerced into permining Caesar a state ivory couch, spread with purple alld ther, and his grandfather all claimed funeral. gold cloth, alldfrom a pillar at its descent from the goddess Venus. Thus, head hung the gown in which Ca e even before his assassination, Caesar The Forum Incident sar had been murdered. Since a was already marked as a man above Among the surviving leaders of the procession of mourners laying fu ot hermell, with incredi ble good fo n une Caesmian party. there was a consider neral gifts would have taken I/Iore to back up his claims. In the year prior able struggle to secure absolute control. thall a day to pass by the corpse, 10 hi s death, Caesar was receiving hon The first leader to make political gnin everyone was invited to come by ors which transgressed Roman rules of from the deceased dict:lIor was Mark whatever way he pleased, regard propriety. Some ancicTlt historianseven Antony. In a carefully staged event, less 0/ precedence14 . Carried suggest that the more outrageous hon Mark Antony was able to whip up emo away by all easy transition to ex ors were in fa ct pushed through the lion and tum the plebs ngainst the con treme emOlio ll, Antony ullcovered Senate by his enemies. Appianus tells spirators. The sequence of events has Ca esar's body, lifted his robe on the us: "Caesar was proclaimed the fatheT been related by many ancient authors, poilll ofa spear, alld shook it in the of his country, chosen dictator for life. each supplying different (sometimes air to show the dagger's holes and .. his person was declared inv iolate. gruesome) detnil s. A con flat ion of these stains 0/ blood. Then the people, many temples were dedicated to him as writings captures the mood in the Fo like a chorus ill a play, mou m ed 10 a god ." (Civil Wars, Book II, rum: with him ill/he lIIost sad way. IS .. Chapler XV I). Finally, there were some Em otions of pity anti indignation indicmions Ihat Caesar wished to be ... Whell the funeral arrallgemelllS were roused bya finefrom a play of king of Rome, a posi tion held in tradi had been annoullced, his friends Pacuvius (Contest for Achilles' liona! hatred since the expulsion of the raised a pyre on the Campus orllls)16 . .. from the midst of the last king of Rome some 450 years car Martills, near hisdallghter 's tombl D lamelltation, Caesar himself was li er. The mounting fear of a permnn cnt . WiIel! Piso brought Ca esar's supposed to speak . 'Why tlid , return to absolutism prompted a Call body into the Forum, a coun/less save these mellthat they might mur spir:lcy among some of Caesar's lIIulTiTude rail together ill arms to der me?' .. . the people could en ·'friends". These included pardoned guard iT11 ... Allfony exposed the dure il I/O longer ... While they were enemies and his adopted son Brulus. A body, all coveretl wiTh blood and in Ihis mood, and were ready to do few daysafterCacsar's tnurderoll March gaping \l'D/lIIds l2 .. his friends violence, somebody raised above the bier a wax image a/Caesar . t/l e image was turned around and around by some mechanical device, thus showing the twe nty Thr ee wounds ill all parts ofthe body alUi Ihe face . . , Ihe people could 110 SPI NK. THE OLDEST longer bear the pitijul sight . .. mustering Iheircourage they burned ESTAULISH ED COIN down Pompey's Curia (the buildillg in which Caesar had been s[aill) BUSINESS IN THE and raIl over the city looking/or the murderers}7 ... A dispute arose as WORLD. to whether Ihe body should be burlll in the temple of Capitoline Jupiter or in Pompey's Curia 18 . . . Being Coins from ancient to modern bought and sold · Free ve rbal va luations prevented by fhe priests, they placed Expert impartial advice given ' Coins bo ught outright, or sold on com mis.~ion Regular auctions held - please send ror our current list · Publishers and stockists of the body again ill the Forum, where numismatic books ' PublishcrsofThe Numismat ic Circular since 1892 . Advice and stands Th e a IIC ie I!f po lace 0/1 he kings purchase al auclion sales on collectors' behalf - allmajors(liesatlcndcd. (Ihe Regia). TheycolleCledtogether For fl/rtller hI/ormation all allciell/ coills CO II/uct wood and benches . .. lor a funeral 101m Pell. pyre, Ihrowing ill costlyotlornments QuoteThe Cclator for a free edition of T he NUmlslll:ltic of the procession. Some of them Circular, our fixed price list of coins of all the sericsand a threw in Iheiroll'n crowns anti mOllY forum for numisma tic dcb(ltc. Subscription $45 (10 issues). military gijts. Theil they set fire to i1 19 ... Many WOllle ll ill th e audi ence sacrificed Iheir jewelry 20 .. Afler this, Iheyset up an allar on the sight oflhe pyre . .. alld undertook 10 sacrifice upon it and 10 offer vic tims to Caesar, as to a god.21 The Comet Incident S PI~K 8;. SOlOI.lD. 5. Ii 8;. J KI NG STII.F.£T 'iT JAMES·S. !.ONI)QS $WIY 60S TEL 07J.9Xl 7s&!. MX: OJI ·8J9 .Ill53. TELEX: 916711. The passions released by this care- u.e!»b ....,,""~ JO 8 The Cefator • If you're buying Ancient, Medieval or Worfd coins you should be subscribing to our mail bid and public auction catalogs • If you're selling all or part of your collection you should seriously consider consigning to our well publicized sales At Ponterio & Associates your coins are a/ways in good hands For information write or telephone: PONTERIO & ASSOCIATES, INC. 1818 ROBINSON AVENUE SAN DIEGO, CA 92103 800-854-2888 or 619-299-0400 Licensed Auction Company #968 Richard H. Ponterio - President L M #11 63 May 1992 9 Figure 4 Remains of the temple of Venus Gene/fix. Julius Caesar had vo wed to build the temple during the battle at Pharsalus. In 46 8 . C., the still unfinished temple was dedicated. It had almost been completed at Caesar's death. 22 Photo published with the kind permission of the Soprintendenza Afcheologica di Roma. allowcd todicdown. There was another Rome too late to participatc in the had been planned to commemorate the contender who also claimcd (Q rcpre dictator's funcral, but this did not SlOp evcnt. However, as no onc was willing sent the illlcrests of Caesar's party - him from staging evcnts of his own. 10 take the initiative, Octavian conducted young Octavian. Octavian had posthu During or soon after the Parilia festival (and paid for) the festival himself. Dur mously becn adoptcd by Caesar (in his (21 April 44 B.c.), the temple of VeJlUS ing thcgames, which werc being held in will) and made the hcir to his namc and GenclTix was finally completcd (scc the Circus, a comet appearcd in the property.22 Octavian had arrived in Figure4). Before Caesar'sdeath,gamcs north, towards the evening, for several days running. 23 This coincidence had a considerable effect on the population, which Octavian was quick to exploit (see Figure 5). Without formally de claring that the comct was related 10 Caesar·s death, he mere! y set up a bronze statue of Julius Caesar, crowned with a star, in front of the temple of Venus Genetrix. Octavian's noncommittal comment on the event has been pre served by Pliny: "On (he very same days of my games, a comet lVas visible in {he /Jor/hem region ofthe skyfor seven Figure 5 days. It rose abou{ O/Je hour before Denarius of Augustus (Octavianj, minted ca. 19-18 B.C. in Spain, RIC n37a. sunse(; it lVas a bright star, COl/ Obverse: laureate bust of Octa vian to (.,; legend: CAESAR AVGVSTVS. spicuous all over Earth. The com Reverse: flaming comet; legend: DfVVS IVLfVS. mOil folk believed that it signified that {he soul of Caesar lVas re- 10 The Celator Figure 6 Remains of the temple of the divine Julius Caesar in the Forum. It was erected on the site of the funeral pyre. Published with the kind permission of the Soprintendenza Arche%gica di Roma. ceived 10110 Ihe spirits 0/ the im dating from 42 B.C., helped to pave the gods.25 Around 40 S.C., Oct avian morlal gods, and/or Ihat reasoll a way to de ifica tion: no one was al lowed started to usc a new and form idable star was added 10 the bust (o/Cae to carry a bust of Caesar duri ng a fu nera I titl e on his co ina ge, "divus fil ius" sar) we soon after consecrated ill procession, and anyone who took sanc (w hi ch means - son of a god).26 This Ihe Forum. "24 tua ry in a shrine consecrated to Caesar tactic both reinforced the beli ef in woul d be inviola te. As Dio noles, these Caesar' s d ivinity and surrounded Pl iny also records what Octavian re laws paralleled those accorded to the Octavian with a supcmatura l aura (see ally beli eved the comet meant - the rise of his own fortunes. The Deification Late in 43 B.C., the ring leaders of the Cacsarian party had joined forces in thc so called Second Triumvirate. Thealliance was based purely on self interest, to deal with common enemies and to per mit the three to usurp total power. In this capacity, they felt politica lly secure enough to makeopcn usc ofthepopu lar beliefs of Caesar's divin ity. In 42 s.c., they resolved to build a temple 10 Caesar (a de fac to admission of Caesar's godhood) at the very Spot in Figure 7 DenarIus of Octavlan, minted circa 37-34 B.C., Crawford S40/1. Obverse: bust of Octavlan the Forum where he had been to r., slightly bearded to indicate mourning; legend: IMP(eralor) CAESAR DIVI F(i/ius) cremated (see Figure 6). 11/ VIR ITER(um) R(ei) P(ub/icae) C(onstituendae) - Great general Caesar, son of the Apart from the foundation divine (Caesar), (one of the) three men responsible for organizing the State, for the 2nd time. stones, the temple was not Re verse; le/rastyle (4 columns) temple of the god Julius Caesar; veiled figure standing on built until 29 B.C., but the ir the podium holding a lituus (augury staff), a star in the pediment, lighted altar at 1., intent was given the widest legend: (on the temple's archi trave) DIVO IVL(lo); around; CO(N)S(UL) ITER(um) ET TER(ium) public dissemination, no later DESIG(natus) ... Consul for the second time, and designated for a third term. This temple had a rostrum built directly in front of it. The temple behind the rostrum in Figure 3 (sestertius than 34 B.C., with a denarius of Hadrian) Is probably another representation of Caesar's temple. The temple actually had minted by Octavian (see Fig six columns, but the number was reduced to four to emphasize the standing figure. ure7). A series of la ws, also , "'~ '* . "~ ;Jff i>I.Woc ,,"= J~ , May 1992 11 'rake his soul that murder has separated from his body, and turn it into a blazing star. I i want the divine Julius,from th e I heights of his new home, to always keep his eyes on my Capitoline hill and on the Fo rum. ' Just as Jupiter finished i speaking, the kindly Venus ap peared at the meeting place of the Senators, invisible to all. She quicklyseil.ed the soulfrom the body of her dear Caesar, and. without letting it dissipate in the air, took it among the stars in the sky. As she carried it, she felt it absorb light and Figure 8 I~ start toshine; therefore, she let Bronze (sestertius?-dupondius?) of Octavian, minted circa 38 B.C., Crawford n535/ 1. ~ it escape her breast. Caesar's Obverse: head of Octavian to t., slightly ,bearded; legend: DIVf F CAESAR. i soul soared higher than the Reverse: wreathed head of Julius Caesar; legend: DlVOS IVLlUS. I moon, trailing hair offire . It is /Iowa shooting star. Figure 8). How could the son of a god These men summed up the pious fic no! be sacred himself? By cnreful1y tions of the Julian clan, bringing mortar This story bears a close resemblance nurturing the memory of the "divine"' to OClavian's dynastic hopes. The fol to Romulus' deification myth, except Julius Caesar, Octavian (A ugustus) was lowing extract from Ovid's Metamor that the comet incident has been worked also preparing Roman society for his phoses provides a sample of this type of into the talc. own consecration. Though his coinnge li terature. Ovid takes us to Olympus. Octavian, alias Caesar, alias Au played an important role in disseminat where Venus and Jupiter are debating gustus, remained in power long enough ing Caesar's apotheosis, OClnvian was Caesar's destiny. Jupiter explains that (58 years) to outlive most of his political also assisted by a number of "court" he cannot go against fate and save Julius opponents, and \0 shape t he minds of new poets, such asOvid, Vergil,and Horace. Caesar, but he tells her: generations of Romans, who -+ Coin Auction! Order Your Catalog Today! Th. NBD Bank Money Museum Collection Numismatic Public & Mail Bid Sale June 12-13, 1992 Featuring., . Lansing, Michigan • Anci ents • Uniled SI.le. Coin.ge • Enc.sed PoslAge • Anliquilies • Coloni~l Coinage - 30 & 90 cenl e .. mples • World T.lcO! • Coloni.l Pap .. Money • Polit ical Pins Complete, Clip & Mail Today! • Mulliple T.le", • Federal Paper Money • Tokens & Med.1s • World Crowns & Minors - Michigan Qt.;oletes • Canadi.n Coin.ge _ Michigan Nalional Bank Not •• IlIu",,'" C.:;:';' ';;;'P'k" R"II .., o I'l Greek Silve r Coins 8 ust 1. Rev. Providentja. C, loa. RIC 80. NEAPOLIS, Campa nia , c . 276·265 B.C" Very Good to Fine $65.00 Nomos (Didrachm). Obv_ Head 01 nymph (. Rev, Moolaead bull r., crowned by Nike. ct. Roman Empire, Bronze Coins Sambon 435-481 (Unrecorded monogram), 16 AU GUSTUS, 27 B.C. - 14 A D .. AE 16 of Excellent detail on lace 01 bull. Parium. Mysia. Obv. Head I, Rev, Colonist Very Fine 10 EXl remely Fine $375.00 ploughing I. BMC 86. about Fine $45.00 2 VELlA,Lucania,C. 310B.C " Didrachm,Obv. 17 TIBERIUS, 14·37 AD .. As. Obv. Head I. Head of Al hena '-. helmeted. Rev _ Lion r. Rev. SC. C. 27. Excellent green patina, SNG ANS 1256. Ve ry Fine plus $450.00 sharp portrait. Very Fine plus $475.00 3 TARENTUM , Calabria, c. 300 B,C" Nomos 18 NERO, 54·68 A.D . AE 21 , Antioch. Syria, (D Lucien Birkler & Company, Inc. 1707 L Street, N .W., Suite 520, Washington, D.C. 20036 . Phone 202-833-3770 May 1992 13 himself and his successors. · . . Tiberius published a decree to So massive was the design warn the popularion "not to disturb that, in spite of centuries of Augustus' funeral by an excess of plundering, the great con zeal like those of Julius Caesar ~ crete core is still more or and MilOt desire to have his body less complete today. Two burnt in the FOrllm, bU I ralher in large inscri bed bronze col the Campus Martius, where his umns, erected at the mau mausolellm was waitillg ~.29 soleum, were designed 10 perpetuate a somewhat bi An uncontrolled fire in the Foru m ased record of his rule and could have easily burnt down a good achievements. It certainly pan of Rome. Tosatisfydramatic needs, omitted unsightl y political however, the funeral pyre would need to maneuvering and Au be something spectacular, large, and gustus' changing of sides. memorable (and well away from the These columns have since city).30 been destroyed, but copics As with Julius Caesar, Augustus' on stone have survived . ceremonies began in the Forum: The lengthy lex! begins as Figure 9 follows: · .. The il came his/ullcral. A couch Commemorative column of Antoninus Pius as was made of ivory and gold, seen on a denarius of Marcu s Aurelius. The AI Ih e age of nineteen. adorned with coverings of purple legend reads DIVO PIO. The column was all myowlI illiliativeand and gold. His body was concealed destroyed centuries later, but the base has at Illy own expense, I in a coffin underneath it, while 1011 survived, and is presently in the Vatican Mu seum. raised all arlllY with topl a wax facsimife in triumphaf which I liberated the garb was visible . .. When rhecouch Republicfrom a/action had been placed in/ull view 0 11 the hnd never seen the renl Republic in which was dominatillg it . . . 28 rOSl ra. Drusus3J read fa eu/ogyl . nCli on. To the priesthood eswblished · . From the rostra by the temple 0/ for Julius Caesar, anothcr was added for The remainder is written much in the Ihe divine Julills Caesar, TiberillS Octavian (du ring hi s lifctime). At Rome same manner. The mausoleum and the (thelll gave a speech. accordillg to and in the west, citizens were encou r Res Gestae (as the tex t is ca ll ed) wcre to decree . . . Later rhe same mell aged!O pny tribute not to Octnvian, but provide a long-term influence on Ro (Senarors] look up the couch and to his "genius" ( .. di vine spiri!). In the man minds, but the short term was not carried it through the triumphal east, already accustomed to god-kings, neglected either. TIle details of the gate . .. Presellt alld takillg part ill Octavian was readi ly wors hipped as a planned fun eral ceremonies, though no Ihe fUllera l processioll were the god. By the time of Augustus' death in doubt already weJl known to his desig Senate and the Knights, their wives, A.D. 14,hisconsecrationcould not have nated successor (Tiberi us), were as a ril e PraelOriall guard, and pracri. appea red presumptious to allY bll t Ihe precaution left as written instructions caUyal! the others who were in the oldest of gra ybeards. in the custody of the Vestal Virgins. cityallhis time. Wh ellrhe body had The event, which would provide a been placed 011 th e pyre . .. all the DEIFICATION OF AUGU STU S guide fo r successive emperors, wns priests Wel!r aroulld il first, then the Augustus had carefully prepared hi s it self influenced by the funeral of Knights alld rhe simpler cavalry own funeral,so that even his dcnth would Julius Caesar. In A.D. 14 , whcn Au men, O/Id finally the infantry from funher enhance the presti ge orthe Julinn gustus fin ally di ed at the age of 76, the rhe garrisan 10/ Rome) . . clan. To thi s end, a great deal of effort burning of Julius Caesar's body in the and IllOney hnd been expended in the Forum had not been forgotten, and The ceremonia I ride (or walk) a round construction of a gigantic mausoleu m in Tiberius felt the need to issue a decree the funeral pyre was la ter integrated the Campus Mnnius,27 intended both for on the matter: into the standard ritual. Cassius Dioand Herodian inform us that it was conti n ued under Inter emperors, certainly up to Pertinnx and probnbly beyond. For CALVIN J. ROGERS Antoninus Pius' consecration, the scene has been preserved on one side of the Classical Numismatist base of his commemorative column (see Figures 9 and 10). Fully ill ustrated Dio's description continues: list free upon request · .. and they cast upon the pyre all the decorations they had ever re- P.O. Box 7233 ceived . .. Next the centurions look Ancient & IOrches . .. and lighted the base 0/ Medieval Redwood City CA 94063 the pyre. So it was consumed. alld (415) 369-1508 all eagle released/rom itj1ewaway, appearing to bear his spirit to heavell . .. 14 The Celator Figure 10 Troops riding and marching around the funeral pyre of Antoninus Pius. In order to avoid problems of perspective and emphasize the circular motion, the anist has omitted the pyre itself, but the upturned gaze of most of the panicipants indicates they are looking at something up and off the plane of the surface. Published with the kind permission of the Vatican Museum. May 1992 15 der) was at some time de stroyed, perhaps during one of the fi res in Rome (under NeroorTitus?), and eventually rebuilt by Antoninus Pius34 (see Figure 12). FUNERAL PYRE OR USTRINUM During recent years, some archaeologists have attempted to identify cer tain structures in the Cam pus Manius as so-called ustrina (crematoriums).35 As these structures are permanent stone monu Figure 11 ments, thcycouldcertainly Consecration reverse seen on a denarius minted not betheflammablepyres by CaracsJfs for his father, Septimius Severus. described by ancient au --- thors. Recently, some nu- The cl ever Irick of having an cagle Finally, after the ceremonies, the mismati sts have adopted the view that fly off as the pyre burned offered a Senate voted Augustus divine honors, the multi-story structures seen on visible resull of the consecration pro along with a temple and pri ests of his consecralio coinage represent these cess. It certain ly must havecapluredthe own)3 stone crematoriums rather than funeral imagination of the masses, as it thereaf The temple of the divine Augustus pyres. This would appeartobeaconve ter became a standard symbol of deifi has been the subject of two interesting nient way to resolve the problem, but it cation. The cag le first appears in thi s reverse types. The first appeared on a docs not take account of the ancient capacity on Augustus' posthumous sestertius of Ca ligula, who is shown in literature, which is, in this case at the coinage, find cont inues down to the con front of the hexastyle temple, sacrific least, fairly ex plicit. secration coinage of Maxentius (se e ing to the new god. The order of the When the Romans were confronted Figure II). temple is clearly Ionic. Thesecondcoin with a need for a specific religiolls ritual After the cremation, Augusl us was type depicting the temple was minted or custom, they often borrowed either declared a god by IheSenate. To justify under Antoninus Pius, but now the or from the Etruscans or the Greeks. As we Ihis measure, a convenient and "cred der is Corinthian, and there are cight have seen at the beginning of this ar ihl e" witness was produced: columns. The legends on the coins ticle, the whole concept of a monal or (denarii andscstertii)of Antoninus Pius demi-monal becoming a god wa s atl ex-praetor aCfllally swore he refer to the restoration of Augustus' adopted from Greek mythology. had seen Aligusilis ' spirit soaring temple. It would seem, therefore, that In the search for a grandiose funeral lip to heavcnthrollgh thcflamcs3'2 the original temple (with the Ionic or- pyre, Augustus had the famous examp]e of Alexander Ihe Greal, who had built a great pyre for his fa vorite companion. Diodorus Siculus (ca. 80-29 B.C.) gives the following descripti on: ... Alexander gath ered architects and manyskillfid artists, and had cleared a square 600 feet per side where he in tcnded to ereci Ih e pyre. The plat was divided into lhirty comparlments [5x6 or 3x/D?} where wooden pIG/forms were constructed, Figure 12 quadrangular in At left, 8 sestertius of Caligula. At rfght, a sestertlus of shape, and around Antoninus Pius. Both depict the temple of the "god" Augustus. these ornaments - werc placed. -+ 16 The Gelator ANCIENT JUDAEAN COINS , ~ ~ HA"SM ONEAN DYNASTY 18 He,od Archelaus, 4 B.C,· 6 A,D. AE 14. Anchor. 35 Pontius Pilate. AE IS, V.ar 17 01 Tibe,ius. Uluus, Rv . Oate LIZ in w,.ath (,.trograde). M.230A. II. Aluande. Jannaeu5, 103-16 B.C. Pb 16. Ancl\ot in Rv. Ee/AN in wreath. 1.1 .51. 1I ,239.2b, drde. Rv. Obliterated kamak: inscription. r.4 .7, L V.ry Fone ...... " .. ""',, .. , ...... $15.00 Supp,V,236. FitIEI ...... , ...... , ...... $50.00 Pontius Pilate. AE 14. Year 18 01 Tibe,ius. UluuS, Groop O. Obverse 011 center. Very Good .•. " $100,00 19 He,od Arehelaus. AE 13. P,ow ot galley. Rv. EElN 36 Rv . O.. t. Uti in wre.th. 1.1 .231, II. Supp.V,24. 2 Ala ..nde. Jannaeus. AE I ~_ Uly. Hebraw inSCtiplion. in wreath. 1.4 .58, 11.240.5. About Very Fine . $15.00 Rv.Atochorincifde. Greek in$cription. M.5, I. Group A. Nice F...... " ...... $60.00 Fine ...... "''''"...... $65.00 31 Anto nlUI Fell_. 52·59 A.D. AE 16. Yeer 14 01 Wall ,*,"',ed. Very Fine {a) •....•...•....•...•...••.. S175.00 20 He ,od A,chel.us. AE IS. Doublacomueopia•. Rv. Aboul Very Fine (b) ...... $1 25.00 Wal galley I. 10.1.60 • . 11 .240.4. VfI"I Fine ... $185.00 CIooudiu •• C.oned ahields .nd spea~. Rv. Palm 3 Al.under Jannaeus. A£ 15. .a.r.cho<. G..-Ic insaip. 21 Herod Archelaus. AE 15.. Bunch 01 g,apes. Rv. " ... M.233, II, Supp.V.29. About Very F.,...... $65.00 1O;)n. Av. Star 01 8 rays. M.B, L Group Ca. H._. M.61 .11.241 .6. F.,.IOVeryFine ... $60.oo 38 Pordus Feslus. 59-62 ,1,.0, AE 16. V.al501 Nero. Fine ...... __ ...... $85.00 22 A9r1pP. 1.31-44 A.D. AE 17. Umbtena. Rv. 3 ..~ v"'" Inscription In wt.ath. Rv. P .. 1m btanch. M.234. II. 4 AI.under Jannaeul . AE 12. Ar>chof in drde. Rv. Slar 01 barleV. 1.1 .88. 11.249. I 1. Aboul Very Fin • . $50.00 Supp.V.35. About Ve NeH, the bier is carried out of the city to the Cam pusMartiuswhere, in the most open I part of the plain, Figure 13 a square building j At left, a sestertius of Divus Marcus Aurelius showing his funeral pyre. At right, a denarius has been set up. depicting the pyre of Antonlnus Plus. On both coins, the first floor is decorated with drapery, ~ It consists en while the second floor displays the door through which passed the body and the wax facsimile. '1 tirely of vast "j wooden beams put together to The decoration of the first floor pear to follow even more closely the fornl a sort of house. Inside, the consisted of aile hundred alld forty imnges we see on the coin types them building is completelyfllled with ship prows withjiSllrcs of archers. selves. The first author presented here brushwood, Gnd outside it is The next story was decorated wilh is Cassius DiD, who was an eye witness decorated with gold embroi columlls ill the shape of torches. to the (belated) consecration of the em dered drapery, ivory carvings, fifteen feer tall. with eagles 011 lOp peror Perfinnx: and a variety of paintings. On and dragolls 011 lhe bOlloll/. The top of this structure is another third story was decorated with a one of the same shape and with frieze representing alJ allimal hUllt. . .. ill this order we arrivuJ 01 the the same decoralion, bUI The friez.e 0111 hefou rt h story showed Camplls Martius. There had been smaller, and with open windows a bailie of centaurs, while all the built a pyre in the form of tI tower and doors. On top of this are a fifth story bl/lls alld liolls alter havillg three stories. It was (hird and a fourth story, each nated. The flipper] platform was adorned with ivory alld gold, as Sll/aller thall the last The occupied by trophies made frolll well as a /lumber of statues, while bier is taken up and placed all Macedolliall and barbariall weap on ils verysulllmil had been placed the secolldfloor . . . fthe fire is ons. The whole /l/OIlI/mell1 was a gilded chariot which PerrinQX lit] . then, from the highest 216feet high. used to drive. Inside it rhefuneral and topmost story, an eagle is offerings were cast and the bier released . . . taking the soul of was placed in it . .. t!ten at last the the emperor from Earth to The ancient descriptions of Roman COlJSu/s set fire to the structure, heaven . .. After that he is wor lmperinl funeral pyres show that they and thell an eagle flew aloft from shipped along wilh Ihe rest of were indeed similar to the one described it. Thus was Pertinax made a the gods. 38 by Diodorus, but the Roman pyres ap- god. 36,37 We note that on the coin types (see Figure 13) the drapery does in fact dominate the bottom floor, and Herodian's description of the second WHOLESALE TO ALL! floor (equipped with doors) also matches 100 ancient coins in fl ips and attributed. A diverse lot our coins. Finally, Herodian makes the point that the structure is built of succes~ including Nero, Caesar Augustus, Alexander the Great, sive floors of diminishing size, and this Biblical "Widow's Mite", etc. Only $475.00 postpaid, with again agrees with the coin types. satisfaction guaranteed! More information about the pyres can be gleaned from the coinage. In general, Roman coin representations trr(lnO(ln ([(lin ®ctll:cri:cz concentrate on the fa~ade, but on aile unusual sestertius, minted for Faustina ..; Suite 132, Mission Viejo Mall, the Elder, the pyre is shown sideways. Mission Viejo, CA 92691 . (714) 364-0990 True to Roman building tradition,39 the sides were not as lavishly decorated as 18 The Celator thcfao;adehad been. No ---_._-_._._- costly statues were ex r pended, as the bare walls , are merely decorated with drapery. Note that the chariot is shown in profile (see Figure 14). The information provided by Cassius Dio and Herodian certainly matches that which is provided by the coin lypes. Still,whatdowe make of the permanent rectangularstruclures in the Campus Marlius? From their proximity I and orientation to the commemorative col I umns, they do seem \0 m Fjgure 14 have some relation \0 At left, a typical pyre as seen on a sestertius of Divus Marcus Aurelius. \0 " the latter, and hence . At right, a rare side view of the pyre as seen on a sestertius of Faustina the Elder. the funeral ceremonies. " The second coin would seem to ind! ate that the pyres were rectangular rather than square. I offer a possible hy I pothesis. A ftcr the pyre had burnt OUI, the ashes of the deceased method of judgement once the emperor Footnotes: were cllrefully collected up for 1he finn 1 was dead. As not ed above, Pliny the 1 During the Lemuria (Mny 9th), the de resting place. Dio tells us : Elder informed us that, in theory al ceased family members were bribed wilh least, only good emperors were consc beans to encourage them 10 leave the house (see Ovid, Fasti. Book V). crated. When these ceremonies were 2 When a woman l1addied in childbirth and over, all the persons departed ex the child survived, her 10mb was covered cept/or Livia [Augustus ·wifel. who. Photographs by Or. M. Shephard. with a net to prevent her spirit from tak- along wilh the most prominent Knights, remained all the spot for five days, alld gathered up his bones and placed them in his IOmb. 40 ROMAN IMPERIAL If it look five days to recover the ANCIENT NEAR EAST remains of Augustus, I surmise the de ISLAMIC & INDIAN COINAGE bris from the pyre must have been im portant. It is possible that this debris Our Specialty may have been also considered of some special significance, such as was the case with the famous sacrificial mound at Olympia.41 It is therefore possible that the remains of the burnt-out pyre were collected and sealed within 11 stone structure. Parts of the "ustrinum" of Marcus Aurel ius have been reassembled neartheiroriginallocation.42 The square structure, 13 meters per side, is a rather plain construct ion, and would certainly fit such a usage, but whetherthis wasthe /: Imeresred ill buying rare or high grade Roman, Greek, Greek true function of these "ustrina" or not, Imperial, Byzantine. Ancient Near Easrem and Indian coins. the surviving literary evidence is suffi cientto indicate that the coin represen For Seriolls Collectors - Occasional Lists tations depict the pyres themselves. Theconsecfationof Augustus, which WILLIAM B. WARDEN, JR. today might seem ludicrous, did, how ever, serve a number of purposes. For tA1L P O. BOX 356 the emperor, it provided a focus to the [I] population for their demonstrations of ~ NEW HOPE, PA 18938 - allegiance to the government. For the M,~~" (21 5) 297-5088 ~ people, it provided a type of rcstraint while the emperor lived, as well as a May 1992 19 ing the baby back. Rome", Roman Coins and CullUre, Vol. 14 Suetonius, ibid. 3 According to Suetonius (Life of Au I,No. l, pp.41.43. 15 Appianus, Civil Wars, Book II,Chapter gus/us, 101) Augustus left four docu 7 Aeneas was the son of Anchises and Ve 20. ments, entrusted to Vestal Virgins, to be nus, while Romulus was the son of Rhea 16 Suetonius, Li fe of julius Caesar, 84. opened at his death: a testament, instruc and Mars. 17 Appianus, ibid. tions for his funeral, a financial statement 8 Annals, Book I, Fragment 114·115. 18 Suetonius, ibid. ~nd a list of his deeds (the Res Gestae). 9 Iris, the messenger goddess, is the female 19 Appianus, ibid. The last named document ha s su rvived. equivalent of Mercury. 20 Suetonius, ibid. 4 Pliny the Elder, Natural History, llook I r, 10 Suetonius, julius Caesar, 84. A.::cord 21 Cassius DiD, Book 44, Chapter 51. V; Plin y (A.D . 23-79) wrote an eneyclo. ing to Roman law, no one was to be 22 AugustuS, Res Gestae, 20. pedia in 37 books, which has survived buried or burned within the pomerium. 23 Suetonius, julius Caesar, 8R. Sueton more or less intact. The Campus Martius was outside. ius, however, mixes up cause and ef 5 See "The Myth of Aeneas", Rom(ll/ Coins 11 Appianus, Civil Wars, Book II, XX. fect. He states that the comet appeared (ll/dCullure Vol. 3, No. I, pp. 25·27 for 12 Cassius Dio, History of Rome, Book during the games held for Caesar's dei the political uses of the Aeneas myth. XLlV, 35. fi cation. The comet appeared during 6 See "Romulus, Remus and the birth of 13 See Figure 4. the festivities of Venus Genetrix (held for thc completion of her temple), and these games only encouraged a belief thnt it was linked with Caesar. 24 Pliny, Natural History, Dook II, 23. 25 Cassius Dio, Dook47, 19. Boudicca 26 This title remained Octavian's main stay until, having disposed of his rivals, he could afford to advertise his own Queen of the Iceni glory with the epithet "Augustus", a word with religious overtones. vs. 27 The Campus Martius was a large state owned field formerly used to train and . Rome ,. muster soldiers, hence the name "field "" , of Mars". 28 Res Gestae, translated by F. w. Shipley, In 61 AD, a Roman treasurye official, Catus Decianus attempted to confiscate published by Loeb. 29 Tacitus, ILllllals, Book 1,8. land from the recently deceased Iccni chieftan Prasutagus' estate. Quccn Boudicca 30 It was forbidden to erect funeral pyres refused to tum over the land and was promptly stripped and nagged by Catus' within the city limits (pomerium) any soldiers. Her daughters were raped and land confiscated. In revenge, Boudicca way. See note 10. raised an army of over 120,000 soldiers leading them against the Roman fortress 31 Drusus was the son of Tiberius. at Camulodunum. She burned the town and killed its citizens. After Boudicca 32 Suetonius, The Twelve Caesars, Au sacked London, Rome finally retaliated in force against the Celtic tribes. Nero gustus, 100. was fmally forced to deal with problems on the frontier, but not before this vio 33 Tacitus, Allllals, Book I, 10. lent woman had taught Rome a lesson. 34 An unmarked denarius of Domitian showing a hexastyle temple of From a recent purchase we can offer you Corinthian order may indicate that the select VF examples of Boudicca's coins. temple had alrcady been rebuilt once by Domitian. See Hill, P., The MonumenTS CELTIC, Iceni. Queen Boudicca. 61 AD. AR Unit (1.25 gm on aver of Ancient Rome as Coin Types, 1989 , age). Stylized head right I Horse righL Van Arsdell 794; Seaby 74. VF. London. 35 For a discussion on the ustrinum, see One (or $175,00 BOlltwright, M.T., Hadrian and the City Three (or $450.00 of Rome, 1987, Princeton. 36 Sevcrus was claiming to bc the cham· pion of the already dead and buried Van ArsdcU, CELTIC COINAGE OF BRITAIN. Hardbound. 584 pages. Pertinax. As the ceremony was merely 54 plates. The standard reference for this interesting series. Meticulous attention a propaganda tool, it might explain why to detail. 800 coin types illustrated throoghout the texL the pyre was only three stories high. 37 Cassius Dio, Roman History, Book BOOK $85.00 LXXV,5. BOOK & COIN $225.00 (SAVE $60) 38 Herodian, History of the Empire from No Charge (or postage the Time ofMarcus Au rei ius, Book4,2. 39 The Greeks, on the other hand, insured that their monuments were attractivc from all sides. CLASSICAL NUMISMATIC GROUP, INC. 40 Cassius Dio, Book LVI, 42. Post Office Box 245 41 The asbes on the altar of Zeus at Olym· Quarryville, Pennsylvania 17566-0245 pia were saved as sacred. Eventually, th e mound of debris reached seven (717) 786-4013 meters. See K. Papa ioannou, L 'Art Cree, 1972, Pnris, pp. 531-532. Fax (717) 786-7954 42 See Nash, E., A Pictoral Dictionary of ••• Ancient Rome, Vo1.lI, 1962, New York, Sixteen years of service to the collector. pp.487-489. 20 The Gelator G. HIRSCH OF MUNICH ANNOUNCES AN IMPORTANT PUBLIC AUCTION OF ANCIENT AND FOREIGN COINS Sicil y, Akragas, Tetradrachm, 4 13-406 B. C. Ex. Hess-Leu 1956,68 and Bank Le ll 1976,53. Lot 43 AUCTION NR. 174 13-16 May, 1992 ~------,MU n"l (, lI handlu ng 1 Catalogued alld sold by 1 Gerhard I-li rsc h Nachf. I Protllcnadcplatz 10, D-8000 Munchcn 2, Ger many I Gerhard Hirsch Nachfolger I Enclosed pl ease find 525.00 for your Ma y 13- 16, 1992 I I Auction Sale CllIalogue :lnd Prices Realized (nrler sale) I Promenadeplatz 10 D-8000 Miin chen 2, Germany I Name I Telefon (089) 29 2 1 50 1- 1 Telef" (089) 2283675 IL C ______ity SW1C Zip ~I May 1992 21 Depictions of the lyre and kithera indicate the importance of music in ancient Greece by Mark Rakicic Pity the poor tortoise! As if being 'stopping' the string nt its middle point 2 shows a kithera immortalized on a the slowest creature ever \0 grace a during vi bration, or by effectively silver stater, also fro m the island of Greek coin wasn "t enough. the wily shorten ing the string by slipping n fin Kalymnos in the Dodecanese (3rd cen Hellenes found another usc for the woe ger between the string and the crossbar tury B.C.). In an environmentally bcgollcn reptile - kill it, hollow il OUI, during vibration. Sounds difficult, friendly move, the kithera featured a and play music over its dead body. doesn't it? wooden soundbox rather than a cara- The tortoise shell was the (irst pace, and the curved arms also Sli'lge in th e cvolUlion or the Greek became more ornate. The body of lyre and kithcra - stringed musi the kithera was larger and more cal instruments which played a solidi y built lhan the lyre, and the significnnt role ill everyday life. arms of the kithera have become Instruments similar to the ki thc ra anextensionof thesoundbox. The existed in ancient Mesopotamia bridge at the base of the soundbox and Egypt al least 700 years be can be clearly seen on this coin. fore the Greeks mnde illheir own. The strings of both types of in Des pite Ihis, mythology tells of strument were plucked with a the infant Hermes ki ll ing a tOT plectrum held in .he right hand, toise, emptying out the flesh :md and were plucked di rectly with cntr:lil s, and us ing Ihe gu t of a the fingers of the left hand. 51nl11 ox of Apollo \0 SIring the The size of the kithern is di ffi firsllyrc. cult to judge from coin images, as Figure I shows Have your coins professionally researched and catalogued through the DA VID R. SEAR Ancient Coin Certification Service (A.C.C.S.) Each coin submitted will be personally examined by David A. Sear, accurately described. complete with citation of references, and graded. Additionally, the Detaited Format includes a full commentary on the historical and numismatic background of the piece. The information is presented on an attractive laminated certificate complete with high quality black and white photograph. Fees: $20.00 per coin (Basic Format) • $30.00 per coin (Detailed Format) For EXPRESS SER VICE (3 days fum-aroul1d from (late of receipt) add S 10.00 per coil1 (maximum of 3 coills per sllhmissioll) Please submit by regislered mail and add sufficient 10 your remittance to cover cost of return mailing ($8.00 up to $ 1,000 value; $10.00 up to $5,000 value; $12.50 up 10 $10,000 value; $15.00 up 10 $15,000 value), Further information and submission forms sent on request. Checks and M.D. 's payable to "DA VID R. SEAR " Items for the Ancient Coin Certification Service may be submitted directly to David R. Sear, P.O. Box 5004, Chatsworth, CA 91313 or, if more convenient, through one of the following Authorized Submission Ceflters: Classical Numismatic Group, Inc., P,O. Box 245, Quarryville, PA 17566 Seaby Coins, 7 Davies Street, London, WI Y ILL, England 'll'A{J Q'U'E if [:n: [1YEJl 1f1iy 11,,1 give OlJ( or more oj die jam",u Sta6y w{{rcwr'.5 hlll,,(6oo,&, coverillg a({ aspects of (jreek., 'Ri'lill/ll all(f'1Jy::.alllilie (",lIage, persolla!!y mllograpfwf 6y the author, 'lJav;,{ 'i( Sear (specia{ aeaicatiOlIS aVairll6(e upo" request). 'l{,e "'S/ is 'IO "'''re than the ""mUIr retai{ priu a1l« tire jorr"!,,ill!} litfes a", awi(a[,ft: ROMAN COINS & THEIR VALUES, (S 70,OO); CREEK COINS & THEIR VALUES, EUROPE ($50.00); CREEK COINS & THEIR VALUES, ASIA & AFRICA ($50.00); CREEK IMPERIAL COINS & THEIR VALUES ($80.00); BYZANTINE COINS & THEIR VALUES ($ 100.00) plus $4 .00 poslngl' pl'r ordl'r. May1992 23 education, it was propeno have morally upright and stirringly noble music. When Alexander whistled, it was most Maine Classical Numismatics likely an uplifting dedication to past New England's largest ancient coin inventory heroes, such as Achilles may have pi a yed, rather Ihan any lender love song. Bowley's Route #1, Warren, Maine 04864 A testimony to the Greeks' love af· fair with music can be gauged by the Ph. Bowley's 207-273-3462 - Home 207-273-2653 enormous number of mints that used the Sorry, no lisls available. Write for our show schedule motif of the lyre or kithera on their coinage. Apollo himself occasionally Buying and selling (It competitive prices graces the reverse, holding his lyre, as Upcoming Show on a rare tetradrachm from Sinope (Sear Barrie Jenkins 3701), and il also appears as a mint Classical Numismatist May 17 - Searsport Maine Lioll 's Club symbol, such as on an Alexander-type tetradrachm from Myti lene, the main city on Lesbos (Sear 4266). The number of towns and minIs that used a lyre or kithera on their coins is enonnous, and 100extensive to list. They did, however, proliferate along the coast of Asia Minor and some islands, such as Bank Leu Ltd Zurich Kalymnos. The coinage of Kalymnos is interesting because it changed its reverse Numismatics Iype, from the lyre on its archaic issues to the kithera, when the new issue began sometime in the 3rd century B.c. Why this change of type occurred is unclear. Whether the dozens of mints that feature lyres and kitheras on their coins are expressing devotion 10 Apollo, or are expressing the importance of music in their cultures, or both, is a matter for debate. The extensive coinage of the Lycian League(after 168 B.c.) featured Apollo on the obverse and the kithera on the reverse (Scar 5267). Devotion to Apollo is probably the primary aim in this series. My theory is that the many small towns that minted coins with lyres and kitheras were not only showing defer ence to the mighty Apollo, but were stating through their civic propaganda that they (no matter how isolated or removed from the great cultural cen ters) were Greek and cultured. Afterall, if music was appreciated by the cul tUTed, then the symbol of music must link them, because of its virtuous and Every year we have an auction of very important ancient coins civilizing qualities. in spring. If we accept that the helmeted war We issue occasional lists. rior on the obverse of the Kalymnos Our srock ranges from Hemitartemoria to Dekadrachmai, and stater represented the importance of from Quadrantes to Multiple Aureus Medallions. military protection and security, then it We actively buy and sell at all price levels. is not hard to imagine that the kithera represented another major factor of so ciety. This was the high or ennobling arts, which added to the quality of life, and distinguished the Greeks (in their eyes) from the 'barbarians'. Thus, the expression Kal obgathia - acombina Bank Leu Ltd tion of 'beautiful' and 'good' - really In Gassen 20 CH-8D01 Zurich Switzerland epitomized the value of the lyre and Telephone (from the US) 011 41 1 21924 06 Telefax 011 411 2193306 kithera to the ancient Greeks. 24 The Gelator SUPERIOR GALLERIES PRESENTS The June 2nd, 1992 Sale (held just prior to the Long Beach Coin Expo) Ancient and World Coin Auction Abde ... 4li·38~ B.C.'latee Mendo 465 .... 24 D.C . t.et",drachm Sikyon 4$1}-390 D.C. I<>~ .... dr&chm Corinth 400-350 B.C .•t awr Juda..... hekel year 3 wei"" Venn 161·169 A.D. !!Old au"",. Hilrhlilrhts include: • Greek and Roman coins • Antiquities • An important collection of ancient Jewish coins, including choice examples from both Jewish Wars, Medieval Coins with Hebrew legends and Jewish-related British tokens • Medieval, Renaissance and pre-dated 1500 coins • An unbelievable hoard of over 3500 Mexican Pillar Dollars from 1732 to 1744 in choice condition • A choice group of Latin American issues • Important world gold coins, crowns and minors For non-subscribers: Illustrated catalog $10.00 Superior Galleries A Division of Superior Stamp & Coin Co., Inc. Established 1930 9478 W. Olympic Boulevard, Beverly Hills, CA 90212 (800) 421-0754 • (310) 203-9855 May1992 25 People in the News ASAN members hold monthly meetings in Sydney In Sydney Australia, a group of dedicated collectors meet once a month on a Monday night in the library of Spink. Noble Numismatics. Their group is called ASAN (The Australian Society of Ancient Numismatics). On an average night 10 members usually attend. This may seem like a small number, but in members' respective collections there is little in the field of ancient numismatics that is not covered. The first part of thei r meetings is taken up with coin gossip and overseas auction catalogs. Spin ks receives the latest sale catalogs from around the world, and often the only sound heard is the scratching of pen on paper as collectors take down lot numbers and estimates of desirable coins. The next part 01 the evening is what Members 01 the Australian Society of Ancient Numismatics one of the members terms 'show and tell'. Here one or several coins are displayed from individual collections, and the owners talk about the historical background, any particular feature of ' rofires in the coin that may be unusual or significant, provenances, die links, and other information. ~umi s mllfi ts In their latest meeting, four coins were presented to the members for J ohn Work Garrett inspection: twoAlexandertetradrachms, (1872-1942) a Rhodian tetradrachm, and a tetradra chm from Ainos. Immediately TheG:JITctt name ispromincI11 in thcannals there were clucks of disapproval and of American westward exp:msion. and the critical observations. Three were very Irish immigrant family profited greatly good copies, but were off in their weights. from their activities in Ir:ldc and The one everyone th ought at first was transportation. John W. Garrell graduated dodgy proved to be the only genuine from Princeton in 1895, ;'lnd entered coin among them. It is vital that coins the U.S. Diplomatic Service in 1901, which included a post at the embassy in such as these be recognized and not be Rome. In 1929. he was called oul of ret irement by President Hoover to serve as allowed to enter the market. The Ambassador to Italy. A consummate collcclOr, from a family of collectors, collective knowledge of members and Garren was especially active in the early 19205, and included the collecting of shared experiences such as this makes allcicllI and medieval coins among his many interests. He limited his acquisitions our pastime safer. (Ocoins of the finest condition, mostly by type rather than rarit y, al though rarities ASA N fulfills a most important need were no stranger to his collection. He also va lued the pedigree of a coin, and for the collector of ancient coins in bought coins from some of the most famous collecti ons of ancient coills ever to Sydney. It provides contact between hit the auction bl oc k. Garren was a sc holar as well as a patron of the arts, :lnd a collecto rs of vast ly different fellow of th e American Numisma tic Society, serving for a lime as tI member of backgrounds, sllmulates academic the Council of th e ANS. He often provided casts of coins in his collection for pursuit, and keeps members firm ly in numismatic study and for publication in a variety of works about ancient coins. touch with the numismatic worl d. For more information about ASA N, This feature is provid ed courtesy of George Frederick Kolbe write to Mark Rakicic, 52 Waterview Fine Numismatic Books, Crestline, CA 92325 Street, Mona Va le, 21 03, NSW, Australia. 26 The Gelator Art and the Market Coins of Roman Egypt highlight CNA XXI Classical Numismatic Auctions, a distinguished collection from New Jersey nine AE drachms, all in excellent condition division afClassical NumismalicGroup, assembled during the 1940's and 1950's, lor the types. The Nome coins are Inc., has announced that they will be and held in a bank vault until the heirs complemented by a nice selection of high holding a public and mail bid sale, CNA decided to sell the collection. The first grade Alexandrian tetra-drachms. XXI, in conjunction with the New York portion of the collection is represented including many with interesting reverse Spring International Numismatic by a choice offering of Seleukid and types. Another highlight is a 'Zodiac Convention. The sale will be held Friday Ptolemaic silver, as well as an Wheel' AE drachm issued in yearS (A.D. evening, June 26th, at 6 pm at the outstanding offering of Roman Egyptian 144/145) of Antoninus Pius' reign. Roosevelt Hotel, Madison and 45th in cO inage. Highlighting the Seleukid and New York City. Included in th e Roman Egyptian Ptolemaic silver is an offering of six The highlighlof this sale is the Garden section is an important offering of Nome beautifully toned tetradrachms issued State Collection, the first part of a coinage, which includes a rare group of by ptolemy I as Satrap (c. 323-305 B.C.) in the name 01 Alexander the Great. The 'irst type portrays Alexander the Great clad in an elephant's skin CICF evokes a spark of enthusiam headdress and aegis on the obverse, and the reverse has Zeus enthroned lert from battle-weary bourse dealers (Sear7746). The next Iype has a similar obverse, and Athena Alkidemos on the by Waync G. Saylcs Numismatics International. during which reverse (Sear 7747 and 7749 lor types). Fallowing a year of uncertainty, fu· Stephen Album talked about his per The balance of CNA XXI will be well eled by the "Doom and Gloom" media, sonal experiences in COllecting Islamic represented by Greek and Roman coin dealers were actually seen smiling coins. Album's personal collection of coinage in all metals, as well as an at this year's Chicago International Coin over 31,000 coins was sold in 19S9 to extensive offering of large lots 01 Roman Fair. The general concensus was that the University of Tubingen in Germany and Roman Provincial (Greek Imperial) business is improving - more for some as the foundation of a research cenler coinage. A selection of English and than for others, but definitely improving. for Islamic numismatics. European hammered coinage rounds The Friday through Sunday show drew The next CleF will be held February out this sale of approximately SOO lots. 1,100 paid visitors (probably abated by a 26-2S, 1993, atthe Hyatt Regency Hotel Catalogues will be available after nasty snow storm which hit on Saturday), in Chicago. For information contact the 1st of June 10r$1 0 each bywrilingto but the floor activity seemed equivalent to Kevin Foley, Convention Manager, at Crassical Numismatic Auctions, P.O. shows with three to four times the atten· P.O. Box 573, Milwaukee, WI 53201. Box 245, Quarryville, PA 17566-0245. dance. Opinions about the strength 01 wholesale versus retail sales varied greatly, however, few would deny that business was refreshingly good. Much of QUOTES FROM TH E PAST the wholesale activity at recent shows "To know the truth, to inquire into uncertain causes, to immortalize genius, seems to reflect a growing mail-order to lift one's head to the sky, to grasp the number and nature of the great trade, with price-sensitive buyers scoop universe's first principles ... this is the mind's divine and gratifying joy." ing up coins that would normally be con Ae tna, c. A.D. 60 sidered common varieties. Although ev eryone bemoans the shortage of ~ new and exciting material", coins that were once offered in abundance, like Greek bronzes and inexpensive Roman denarii, are also surprisingly scarce. Even the ubiquitous Athenian tetradrachms seem to have gone into hiding lor the moment, although they are sure to reappear. ARCHAEOLOG IA GALLERY proudly ;,nnQtlnces ils first catalogue of The Ponterio auction of World coins, May1992 27 Hirsch auction Coming Events .... set for May 13-16 Gerhard Hirsch Nachfolger, of Munich Germany, will be holding a multi-session public auction on May 13-16. The sale May. 1 - 2 Numismatic & Antiquarian Bourse consists of 3750 Holiday Inn - Golden Gateway, San Francisco lots of coins and May 1-3 Central States Numis. Cony. medals, with 1301 Second Ave. S., Minneapolis, MN 1500 ancients. May 7 - 9 Greater New York Numis. Cony. Greekhigh lights include a Omni Park Central Hotel, New York City stater from May13-16 Hirsch Auction 174 Euboia, an Promenadeplarz la, Munich electrum stater of May 23 - 24 Rare Coin Expo Cyzicus, and a Signa! Hills Mall, St. Paul, MN didrachm of Cyrenaica. Roman selections feature a sestertius of Agrippina Senior, May 31 - Jun. 2 Superior Auction aurei of Nero, Gallienus, andVespasian, 9478 W. Olympic Blvd., Beverly Hills, CA and a sestertius of Julia Maesa. Jun.6 London Coin Fair Catalogs are available for $25 by Cumberland Hotel, London writing to Gerhard Hirsch Nachfolger, Promenadeplatz 10, 0-8000 Munchen 2, Jun. 11 -12 Lanz Auction Germany, or by phoning (089) 29 21 50. MaximilianspJatz 10, Munich Jun. 12 -13 Craig A. Whitford Auction Lansing, MI Spring NY Int'1 Jun. 19 - 21 18th Annual Prescott Coin Club Show Ponderosa Plaza Mall, Prescott, AZ changes location Jun. 25 - 27 N.Y. Spring International In the March issue of The CeJatorwe Roosevelt Hotel, NYC reported that the New York Spring International was being held at the Warwick Hotel. The show has changed location, and will be held atthe Roosevelt Hotel, on Madison and 45th in New York City. Special hotel rates have been arranged. Rooms are being offered for $99 per night to individuals attending the show. Interested parties should contact the hotel at (212) 661 ·9600 for reservations. The date, June 25-27, and all other information about the show remai ns unchanged. For more information contact bourse chairman Dr. Arnold R. Saslow, P.O. Box 374, South Orange, NJ 07079 or call (201) 761·0634. Pardon our error: In Brian Kritt's ad in the April issue, page 19, this coin was inadvenentl y primed upside·down. Whether you are buying or selling Classical Ancient Coins, let Galerie des Numismatiques, Ltd. assist you. Our expert staff of professionals and international network of traders are co nstantly working to provide our clients, \\~th an outstanding selection of coins of extraordinary quality. CALL FOR OUR LATEST ILLUSTItATED FIXED PIUCE USTING This is the correct view of the coin. We regret any inconvenience this error may have caused. 28 The Gelator Pegasi Coins Classical Greek, Greek Imperial, Roman, Byzantine, Medieval Coins and Antiquities Numismatic Literature Fixed Price Lists Auctions Free sample catalog upon request We maintain one of the most active publishing and show schedules Send us your want list for our prompt attention "Quality Coins for Discriminating Collectors" Subscriptions arc available LO our publications: $30 in the US and $45 for foreign addresses. Subscription includes our quarterly fixed price lists, auctions. and supplements on Medieval coins, antiquities, and books Pegasi Coins P.o. Box 4207, Ann Arbor, MI 48106 --=-=-=-=-=-=-=-_Visa & MasterCard Postpaid. IS-day relum period...... =-Phone: (313) 434-3856 May1992 29 Markings indicate the denominations of Byzantine minor coins by Stewart J. Wesldal During the Rornnn Republic one mediate silver coins - the miliarcnse conditions. However, changing eco could determine the dcnorninntion of a and/orsiliqua - wcrc issucdonly occa nomic conditions brought an end to most copper or bronze coin by the mark of sionally and in limited quantities; the of the coinage of pieces less than a follis value il carried, being " I" foran As, "5" solidus was worth 12 miliarense or 24 by the end of the 7th century. for a semis, ...... " a tdens, " ... " a quad- si liqua, and these, in turn, wcre worth rans, " .. " a sextans, and"." farlhe uncia. 600 and 300 nummi. As can be seen, This practice was not continued into the there cou ld be major difficulties in rna k coinage of Ihe Roman emperors until ing change for a gold coin, even ifsilver rcimroduccd by Anaslasius I (49 J -518); coins were more common! then, it remained a part of the minor In A. D. 498, Annstnsius I instituted a coinage for about 400 years, although reform of the coinage of the empire, on only a limited basis If you aren't seeing this symbol on catalogues you are currently receiving Three• numm i coins were struck at Alexandria, Carthage, and Thessalonika; this coin, marked with a "r', was issued at Alexandria under Heraclius (610- 641). Another of the local issues of Thessalonika is the 4 nummi, marked " b.", issued only during the time of Justinian I. Fivc nummi pieces were issued at most of the mints of the empire, ranging from 4 under Anastasius to 15 under Write for our membership list Justinian I. In those arcas of the empire where Greek was thc commonly spoken Jean-Paul Dive language, Greek numeral letters were Secretary, I.A.P.N. used to indicate denominations, usua!1y "E", but occasionally with a tener re Liiwenstrasse, 65 sembling a combination of a " U" and CH-8001 Zurich, Switzerland "Y"; Roman numerals were found on most of the coins minted in the western 30 The Gelator part of the empire, "V" being used for the 5 nummi. The coins with the "E" were struck at Thessalonika under Justinian 1, the "U/Y" al Constantinople under Tiberius II (578-582), and the "V" comes from an uncertain Italian mint under Justinian 1. Twenty nummi coins were widely issued with "K" used to indicate the denomination in the east, "XX" in the nummi) which doesn't fit your ordinary west, although the Roman l1umera Is a Iso multiples; this coin was issued only appear at some of the eastern mints as during the reign of Justi nian I. well. Both of these coins were struck during the reign of Maurice Tibcrius A 6 nummi coin bearing an "S" to (582-602), the first being from indicate value was struck and used in Constantinople, the second from Alexandria,and the mint ofThessalonika Antioch. issued the coin with the "H", an 8 nummi. Both of these local coins were issued under Justinian I. As mentioned earlier, 10 /luJllmi coins were regular issues at most of the mints of the empire, and had several denominational markings, notably "1" Coins of30nummi which were struck for an eastern issue (in this case, at Constantinople bear "A" to indicate Antioch), with those from the west value, while other mints which slruck bearing "V V" for two fives (issued at this denomination used "XXX". The Carthage), and "X" from the mint of first is from the time of Herac1ius, the Rome. The coins from Antioch and latter from Nicomedia and issued under Rome were isslled by Justinian I, the Tiberius II. The follis, or 40 numm1, waS the one from Carthage under Constans II The largest of the unusual, local largest of the Byzantine AE coins. As a (641-688). coinage of Alexandria is the 33 !lummi, denomination, it was struck well into bearing "Ar" 10 show its value. The the eleventh century, although the reason for this denomi nation is sti II de markings indiCali ng "40" were dropped bated; its value was 2-3/4 times Ihat of 200 years earlier. As with the other AE the "workhorse" 12 nllmmi (12,6,and 3 coins of Ihis era, a Greek numeral sys- STEPHEN M. HUSTON Crass ica['JI./jwlis ma tis t Another local issue from Alexandria Pust OrFice Box 193(,2\ was the 12 nummi, with "IB" indicating San Francisco, C,\ 941 19_)(j21 USA the value; this coin was the pri mary AE issue of the Alexandria mint during this ·415· 7iH-75HO· lime. The next coin is the 16 nummi from Thessalonika, marked "IS". This {[{u.flraltd Cata[ogu(J {slued'l{rgu[arly coin, with the 2, 4, and 8 nummi noted above, was issued only briefly under Ot"t"ICH OI'U< BY ApPOI.~TME~· T O.~I.Y S82 MAkkET STkEET ' SA>! FkA~CISCO Justinian,and was soon supplallled with the more universal 5, 10, and 20 nummi coins. May 1992 31 tem appears on most of the issues from Fine Roman Coins' Reasonable Prices the east, in this case "M". However, we have two different types - one with straight sides and angular lOps, the other with rounded tops (this one is referred to as a "Lombardic" M). The coin with the angular "M" is from Constantinople, ~T£RLON and issued under Anastasius I, the other Ancietlt N~mismatic5JI1C. is from Nicomedia, and issued under Tiberius I I. The third follis with a Greek wrtIP {eft< numeral bears "H" as a sign of value, Caet or fr free ria- which is a bil different. Earlier there was another coin wi th this same nu Jerry Mason 575 Pelham Road. NE meral, and that was an 8 nummi, right? 404'872-4510 Atlanta, (ieorgia 30324 Well, Ihis last piece is a follis from Chersoll, where the local coins were computed in terms of5 nummi coins; in other words, a coin worth 8 pentanummi coins was a fo llis. This particular coin ANNOUNCING was issued under Justin II (565-578). The N.Y. Spring International aT the Roosevelt Hotel (Madison & 45th) ill fhe Terrace Roolll (all easy walk/rom Grand Cel1fral) June 25-27,1992 , 8holll HOllrs: Thurs. Noon - tpm (dealers at 80/11) Fri. IO- 7plII, Sar. lO-6plII, No sliow 011 Sunday. Featuring i Numismatic Fine Arts will be previewing their ANA Public ! Auction Sale of fine ancients to be sold in Orlando in August. I The Roman numeral "XXXX" ap Classical Numismatic* G roup* will* be* holding * a public auction in pears on a follis from Cyzicus under conjunction with the show. It will consist of over 700 lots, and will Focas (602-610). As can be noted from the next coin, it is possible to find coins take place on June 26th, 6 pm, at the Roosevelt Hotel. which have their denominations in both * * * the Greek and Roman numerals, thanks The show is open to the public* - Free* admission (with the tooverstrikings by later emperors. This follis waS initially issued by Focas at showing of a positive 1. 0.) & will be strictly a non-smoking show. Nicomedia and marked "XXXX", later being overstruck during the reign of There will be approximately* * * 60 *tables * featuring ancient, Heracliusatthemint of Constantinople, which marked it with an "M". Other med ieval, & modern foreig n coins & paper money shown by combinations exist, and these can add many of the most pre-eminent dealers in the world. interest to a collection which shows the denominational markings of early Byz Super Feature Bonus antine AE coins. Through a special arrangement with the Roosevelt Hotel, I alii assistillg in a survey of Byzantine 4 we can offer $99 per night rooms to all dealers with tables, I1Ilfllllli coins; if you have aile of these, non-table holding dealers and collectors who desire these rooms. please send me a photo of the obverse and reverse; your cooperation will be appreci For reservations call (212) 661-9600. ated. Stewart Westdal. P.D. Box 80042. San Diego. CA 92138. An officially sponsored & sanctioned show of the N. Y. International Bibliogrnphy: For further information. contact Bourse Chairman Berk, Harlan J., Eastern Ramal! Successors of the Sestertius, lSI Edition, 1987. Scar, David R., Roman Coins and Their 'D1 . dfwofd cR. d)adow Valtles. 4th Edition, 1988. Sear, David R., Bywntine Coins and Their P.O. Box 374, South Orange, NJ 07079 Values, 2nd Edition, 1987. Phone: (201) 761-0634 Fax: (201) 761-8406 Whilling, P.O., Byz.antine Coins. 1st Edi- lion, 1973. !!iI 32 The Gelator ~~,,~~, Book News ., ~ ... " ,..... '; \- ,.~:~, '; -""":;:., IAPN to award 11th Book Prize ...... ~'"'" The International Association of Kalolingerzeit bis zum Ende der Salier Professional Numismatists (JAPN) will (CA. 900 bis 1125), Sigmaringen. be holding its annual General Assembly Lukanc, I., Dioe/atianus der in Stockholm Sweden, from June 4th to Roemische Kaiser aus Dalmatien, ANCIENT 8th. The 11th IAPN Book Prize will be Wetteren. awarded at the assembly. Price, M., The Coinage in the Name Candidate publications are: of Alexander the Great and Philip GREEK and Bowers, 0.0., The American Arrhidaeus, Zurich - London. Numismatic Association Centennial Rizzolli, H., Meunzgeschichte des History, Colorado Springs. Alttirolischen Raumes im Mirrelalter und Bowers, 0.0., Commemorative Corpus Nummorum Tirolensium COINS Coins of the United States: A Complete Mediaevalium, Bolzano-Bozen. Encyclopedia, Wolfeboro. More information about the IAPN Gill, D., The Coinage of Ethiopia, Book Pri ze may be obtained by writing AND Eritrea, and Italian Somaliland. to Gianni Paoletti, Chairman, at P.O. Kluge, B., Deutsche Muenz· Box 560,1 ·34121 Trieste, Via Roma 3 & geschichte von der Spaeten 22C, Italy. BOOKS ABOUT THEM lAP Summer Schools held in U.S . and Europe The International Academic Projects Ceramics" July 13-17; and Summer Schools are offering several "Metallography of Ancient Metals" on short courses and distance learning July 13-17. programs for 1992. Other interesting topics will be Summer Schools scheduled in the covered in various cities throughout Fixed price catalogs United States include "Ancient Europe, such as: "HighQualityAeplicas Goldwork" in New York, July20-24, and of Museum Objects" in Copenhagen of top quality coins. ~Museum Lighting For Exhibit June 29 to July 3; "Iron Smelting and Designers" in New York, October 19- Smithing" in Warsaw July 27-August 5; Buy-b i d mail auc 22. "Restoration of Glazed Pottery and A wide selection of courses will be Porcelain" in Lisbon July 20-24; and tions of coins and held in London. A selection of these "Surveying of Archaeological Sites" in books. includes: "Ancient Food and Cookery Sussex July 20-24. Methods" on July 6-10; "Bookbinding For brochures or information about Structures & Bookbinding~ on July 13- one of the Summer Schools contact Lists of basic, ad 17; ~Drawing Archaeological Finds", on James Black, Coordinator, Summer vanced, and rare, out July 20-24; "Early Printing" on July 20- Schools, 31-34GordonSquare, London 24: "Gilding", also July 20-24: WC1H OPY England; phone (071) 387 of-print books. "Restoration of Archaeological 9651 or FAX (071) 383 2572. Free Sample Catalogs Ancient Coins THOMAS p, MCKENNA Mail Bid Sales Fixed Price Lists P.O. Box 1356-K • Buy or Bid Sales Fort Collins, CO 80522 • Numismatic Literature 303-226-5704 Specializing in moderate priced Judaean coins (serious want-lists solicited) William M . Rosenblum /rare coins p.o. box 355-CE, everg reen, colo. 80439 303-838-4831 May 1992 33 Antiquities Islamic pottery exhibits fine craftsmanship by David Liebert During the Middle Ages, the glazed They cre"ted a distinctive style which, mosque might have a few silver or gold pottery of the Islamic cast, stretching although innuenced by many varied utensils, but the main decoration was from Egypt 10 Central Asia, was nOl cultures ranging from antiquity to its likely to be glazed tile. In fact, some of only highly prized in ils own area, but Asian contempor"ries, nevertheless the finest examples of glazed tiles known was greatl y treasured in Europe as well. managed to attain an original character come from these very sources, and afe Even ill tIle Far East, where the produc all ilsown. highly prized by museums and collec tion of finc porcelain was a high art in With the spread of Islam in the sev tors alike. China and Japan, examples of exponcd enth and eighth centuries many Because the decoration of utilitarian Islamic wares have been found. In facl, traditional arts fell into decline, both pottery was basically a secular art, the there was a popular if rather slow trade due to a sense of iconoclasm and a potter was able to give the vessels any in glazed pottery and other precious certain theological opposition to the type decorative scheme his imagination and commodities both ways, as the reponed of luxury rampant in the Byzantine world technical skill could devise. This might exploits of traders such as Marco Polo manifest in traditional statements such include the intricate geometric designs and modern archaeological excavations as "He who drinks from gold and silver bcloved of Islamic culture, or various attest. It is along the fabled caravnl1 drinks the fi re of hell. " This is not to say scenes of anim2.l, courtly, or daily life routcsofMoslcm Central Asia Ihal some that the early Islamic rulers and nobility depicted in realistic detail reminiscent of the finest examples of this type of led a Spartan existence. In fact, the of miniature painting and book illumi pottery are found. court of the Medieval c"liph was justly nation. Such painting waS among the Although never "chieving the per famed for its opulence. most popular of arts in the Medieval fection of sh"pe and glaze found in It did m"nifest itself in " renewed period, so this should not surprise us. Chinese porcelain, the pOllers of the emphasis on fine pottery as a more ac Even a simple inscription such as Islamic world were "blc to combine ceptable substitute for silver and gold ··Blessing to the owner" could be trans great technical competence with a ro vessseis. Where a Mediev,,1 church formed through fine calligraphy and bust pursuit of decorative omament"tion. might be covered in gilding, a Medieval artistic use of glaze into a true work of art. So overwhelming is the impact of such decoration that at first the viewer The Time Machine Company may be unaware of the actual shape of the vessel, as finely potted as it may be. is a/ways eager /0 aid beginning collectors with moderately priced coins and antiquities. Call Oavid Liebert direct to discuss your interests and needs. Indeed, the limited space available to the pottery artist often worked to the artists' advantage, eliminating the dan AE antoninianii, ger of repetitive design so often si lver wash, mostly intact. encountered in other forms of Medieval We have a small art. group, mostly of From its simple beginnings in the Gallienus, with some seventh and eighth centuries A.D. , which of his wife Salonina, were characterized by elegant molded averaging Fine condition. decoration, toits height in the twelfth 10 fourteenth centuries A.D., in which lus Many different reverses. ter ware "pproached the sophistication $6.50 each of the finest Chinese porcelains despite the limitations of the local clays, Is or 5 for $25 lamic glazed ponery remains to this day one of the great treasures of Medieval as they come art. ~ while supply lasts. We have many more interesting antiquities and ancient coins in stock. If you are not on our mailing fist, you are missing some of the best buys in The advertisers on these ancient art. Send for your free catafog today. For more information contact: pages support your The Time Machine Co. journal. Support them P.O. Box 282, Flushing Station, and say you saw it in Queens, NY 11367 (71 B) 544-270B 'The Ce£ator 34 The Gelalor Rare Judaean coins featured in THE SWISS NUMISMATIC SOCIETY Founded in 1879 Superior auction At the forefront of scientific and historical research for over one hundred years. the Swiss Numismotic Society has established a wOfld-wide reputation by its work w ith Superior Galleries will be conducting leoding scholars, collectors and deolers d iffused through its well known Revue and a multi-session public auction of ancient Gazette journals with articles in foul languages, together with numerous monogrophs and world coins. The sale is set for May and specia l publications in such series os Typos and the Cotologues of Swiss Coins, 31 - June 2, and will be held at the firm's The Society itself owes its inception in 1879 to the pioneering spirit of Dr. Charles gallery in Beverly Hills. Fron<;ois Trachsel. jts founder and first p resident but the Swiss numismatic tradition Ancient coinage is highlighted by an goes back to the earliest doys of coin collecting in the late 15th century when important collection of Jewish coins, connoisseurs li ke the Amerboch family of Basel, inspired by Renaissance humanists including numerous coins of the Jewish such as Erasmus of Rotterdam then res iding in the city, established important cabinets. War and the Bar Kokhba War, medieval The Society continued from the old century under the guidance at Eugene Demole and Paul Stroehlin. while the new was presided over by eminent scholars such as coins with Hebrew legends, and an Dietrich Schwarz and Colin Martin. interesting group of Jewish-related Th e Swiss Numismatic Society remains today at the service 01 the international British tokens. Notable among these numismatic community. dedicated as it is to the furtherance 01 the knowledge 01 issues are a rare year 3 denarius and a those small but invaluable witnesses 01 art and histOl")'. the coins of Greece. Rome. year 3 tetradrachm of the Bar Kokhba Byzantium, the Orient. the m i dd~ ages. the modern period and Switzerland itself. War, as well as a Judaea Capta By joining this leading society you will be able to participate direclly in numismatic sestertius of Vespasian. research a nd moreover b e e ligible to receive the annual Revue and the quarterly Also featured is a selection of 3,542 Gazette. as well as members' d iscounts on most special publications. pillar dollars, dated from 1732 to 1744, Applications for membership in the Society are welcome from a ll w ith on interest in which were recovered from the wreck of ancient and modern numismatics. the Dutch East India trader Reijgersdaal The membership fee is Sfr 100 per year (Sfr 50 for members under 25) and Sfr 2000 fOf off the coast of South Africa. Numerous life membership. or a sponsoring membership from Sfr 250 per year. Make checks errors and varieties of these types wi ll payable to Swiss Numismatic Society. Credit Swiss Bonk, Berne. Switzerland. olc 0094- be offered. The sale concludes with a 100849-41. varied selection of world coinage. For information or auction catalogs, SWISS NUMISMATIC SOCIETY contact Superior Galleries at 9478 West c/o Itala Vecchi Olympic Boulevard, Beverly HillS, CA Niederdarfstrasse 43, CH-8001 Zurich 90212, or call (800) 421-0754. J{armer 2\go/(f (ja[[eries 'Es ta6[is fiea 1905 presents Ylbsentee Yluction 47 C{asing: June 1992 Featuring A Quality Selection of Classical Alltiquities from Egypt, Greece, Romc, and th e Ancienl Near East; Prc-ColumhiQ/! Art; Ellllwgraphic Art; Ori enral Antiques. Also: Early American BOlfles, Glass Gild Importal1t Americana Upcoming ill Fall: The Dr. Georgearll1o H. Greer Colleetioll of Important A mericQn Stoneware Harmer Rooke Galleries, 3 East 57th St., New York, NY 10022 ·Call: 212-751-1900 . FAX 212-758-1713 May1992 35 Two methods Cataloging an ancient coin collection by Warrell W. Esty alld Marvill Tameallko Esty Method and condition yields knowledge about years, and I have found my cataloging Collecting allcicl1I coins is a highly value. method very satisfactory. It is conve· rewarding hobby. For many of us, the Most books on ancient coins can be nient, informative, thorough, and fun. greatest reward is the plcnsi1!l( 1imc spent read again and again, because we see the The point is to have a handy way to assembling knowledge so we can belleT pages with different eyes as our knowl access everything relevant about the appreciate the coins we already l!lIve, as edge grows and our wants evolve. If coin, short of having the coin itself at well as thoroughly prepnre 10 acquire you acquire, or plan to acquire, a coin of home. I use 5 by 8 cards lined on both more. Of course, it is essential that a Aurelian, your interest in references to sides for my "coin cards". All the basic hobby take time, because time is what his coin reform of A.D. 274 will in catalog infortnation is on the front, in· we may spend happily and freely. This crease. The meaning of the enigmatic eluding photographs of the obverse and article represents 11 way to record the "XXI" on the reverse will pique your reverse, and the back is used for notes knowledge we accumu1:ltc during the curiosity. Your awareness of his vari on value, as well as miscellaneous com· time we devote to Ollr hobby. ous portrait styles will sharpen. No ments. Occasionally, historical notes In his admirable series of an icles on mailer how many times you have stud on the from spill over 01110 the back. reference works published ill this jour ied your books, catalogs, and old price The pictured card for a Roman Impe [wi, Dennis Kroh has pointed oul that lists, they must come off the shelf again rial denarius of Trajan displays the you should spend a good percentage of for a thorough rereading of the parts format I use. Reading down the left, the your hobby mOlley on books - and then about Aurelian, and a search for pic information is: emperor, reign, date of read them. They help make the coins tures of his coins. strike, mint, obverse legend, obverse come alive. They connect the coins to When you finally acquire that coin Iype, reverse legend, reverse type, ref· the historical limes in which they were of Aureiian, you may wish to preserve erences, and purchase information. produced, coveted, earned, handled, the relevant information you have llS Down th e middle is: acquisition num· read, spent, and los\. Furthermore, sembled. In this artiele I will explain ber, metal, and diameter in millimeters, learning about historica I int erest, rarity, how I do it. I have been collecting for 20 dcnominalion, die axis, and weight. Down the right are the photographs and comments. For this journal I used a black and white photograph thaI is c.J. Martin (Coins) Ltd somewhat larger than the color photo· graphs I usually use. My 5 by 8 cards are kept in 5 by 8 file of London, England. drawers. They are organized chrono· logically by emperor, as in Sear'sRoman Our current 24 page Coins and Their Values. When seated at catalogue contains my desk, I have my reference works on shelves within reach to my left, and be· about 500 Greek hind me, and close to my right hand, is and Roman Cains. the 5 by 8 file. There is no computer to turn on - no database to enter. I once 200 English wrote a database program to record my Hammered coins, but it was so impersonal and in and a wide convenient that I abandoned it. My cards can be handled, and the physical touch range of pleases like touching the coins them· antiquities. selves. Computers are supposed to be good for making revisions, but, if I find a coin card needs to be completely revised C.J. Martin (Coins) Ltd (which hardly ever happens), I enjoy the 85, The Vale, Southgate, process of rewriting a complete card by hand, transferring the photos, and dis· N14 GAT, London England carding the old card. The efficiency of a Established 20 years computer is not required to enjoy coins. Here is a list of the categories of Tel: (0)818821509 Fax: (0)818865235 relevant information I recommend you Telephone Visa (. MastercIHds accepted consider recording - whether or not OUR CATALOGUES INCLUDE ANCIENT GREEK BRONZE, GREEK SilVER, you use 5 by 8 cards. During my first ROMAN SILVER [, BRONZE, BYANTINE, CELTIC, ANGLO SAXON, NORMAN, five years of collecting, I kept adding HAM,..'ERED MEDIEVAL, ANCIENT ARTIFACTS, HOARDS [, SPECIAL OFFERS more "relevant" categories. Now I have had a stable list for about 15 years. 36 The Celator About the purchase: From whom, catalog number and date, lot number, their coin~condition description, any pedigree listed, cost, and location of purchase if at a show or store and nOi from a mail-order list. Receipts,checks, etc. are not kepi in the same file [ am discussing now. About the coin type: Emperor, dates of reign (as Caesar and as Augustus), dale of strike, and the source for thai . 1 information (e.g. "BMC" for British Museum Catalog), and mint. Metal, diameter, denomination, die axis, weight in grams. A unique acquisition number : 1 iii (I use the year and sequence number, e.g. coin 91.4 would be the fourth coin added to the collection in 199 1). Coin description as in the major catalogs: obvcrse legend and bust type, reverse legend and type, including mint marks of any kind. References to the usual catalogs, beginning with Scar's Roman record the weight to the nearest hun ground. I take the pictures in brigh t CoinsQnd Their Values. RIC and BMC dredthofa gram, as istypical in museum sunlight, with the sun about 10:30 high numbers, dates, comments, pages, plates, catalogs. in the sky from an angle of about 10:30 and their rarity statements. If un listed, To photograph coins 1 usc a 35mm behind the bust. 1 adjust the initial the catalog is followed by "~" (e.g. "S SLR camcra, diopter lens, and a copy exposure using a "gray card", and let - " means unlisted in Sear). References stand. By focusing as close as myoid commercial processors do the rest. I to any scholarly articles I have come Nikon can with a +4 diopter lens, I get know that there are more sophisticated across memioning the type. Citations of about a 20% enlargement with 3 by 5 ways to photograph coins, but mine mentions in general works on ancient color prints. I use regular color film works well and is simple. I get at least coins. (200 ASA will do) and a black back- six coins to a photograph, and can get A bout the (retail) value: ReferenceS to fixed-price-list and auction appear ances of similar coins, with the price and a rough estimate of relative value and condition. Occasional dated value estimates. AbDul the appearance and cOndi tion: Color photographs (somewhat enlarged) of both sides. Occasional appended commems about patina or other remarkable features. Of course, you may wish to alter this list to suit your own desires. Here arc a f~w details about filling in this informa tion. Determine the die axis by holding Jean ELSEN, S.3. the coin so the obverse is upright be tween your thumb and index finger of your left hand at 6:00 and 12:00. Now . Public Auctions rotate it between your fingers 10 see Ihe reverse. An arrow pointing to the top of Num ismatic Lite rature the reverse design records the die axis. Sometimes this axis is given by its posi Monthly Illustrated Fixed Price Lists tion on a clock face. For example, an arrow pointing down records a "6:00 Ancient. Medieval. Isla mic and Modern Coins o'clock" die axis, which means that the reverse is upside down when the ob verse is upright (as is the case for U.S. Avenue de Tervueren 65 coins). 1040 BRUSSELS-BELGIUM An inexpensive powder scale (used by shooters for reloading) can be used to Tel : 011-322-734-6356 determine weights. Mine is calibrated Fax : 011-322-735-7778 toO. I grains, which can be converted to grams using 15.432 grains per gram. 1 May 1992 37 morc with small picccs. By spacing thc I already have. I put the coin photo mongradingscale would or should work. coinscvenly in thc photograph, I cancu! graphs, as i f thcy were stamps, in stamp My opinion changed from year to year, thc prims imo sma 11 rcctanglcs, and thcn stock shects with clear plastic pockcts. especially as I worked my way up to fllbbcr cemcllt the obverscs and reverses The slOck sheets fit into a three-ring ward buying higher grade coins. Coins 01110 the coin cards side-by-side. I re binder that [ can carry in a briefcase. 1 had previously thought of as high grade quest double prints; one obverse-reverse I do record thc grades assigncd by became less so in my mind. I finally pair goes on the 5 by 8 card and the other dealers to coins I buy, but I do not put realized that, in ancients, you buy the in a photo-only file. The negatives go much weight on those grades. I have coin, not the grade. Two"VF+" coins of illto the bank. seen instances when the same coin was the same type can be vastly different, My photo-only file received many offered twice at different grades. For for reasons I will not go into here. Yes, compliments at the Chicago ANA last example, at "aVF' from one dealer and condition is very important, but when summer - no onc who saw it had scen "aEF" from another. I no longer even you have the coin and a color photo onc llscd beforc. 1 carried along photo try to assign my coins a grade. In my graph of it, you don't also need a leller graphs of my collection, so 1 could casily first years as a collector I did, and I spent grade to tell you what to think about the check the types and conditions of coins a lot of lime thinking about how a com- coin. It is interesting to see offered for sale another coin similar to one you have. I record such instances on the back of the Three of over 400 coins in the cur rent 5 by 8 card. I give the dealer, list,date, price, and fl crude comparison wi th the Classical Numismatic Review value of my piece. For example, in my Incorporating notation, "Empire list 58 7/91, lot 33, Seaby Coin & Medal Bulletin $100 =}=" would mean that both sides of my piece are about equal in value to those of a similar type offered by Em pire for $ J 00 in list 58 issued in July '91. As another example, "$100 '2/> would mean that their piece had a somewhat beller (""2) obverse and a substantially beller (» reverse. So my coin would retail for well below $100. If 1 am able to accumulate a series of consistent price comparisons, 1 occasionally hazard a dated guess at an estimated retail price. Of course, I file all the old price lists 1 ANCIENT· BRITISH· MEDIEVAL COINS receive, so I am able to look upany cited NU MISMATIC LITERATURE coin. This system is only my own; I cannot say if anyone else would want to BUYING· SELLING • AUCTIONS use it. QUARTERLY FIXED PRICE LIST Occasionally coins come with infor mative flip inserts which you will want to keep. These I lightly affi x to the backs of the coin cards. I also use different 5 by 8 cards to record all my transactions in chrono logical order. These"transaction" cards have four columns, three narrow col umns forthe date, price, and dealer, and one wide column to describe the trans action, which maybejustanabbreviated description of a coin and its acquisition number. Each coin requiresonlyasingle line. On the cards I also record all coin Complimentary sample copy on request related expenses, down to the cost of postage and long-distance phone calls. CLASSICAL NUMISMATIC GROUP, INC. On these cards coins which were bought together are listed together, whereas the Post Office Box 245 individual coin cards are organized by Quarryville, Pennsylvania 17566-0245 cmperor. (717) 786-4013 Thcre are many other uses of 5 by 8 Fax (717) 786-7954 cards for note-!akingabout ancient coins, _.. but 1 leave them to your imagination. Years ago, 5 by 8 cards were useful for Sixteen years of service to the collector. collecling and organizing information. In the modern high-tech world they still serve. -+ 38 The Gelator Tameanko Method tute reference for coins which are kept Republic, Greece, Athens, Judaea , One of the fringe benefits of collect in safety deposi t boxes, and fo r prcpnra Carthage, Part hi n, or Syria. ing ancient coins is the opportunity for lion of sale or want li sts. The grentest collectors to expand their knowledge benefit is that a catalog contains all the 3 Denomillation/Metal: In this head and interests into related areas, such as information about your co!!ection in a ing, the coin's denominat ion and history, archaeology, mythology, art, very compact and readily accessible metal are recorded. Abbreviations and economics. This normally happens formal. are used for the metals, such as AE when the collector assembles a great The most relevant information about for copper or bronze, 8IL for billon, dea 1of supplementary infonnation about the coin becomes the category headings AR for silver, and AU for gold. Ilis coins, farin excess of what is needed on theca rd. These headings takeup one to attribute thcm. The systematic orga line on the card, and arc numbered in a 4 Ruler: The name of the rul er, mag nization and study of this additional logical sequence for reference purposes. ist rate, moneyer, or aut hori ty stri king data opcns thc doors to ncw knowledge The collector can select the headings the coin is recorded on this line. and Ihe leaming of news kills. In effect, and arrnnge them in any order that suits it becomes a complete educntionnl ex his purposes. For example, a suggested 5 Dafeojthe Coin: Some coins can be perience. Perhaps this is the rcal system may use the following ten head dated to the year of striking, other difference between a coin collector and ings: wise the term inal dates of the ruler a numismatist. A collector possesses are given. coins for their intrinsic value, a numis The NU/Ilberojthe Coil/: Each coin matist collects coins for their educational is given a number. This can be 6 Description of the Obverse: The value. considered to be the acq ui sition coin'sobverse is descri bed, using all We a 11 ha ve read about the collector number, and is stated in a four num the standard numismatic abbrevia who keeps his coins loosely in an old bercode. Using four numbers means tions, and the inscription or legend is cigar box under his bcd, and we have that the catnlog can contain up to recorded. scen the coin envelopes, two-by-twos, 9,999 coins. The first coins of the and round tickets with infonnation about collection arc 000 1,0002, and so on. 7 Description of the Reverse: This 111e coin scribbled on them in a writing hea ding records the details of the no one can decipher. But those days are 2 Country/City-State: The second reverse of the coin. long gone. Today, most coins are kept heading records the country or city in safes or bnnk safcty deposit boxes, in which the coin was struck. This 8 Conditio" of the Coin: Under this and to record the information about their would be ~ilIch names as Roman heading, give the condition, using coins, most collectors make up a cata Empire, An tioch, Syracuse, Roman the numismatic abbreviat ions for log. Any collector with more than 20 coins in his collection should seriously consider cataloging them. This sounds like a dreary task, but it Are you interested in can be a very illuminating experience. Cata Iogi ng gi ves t hc collector the chance CHOICE WORLD COINS? to study the coin in depth, research its references, confirm its condition and You should be receivi ng our publications naws, and describe the historical events surrounding it. Some very famous coin MORE THAN THREE collectors have said they were more MAIL BID CATALOGUES ANNUALLY excited by cntaloging a coin than they were about finding and purchasing it. These coin catalogs may be manual Featuring RARE and CHOtCE gold and si lver coins of types, or they can be prepared on a the world as well as ancient COinage and world paper computer. Sometimes both are used so that the manual system remains as a money. A sample catalogue is $15.00 postpaid. backup, in case the computer records nre fnulty or fail In cludes Prices Realized For ordinary collectors, a mnnual system llsing three inch by five inch An an nu al subscription is also available. The cost is $45 catalog cardscan be very effective. This method is adapted from the commonly within the U.S. and $60 outside the U.S. used library or muscum catalog card system. One hundred cards anda plastic or metal card file box can be purchased Ponterio & Associates, Inc. at a stationery store for only a few dol 1818 Robinson Ave. lars. The cards can be typed or hand lel\ered, or written to suit the style and ~ " ."":;~ San Diego, CA 92103 ability of the collector. .. !~_ ~~, I,'~'~' 1·800-854-2888 or 619-299·0400 Such a ca talog is extremely useful. ~ ~ Licellsed Auctioll CompallY #968 It is a complete record of your coins, P.N.C. #308 Richard H. Ponterio - President L. M. #2163 which can be consulted for insurance purposes, for evaluations, as a substi- May 1992 39 coin, and the events portrayed on the 1 . COIN NUMBER ILLUSTRATIONS reverse, weight of the coin, if it came from some famous collection, auction 2. COUNTRY I CITY-STATE catalogs of the coin, provenance if from a hoard or find, and any other peninent 3. DE NOMI NATI ON I METAL ( comments. rC:) t 4. RU LER III ustrati ons rna ke he card extremely "- useful, particularly if the actual coin is 5. DATE OF COIN OBVER SE REVER SE kept in a safety deposit box. Photo graphs, even Polaroids, are the best 6. DESCRIPTION OF OBVE RSE method of illustration, but if this is be yond your means, there are several 7. DESC RIPTION OF REVE RSE acceptable substitutes. The old-fash 8. CO NDI TI ON OF COIN ioned pencil rubbing can be excellent. Place thin paper, tracing paper is best, 9. DATE PURCHAS ED - SOURCE I DEALER - PRICE PAI D over the coin and rub over the features with the fla t of a medium grade pencil. 1 O. REFERENCES FOR THE COIN HB grade will do. Then cut out the mbbings and glue them to the card. Write comments on the back of the card. Expand your artistic skills by attempt ing a line drawing of the coin. Use the pencil rubbing as a base drawing, place Fine - F, Ex tremely Fine - EF, 10 Coill References: This line gives al l a piece of tracing paper over it, and copy CIC. Also under this heading, record the reference numbers for the coin or draw over the outlines with a pen or May 1992 41 Who 's 011 First? Hypothetical history: Scrabble of the ancient world by Tertius Clu/lldler I prescnt the case for have been ascnvoytobring the first coin having been in these allies. made tocclcbr:ll c Ihe relief Scnnachcrib, however, o f Je ru salem from approached Jerusalem the Sen na chcrib 's siege in 70 1 second time with an army B.C. of 185,000. This slightl y al11cdatcs What happened next is lIlt! usual allribuliOll of the an enigma. The Bible re first coinage to Gygcs of ports the whole army was Lydia, wllO rul ed 6R7-652 killed off by a plague in H.C. one night. But even fierce Saving Je rusale m was pestilences didn't kill that no small InHtte r. [1 W:1S fast. It is a fair guess [hOlt then one of Ihe world's some unexpected foe fell dozen or so I:Hgcsl c ili es. Coin found in France - notice the star of Solomon. on the Assyrians by night. And its fnilh, Judnism, was Elamites or Shebans, already strikingly unlike approaching overland by any olher, wilh heavy siress on elhics sieged Jerusalem the firsllime, several slow stages, could hardly have achieved and a cold rejection o f:1l1 other frli lhs. nations look up arms agai nst Assyria, such a s urprise. But men of "the isles", COlllc rn porarics clc:uly preferred it to thus relieving pressure on the linle Jew approaching from the coast, which by the cruel ways of A ssy ria. So when ish kingdom. These brave nations were horse and chariol is scarcely a day's Assyrian king Scnnachcrib, following El am, Sheb.1 (A rabia), and "Ihe isles". march away from Jerusalem, might do Ill' ea rli er Assyrian nggrcss;ons, bc- Isaiah's three years of travel seem to so. They could hit the Assyrians in the No Need For Any FurToer MedITaTion! The BEST standard one-volume catalog of Roman Imperial Coins is ... "THE HANDBOOK OF ROMAN IMPERIAL COINS" ':4 Complele GUIde To The flIslOIy, JYpes And Values Of Roman Imperial Coinage " Highlights or This Major- New Book Include: • 8, 160 coin types and major va rieties are cataloged in attentive detail - to include annotations and notes explaining the Significance of individual designs and legends! • Over 1,000 photographs arc incorporated into the 334 pages of text - no need to nip back to plates! • Eight indepth and informative in troductory chapters provide a detailed reference to the miniS, denominations, designs and types, legends, authorities and history of Roman Imperial coinage. Order Your Copy Today! Only $24.95plus $3 shipping. "The Handbook Of Roman Imperial Coins; A UUl)lVi'II i'IIUMISMA TICS Complete Guide To The History, Types And Values Of 427·3 Amherst Street, Suite 259 Roman Imperial Coinage", David Van Meter (Laurion, 1991),334 pp., 8.5" by 11", 1008 photographs, Nashua, NH 03063 soft ·cover. ISBN 1·878420-06·2, $24.95. 42 The Cela/or rear, slaying many and scattering the then contested with a native line for is known to have spread rather fas t, as rest in headlong nigh!. I suspect that is control of Egypt, and Pompilius, obvi far away as China. It must have pro just what happened. ously from Pamphylia, part of Asia moted business. Between 650 and 430 It was people from the north, the Minor. Such was the deducible ruler B.C. -as I show in my book 4000 Years Gimirri, who had slain the previous who saved Jerusa lem from Sennacherib ofUroonGrowth(Lewiston,NY: Edwin Assyrian king, Sargon, who had over in701 B.C Livygiveshisageatdeath Mellen Press, 1987, pp. 521 and 460-1) thrown the northern Jewish kingdom at as 80, so his birth can be placed at 752 - the number of cities probably over Samaria in 705 B.c. TheGimirri would B.C. 100,000 population increased from 1 to be the Cimmerii, who, with their Scyth At Jerusalem in 701 there must have 71 No comparable rise occurred aga in cOllsins, later lorded over western Asia been great rejoicing. A small round until the Industrial Revolution. from 612 to 585 B.C. The Cimmerii trinket can have been minted as a souve Ciamilos' rescue of Jerusalem proved should, moreover, include the Cimbri of nir of the glorious victory. But its temporary. It fe ll a century later to Denmark and the Cymry of Bri tain, convenience as a medium of exchange Nebuchadnezzar. But his effect on re- where Wales is still called Cymru in its must ha ve speedily brought it illlo use as tail trade has been permanent. local language. The Cimmerian capital currency for buying goods. Use of coins would be Camelot - later Roman Camulodunum, now Colchester in east ern England. The Cimmerii, some in horse-drawn chariots and others on { recently purchased a fascinating group of 4th century ho rseback, would cross Europe and then Roman bronzes that {now offer here for sale. take ship to Asia. The Cimmerian king - for whom They are centenionali and AE3 'sofConstantius II (337-36 1 A. D.) and Constantius the people were called - would be the Gallus (351-354 A. D.). The reverse for all is FEL TEMP REPARATIO, soldier one remembered in Gaul as the war-god spearing fallen horseman. The Scar catalogue numbers arc: Camulus. On coins he is Ciamilos and Constantius 11 Sear 4003· Centenionalis cal. gVF £25 or U.S. $44 Gimilos. Spellings weren't toometicu Sear 4010 . AE 3 cat. gV F £15 or U.S. $26 lous those days. Constantius Gallus Sear 4054, Centenionalis cat. gV F £45 or U.S. $79 When 1'm studying a great man, I like to know just when he lived. For The coins come from 6 different mints: Alexandria - Egypt, Antiochia, Ciamilos there is some data. Constantinople, Cyzicus, Heraciea, and Nicomedia - Tur key, with the following He can be Meles, who ruled Lydia number of ofricinae per min!: twelve years, 706-694 B.C, including Alexandria · 2 officinae Cyzicus - 7 officinae three years spent in "Babylonia", i.e, Antiochia - 12 officinae Heraclea . 3 olficinae likely fighting Assyria. Cia seems a Constantinople ·13 officinae Nicomedia . 7 officinae prefix and just might be shah. Anyway, There is very little die duplication in this group of300 pieces. The differences in Irish tradition re ports a far-ranging war annor, clothes, horse, and positioning of the reverse figures I found to be most rior Miled, who went to Scythia, Egypt, interesting. There is very lill Ie, if any, wear on any of the pieces, although the AE and Crete. Miled could be short for 3's are very crude of planchet. I've broken down the condition of the pieces as Miletus, a west-Asian city that arose to follows, due to the placement of the coins in the hoard and their immediate great prominence at just that time. surroundings: Miletus would be the genitive form of Miles, which is clearly the root of Grade A . light corrosion on both sides Grade B -light corrosion on one side, obverse or reverse, other side glossy Ciamilos' name. He must be Mita, Grade C . no corrosion at aI!, weI! struck, glossy and really very lovely whom the Assyrians fought in Asia Minor in that period. He would then The coins of Cotlstantius Gallus are fewer in number, and tend to be struck on have to be Midas, famous for his wealth, poorer quality planchets than those of Constantius. Prices in U.S. funds for : who dominated much of Asia Minor, Sear #4003 Grade A· $15.95 each or 10 for $125.00 and whose reign has been put , in the Grade B, $29.95 each or 10 for $250.00 Pauly-Wissowa reference work, at 718- Grade C - $85 each 696 B.C Those dates are strikingly Sear #4010 mostly only Grade B · $12.95 each or 10for $99.00 close to t..i vy 's 714-672 S.C for Rome's Sear #4054 Grade A, $19.95 each Grade B . $39.95 each most celebrated early king, Numa Grade C - not qui te the quality of Sear 4003, Pompilius. I venture the claim that this but a few are available at $125.00 each was the same man, Ciamilos, known by two of his foreign contacts: Numa be A choice example of each of tlie 3 pieces is also available at S J 99.00, cause he wou ld fight the Nubians, who Please call if you are interested in studying these pieces in more detail, as we could probably work out a quantity price. For example, in my est imation, for the centenionalis of Constant ius II there are 79 different dies for these pieces! Full money bllck gUllrllnlee if not slltisfied. Writing for The Celator Prices are in U.S. funds payable by cheque or money order. is easy and fun. Don't be afraid Randy W'eir Nu mismatics limited Dealer ill Quality COinso/the Numismatic World, Ancielltand Modern to give it a try! P.O. Box 64595, Unionville, Ontario, Canada L3R OM9 . • (416) 479-9157 May 1992 43 Coins oj the Bible Amphora was used for temple wine libation by David Hel/dil/ fend the local populace, the symbol of Virtually all of the twentieth century DEAR MR. HENDIN: thc amphora reminded the Jews of the writers on the subject agree that the Can you tell me why the Jews during Roman libations of wine poured OUI amphorae shown on the coins of the the Jewish War agninst Rome (A. D. 66- before idols. " Jewish War were vessels used in the 70) used on their bronze coins the image Temple servi ces. of the amphora. 1 find it strange, since Paul Romanoff notes that "From 111e very same amphora is used on at Mishnaic sources we learn that only two least IwO bronze procurator coins of I liquids, water and wine, usuallyrequired Valeri us Gratus, and these designs must covers." (Actually, containers with mi lk hnvc been abhorrent \0 the Jews. What also needed to be covered.) This is of were these vessels used for? interest since the amphora shown on the 'year three' coin is clearly covered. DEAR READER: An interesting question that is not all tlla! ensy to imswer. One pain! is cer tain, however. You are not correCi in observing thai "the very same amphora" is used on b01h the procurator coins nnd thccoinsofthc First Revolt. Look at the drawings that accompany this article nnd you crill sec clear differences be Two coins of Valerius Gratus \wccnlhc vessels 011 the twO procurator show a vessel (WB-amphora, coills and those on the coins of lhe 109-kantharos) on the reverse, second and thi rd year oflhe Jewish War. and a vine leal on the obverse. Evcn lhough the vessels are differ ent, however, there is an intcrcsting pi1rallel between the two coin types. On the other hand, 'TheJewishcoins Both the procurator coins and the Jew of ' year two' and 'year three' depict ish War coins depict a vessel on oneside symbols which may represent the an ami a vine leaf on the other side. Leo titheses of the Roma n designs, " Kndmnn nnd Y n 'a kov Meshorer, among Meshorer notes. 'The amphorae on the Two coins olthe Jewish war show distinctly different 01 hers, conclude that this supports the Jewish issues may symbolize the sacred amphorae. The amphora the sttppositionthat "the amphorae may have libntions of wine made in the Temple. on , 'year three' coin (bottom) has a lid. been llsed for wine libations." The vessels depicted on the coins of the Meshorer notes thai IllC procurator revolt are not copies of the Roman am These coins also have the vine leaf motif on the reverse. coins were widely circuli1led right up phorae; they areJewish i1nd of a diffcrent uillillhe Jewish War begi1n. "Although style than the classical Creco-Roman Ille procurators i11tctnpted 10 mini coins modcls represented on the coinage of In a fascinating 1964 article by E.W. dcpicting designs which would nOI of- Valerius Gratus." Klimowsky, he quotes the Mishna (Sukkah 4, 9-10): "They used to fill a golden flagon holding three logs with water from Siloam. When they reached ANCIENT & the Water Cate, they blew on the shofar MEDIEVAL a sustained, a quavering and another CO IN S, sustained blast. The priest whose turn of duty it was went up the Altar-Ramp BOOKS & and turned to the right where were two ANTIOUITI ES silver bowls . . . They had each a hole like a narrow snout, one wide and the other narrow so that both bowls emptied L.R . LANTZ themselves together ... The bowl tothe west was for water and that to the east CMV NUMISMATICS was for wine ... As was the rite on a weekday so was the rite on a Sabbath, POBOX 1699, ALAMEDA, CA 94501 USA · 5 10769·0 137 save that on the eve of the Sabbath they used to fill wi lh water from Siloam a 44 The Celator golden jar that had not been ha llowed, and put it in a special chamber. Jf it was TRIVIA QUIZ upset or uncovered, they refilled it from the laver, for wine or water which has Th e Greek city of Byzantium was been uncovered is invalid fo rthe Allar." named after its supposed "Here we have ou r vessels," founder, a son of Poseidon. Klimowsky writes. "The big golden What was his name? nagon holding three logs was that with a lid and also the one without it, which (Answer on page 56) is on the coins of the First Jewish \Var." Klimowsky adds Ihal the "natural size of the golden amphora, Ihe Mishna r------, report s that the contents wcre three logs I Clip & Save ~ I ofwalertaken from Siloam. This would be abOut one and a half pinls ... (thUS) the size of the golden amphora was nO( ! . Coi n Fi Ie (!!!!I ! considerable." i ------,' e l992 by David Hcndin Agrippina (Send questions to David HeMin, P.O. AE - Sestertius Box 805, Nyack, NY 10960. Those of general interest will be answered in fu A,D. 37-41 (posthumous) ture articles.) RIC 55 (Gaius) Born in 15 B.C" the daughter of Agrippa and PNG Essay Contest Julia, Agrippina was a sis ter of Calus and Lucius deadline is June 1st Caesars and granddaugh ter of Augustus. She married Germanicus in A.D. 5, and bore nine children, one of The Professional NumismatistsGuild whom became the future emperor Gaius (Caligula), under wh ose authority this coin is holding their annual Essay Contest was struck. She was apparently a virtuous woman, and accompanied her husband for Young Nu mismatists. Essays must on numerous campaigns in Germany. After his death she was a popular fig ure in be on a numismatic subject, never Rome, and aroused the suspicion 01 Tiberius, who had her banished to the island of published before, and written by only Pandataria, where she died th ree years later (A.D. 33) of starvation. The reverse 01 one person. Photos are helpful, but not L this______coin depicts a carpentum drawn by two mules and the inscription MEMO AlAE ~ necessary, and there is no length AGRIPPINAE, a posthumous tribute from her emperor son. requirement. Entrants must be high school age or younger. I r~ et/ll. no direcr COfTe'.'"'" belWHIl "",rice. analysis a r>d m. p/>o{o abo... I Two winners will be selected, and I MARKET CAPSULE I each will receive a scholarship to the American Numismatic Association's Personality Ag rippina Senior Source: I I Denomination Sestertius Summer Seminar Air 1992. I References RIC I, 122, 55/BMC (Calig ula) 81, 861 Cohen 3 Numismatic I transportation will be provided. I Database (sale) appear. 21 (1973- 1991) Archives, I The contest deadline is June 1 st, Ave. Weight 29.04 gms P.o. Box 173, I t Send entries to Harlan J. Berk, 992. I Ave. Cond it ion about Extremely Fine Lill/eton, C0 80J60 PNG Education Chairman, PNG Essay I Ave. Price Realized $6,530 I Contest, 3t N. Clark Street, Chicago,lL I Comments Varieties include six and eight spoked wheels .J 60602. '------ "'illMf 111 I NG5 I REMEMBER WHEN YO U LOOKED AT ME LIK E: THAT. May 1992 45 Reference Reviews The FLAVIAN EMPERORS of Rome (69-96 AD) by Dennis Kroh [y in Europe), evcn though much of its until the mid-1960's. This volume attempts Ther~ Cl r t' 20 fiTMS more referena works and infonnation is now considered obsolete. The to list every known variety of the main alhtr books on Ancient C()ins (lvailable roday numbering system of Cohen was utilized for st ream Roman coinage and contains rarity than just twtruy years ago. Very few numis the "Roman Silver Coins" series though, and scales which are even sometimes accurate. matisl.r know how to utilize thne references, or is also used for lIIa ny others. The coins arc Although showing its age, the listings and tl'(n where /0 slaT! /ooting jar urwin items. conveniently but not very scientifically especially the introductions (by reign) are Many oJ these books art essential for th e arranged alphabctically by reverse legend, still the best available. 568 pagcs, 16 ColltclOf 10 own, OlheT£ wOr/hy oj one reading and then by type, with the "Greck Imperial" dc;::ent plates. Reprints were made in 1948, (and are never again consulud). and some are Coinages (with Latin legends only) included 1968, 1972, 1986 & 1988, with the latter obsolete and ponderous uercises in futility. at the end. Good line·drawings for principal still available for around 575. A total This monthly column explores mosl re!trences types appear throughout, and valuations (in revision of this volume is in preparation, on Ancient Coins (by ciry-slOIt or time per/od), French Francs) arc given for all bUI the but will cutainl}' not see the light of day in and ·.... ill Taft Ihem according to their useful this century (please prove me wrong, Ian). ness, clarity. ilIl J'Lncient (j reei0. 2?jJman & 13yzantine COINS ( Send Today For Free Illllsh·ated List ) TOM CEDERLIND P.o. Box 1963-C, Portland, OR, 97207 (503) 228-2746 46 The Cefalor editions ofBMC 2 are OP and scarce, easily illustrations, eardeover. Now OP, but Vol. 1984 ~ 5, pp. 14-26, with five plates) moves realizing $200 or more when they appear. 1 is only about $25 or so when found. some of the bronzes struck by Titus and Domitian (including "restored" issues) from Hunter I SPECIALIZED WORKS: the mint of Lugd unu m to Bithynia (probably The first of this five-volume set,**** HRoman Nicomedia) in the years 80-82. Imperial Coins in the Hunter Coin Cabinet" Carradice (by Anne S. Robinson, Oxford, 1962), ***111 Coinage and Fillallces ill the Reign oj covers Augustus to Nerva. Mosl of the HCalalog oj Jlldaea Capta Coinage"*** by Dornitiall, A.D. 81-96 by Ian Carradicc coins in this collection (at thc Univcrsity of Howard B. Brin (1986) is the first book to (Oxford, 1978) is an in-depth study resulting focus solely on the issues struck by Rome to Glasgow) are illustrated in the 60 cxcellent in the revised chronological arrangement of commemorate their victories over the Jews. plates, and the 560 pages of text utilize nearly all undated issues. Cardeover 193 [t is fully illustratcd with the pholos adjacent recent research. Concordances arc given to pages, 12 platcs, about $40. Another RI C, BMC, and Cohen, but it lacks bOlh equally enlighteninng article by the same to the text and lists 138 different types. rarity scales and valuations. Never There are co ncordances LO R[C, Cohen, author is "Coinage in Judaea in the Fla~ian reprinted, Volume 1 is now quite rare, and BMC, and Meshorer (for the iss ues struck in Period" (Isracl Numismatic Journal, Vol. 7, Judaea) as well as decent indices . $16. easily commands $250-400 when offered for 1982-3, pp. 14-21, with 3 plates). sale. Highly recommended. Mattingly **'h *** Two articles by Harold Mattingly appearing "Metr%gy oj Ihe Roman Sil~er Coinage, in the Numismatic Chronicle cover interest H Pari I, from Augus/us to Domilian by the ing aspects of this period "TIle Minis of NEXT MONTH: late David R. Walker (Oxford, 1976) is an Vespasian" (1921 NC, pp. 187-225 , with The references for the very popular excellent work that providcs much vital two plates) is a good survey of his reign. coinage of GREEK ITALY will be H infonnation by analyzing the sil ver content "The HReslored Coinage ojTilllS, Domilian examined In detail. of the coinage using non-destruetive X-ray and Nerva" (1920 NC, pp. 177-207) studies fluorescence spectrometry. Walker utilized in dctail the coins commcmorating previous the collection of the Ashmolean Museum as emperors, and is a much fullcr treatment of well as supplementary material from the them than is found in RIC or BMC. Detll';s Kroh ;$ a d ~ alu of allciell/ co;,~ alld boob; aboul/lum, as well as afra·lallce caw/ogue ,,"M'ter B.M. for his research, and many useful ,,""0 "''';lIIail~ a large ,,"o,./r.illg library alii/ uti/ius conclusions are presented, particularly H "'GUY reJuetlces ewry doy_ Queries iI"d C(mu,,<,"'S regarding the cistophoric coinage of Titus "An Imperial Mint in BithY1,ia by**** Herbert are ...deomed. Please melost" SASE and v.. riu c/o and Domitian. 159 pages of text, no A. Cahn (Israel Numismatic Journal Vol. 8, The Cefalor. SUBSCRIBE TO THIS IMPORTANT NEW PUBLICATION NOW! The International Bj·Monthly Review of Ancient Art & Archaeology MINERVAis an illustrated news and review magazine, appearing bi-monthly (6 issues per year), devoted to ancient art, antiquities, archaeological and numismatic discoveries worldwide from prehistory to the 18th century. With regular contributors from around the world, MINERVA, published in England, is truly international in style and coverage. Feature articles wi ll emphasize newly discovered works of art and objects of archaeological and numismatic importance leading to a better understanding of the past. A bi-monthly numismatic column, by Eric J. McFadden, wi ll furnish readers with a lively review of the ancient coin marketplace. Regular excavation reports will include prehistoric, classical, early Christian, medieval, Egyptian, Biblical, Near Eastern, Asian, Oceanic, African and American findings, as well as reports on underwater archaeology. liberally illustrated with full- color and black and white photographs, it will impress you with the breadth of its coverage, the forcefulness of its reporting, the knowledge and wit of the featu re writers, and the sheer usefulness of the many leports and listings for museum and gallery e xhibitions, auctions, fa irs, conferences, meetings, as well as the abstracts and book reviews. Jerome M. Eisenberg, Ph.D., Editor-in-Chief ~r#(b-.:f~ SUBSCRIPTION RATES SudaceMail Airmail ~rfJt~~f", 1 year (6 issues) U.S. $27.00 U.S. $39.00 '!l'''l~~ 2 years (12 issues) U.S. $54.00 U.S. $77.00 3 years (18 issues) U.S. $76.00 U.S. $110.00 Payment may be made by check or by Mastercard, Visa or Access cards (please give account no. and expiration date). 7 DAVIES STREET LONDON W1Y TLL, ENGLAND Telephone: (44) 7J·495·2590 Fax: (44) 71-491-1595 May1992 47 Professional Directory C~ ____ A__nt ~ iq~u~i~ti~e ~s __~) ( Antiquities ) ( Antiquities ) s...... -1'i' - .=,. \) - - + ...... ~ - "" -.:"'. j 24 years serving you ... ~ EGYPTIAN & CLASSICAL l MA IL BID AUCTIONS \ ANTIQu/TIES t . ANCI ENT COINS Greek, Roman, Egypfian, ~ ~ T We offer the collcclor a oof icd sderlion • ,MEDIEVAL COINS Pre Columbian I I I,) 01 fin" qtJolil.lI Ancient World Art! \l , ANCIENT ART & Cypriot and Mediaeval I I ANTIQUITIES Antiquiries - No Coins t I • • Write for Free Illustrated Consignments Accepted ;,. \,. Catalogues of the Following: Seven catalog subscripliolt · Ancrent Coins LX I including 3 priced I · Medieval Coins XXVII t • JEWELRY • SCULPTURE • BRONZE It calalogs - $10.00 ci • POTfERY • WEAPONS • AMU LETS i • Ancient Art and Antiquities XI X -+ • FREE: CMalO!) No. CI91 "roo .""uest + W. Fagan & Co. ~ COII~''1},'1''l'p'';''''''MI ' (.N:!) 7:U·.u4!;S ~ 22952 15 Mile Rd. ~ ANCIENT WORLD ARTS, LTD. ~ P.O. Box 38 MI. Clemens, M148043 South Salem I 50 West 76th St . . New York 10023 I (3 13) 465·4637 New York 10590 :t\,l., -'" ~ ~ ~ \) _ ... + ...... __ ",, - to Ancient Coins & Antiquities •, (410)"'N'NO' 876·7140 or (4 10) 235· 1696 Bu y, Se ll & Auctioll • An cient , Medieva l & Modern Coi ns HELlOS · Pre-Columbian Art, Rare 1300ks OM 'WorM Jilntiquities • Weapons, Orientalia, Old Maps Ancien' G.eek, Roman. Egyp,ian. E,e. M ilaclS. B.onzes. $lalueUes. POl1ery. Seeking coins, artifacis. books and Amule,s . Send lor , ..... tiSt more for upcoming auclion Member. Antiquities Dealers Assoc. P.O. Box 25 JOEL MAL TEA & Co. Westminster, MD 21158 17005 Ventura Blvd. Encino, CA 91316 USA . (818) 784-7772 FAX: 784-4726 PHOENICIA ( Coms & Books ) Im portant ancient Greek sill'er Holyland Antiquities coin auction latcr II/is year! p.o. Box 692, Gracie Station II New York, NY 10028 (2 12) 722·4603 1.Qmpirc {[!lins Ancielll Coin Specialists · DuyinG . Sclling • Want Lists . Book.~ · ApprJLsals . Consignments · Referrals :FJ 'J{'lJ J'/'J.(C J'E'J{'T Sarfigfi (ja[[ery • A"endance at all m~jor Shows und Sales · E"elusive Auelion Bidding Service T1('US'lfR..-'E5 JIncient JIrt · Sound Advice based On 101lg e. pcricnec · Subscribers receive si. fully illustruled fhed p.iee ealalogucs of ancienl coins MEHRDAD and booh aooul lhem, and Iwo major Guction sales per yea .. r!l SADIGH · Periodic reference book lists & sales The Time Empire Coins, Inc. 303 5th Ave. ~ Room #1603 P.O. So. 2634 Machine Co. Onnond lkach. FL 32 115·26:l.1 USA Fine Archaeological """"" (9001 ) 6TI·73J4 New York NY orfocc hour); 9·5. M·F -6,1rtA' F.. (9()oI)677·7Jl' An and Coins ~"i~-,,,!,,!,,! 10016 P.O. Box 282· Flushing Sta. Queens, NY 11367 800-426-2007 (718) 544-2708 212-725-7537 Say you saw it in 'I1ie Cefator 48 The Gelato' Professional Directory ) ( Coins & Books ) FRANK Ancielll Greek & Roman Coins Glenn Schinke and books about them Nu ",ismatist STERNBERG AG Fru sampl~ catalog.~ Schanzengasse 10, CH·8001 Thomas 1'. McK~nl1a P.O.l3ox 1356·E Ancients Zurich, Switzerland ft. Cottil~~, co 80522 (303) 226·5704 Medieval tel. 01/252.30.88 lax. 01/252.40.67 Foreign ILLUSTRATED P.O. Boxen l' , Rosemead, CA 91770 ~:,i ./ PRICELISTS (818) 446-6775 "" . BOllghl and Sold Greek COINS AND MEDALS Roman Ancient, Medieval and Modem Say you saw it in NUMISMATIC LITERATURE Byzantine GEMS,CAMEOS,JEWELRY Request yours today! rrTie Ce!ator Ancient to Modem AUCTION SALES Wayne C. Phillips 6-A Village Loop Free List of inexpensive Suite 125 Edgar L. Owen ANCIENT COINS Phillips Ranch, CA 91766 Ancien( Coins MICHAEL & SANDRA WOLF (714) 629-0757 P.O. Box 233, Dewey, AZ 86327 Serving fhe collector since 1959 & Antiquities (602) n2·7144 . Table 4" at Long Beach 1:'lunoun ~ ECONOMOPOULOS Our unique mail bid auctions ENTERPRISES allow you to P:t} CLASSICAL PAY THE NUMISMA TICS PRICE YOU Specialists in WANT TO PAY Greek our fully i1iustrartd mail bid auc(;uns Ancient Coins Roman cmllain over 500 IOI,~ 0/ onciclll Auctions and Byzantine cDin.5, antiquitit.< and 1II11iquts in all price rangt:s. For Ira calalog colllac/: Price Lists Bought & Sold Colosseum SUPERIOR STAMP & Nicholas T. Coin Exchange, lllc. COIN CO., INC. Economopoulos P.O. Box 21CL 9478 West Olympic Boulevard P.o. Box 199 Hazlet, NJ 07730 Beverly Hills. CA 90212-4236 (908) 2&4·1161 Holicong, PA 18928 (213) 203-9855 (215) 491-0650 May1992 49 Professional Directory ) ( Coins & Books ) Aigai N"mismmic.'- is c"rr~l1Ily (>J!ering Ihe Lucien Birkler fin~SI aflci~nr Gru k. Rome", and 8y:afltine numismlltic art in th~ ",ark~tplac~ today_ & Co. 8efar~ you buy. think quality Ilnd nm~mbt:r Professional Numismatists .... Qualit)" is aur bu .• intss NUMISMATIK AlGAl Write for our N,,_I/MATI Jonathall K. Kern Co. FRANKL. Greek, Roman, Byzantine Bachelor of Arts & Medieval Coins Numismatics KOVACS for the Connoisseur Ancient, Medieval, Early A mcrican Numism atics Ancient Coins Occasional Catalogues & Antiquities VIKEN M. HAVANDJIAN For Serious Collectors P.O. BOX 50417 AUSTIN, TX 78763 (512) 250·1931 P.O. Box 25300 ORACLE 441 S. Ashland San Maleo, CA 94402 Lexington, KY 40502 (415) 574·2028 ANCIENT COINS (606) 269·1614 FAX (415) 574- 1995 Altnlct;" e Ancient Cr~ek And Roman Coins For The Colledor Affordable Pri ces · Free Lists Islamic, fndian, llaklr ian For Ihe fill est of Conservative Grading and numismatic art, P.O. Box 205152, Sunset Sta. Ct'nlral Asian CoirHlgcs write for a Brooklyn, NY 11220·0023 complimelltary copy of our fixed price catalogue. Grcek, Roman, Byzantine Coins and Classical Antiquities DR . Pa\7l RyneaRson Setldfor sample catalog Write for sample illustrated list EDWAROJ. WADDELL, Ltd. Omar Hamidi P.O. 80,4009 444 N. Frederick Ave., Suite 3 16 Pl' rS1c Ga ll ery, P.O. Bo~ 10317 ~ Malibu Gailhersburg, MO 20877 Torrancl', CA 90505 • Califomi;t 90265 Ph (301) 990·7446 (2 13) 326-8866 •• Fax (30 1) 990·37112 50 The Cefator Professional Directory ( Coins & Books ) ( •. Coins & Books ) ( Coins & Books ) Write f or yo ur NUMISMATIC A complimenta ry copy of our: ARS CLASSIC A AG Pegasi Coins • Quarterly illustrated ancie/ll catalog • Book List & Accessory Cal%g ANC IENT COINS AND MEDALS P.o . Box 4207 · Anciellf Bargain Price List GREEK Ann Arbor, MI 481 06 • Frequent Moil Bid Sales ROMAN Ph one: (3 13) 434-3856 • Or all a/the above BYZANTINE Classical numismatists serving MEDIAEVAL beginners thru advanced collectors ~ M&R Coins RENAISSANCE !0705 South Roberts Rd. Suite 146 Classical Greek, Roman, Palos Hills, lL 60465 AUCTIONS - LISTS Byzantine, and Medieval , (708) 430~ 1445 VALUA TIONS Coins, Books & Antiquities Free illustrated catalogs Shows jolu. g jaHd Visiting : San Francisco? RARE The Silicon Valley? AMPHORA Stanford University? COINS Jewish . Bi blical Specializing in the Greek· Roman TREASURE Coinage ofJudaea Visit... Coins ' Weighls ISLAND * Ancient Anliquilies • Jewelry We carry a large inventory * Medieval Free illustrated lis! of Ancients as well as available upon request the largest Philatelic stock in the Bay Area. * Modern "We wrote the book TREASURE ISLAND \Villiam M. Rosenblum 3703 EI Camino Real P.O. Box 355 - CE t;. . . P.o . Oox 805 · Palo Alto, CA 94306 Evergreen CO 80439 to ~=~ Nyock. NY 10960 q:Jf!~ ~~ :~914·,358·7364 .. (415) 855-9905 (303) 838-4831 The Professional Directory ISLAMIC & INDIAN Speciali st in Ancie nt Coins is your willdow to tile COINS ,,{.W> .\lock World Mi"o, COillS, M,'d,,'-', Crowns, Ani/aU.', Books "'1 BILL MCDANIELS Ancient and Medieval Coins Price lists issucd regularly, (Greek, Roman, Indian, atJailable UPOll request In 'he I'd.'/I"" ye,,,., we /",,·c ,·o"'I'I,",c,1 Islamic, Chinese, fiw, s~I.\· oft/Ie 12 eM.lnr,· ill gold. Early European, Etc.) STEPHEN ALBUM P.o. BOX 7386 GEORGE M. BEACH P.O. Box 2273 SANTA ROSA, CA. 95407 U.S.A. Numiscellaneous Albany, NY 12220 phone: 707-526-3421 p.o. Box 113, OWOSSO, )o.-1I 48867 fax : 707-526-3266 (S 17) 634-5415 May 1992 51 Professional Directory ( Coins & Books ) ( Coins & Books ) ( Coins & Books ) MICHAEL GREEK. ROMAN, CELTIC, Fred B. Shore .. . BYZANTINE, and BRITISH . . . RUBIN HAMMERED coins. Classical Nu mismatics I)- ...... Numismatist CLASSICAL ANTIQUITIES Ancient Greek, Roman and Over 500 ilcnL~ per e~tensivcly Parthian coins of the highesl Specializillg in Ancient iIIUSU'lllcd C~[ :llIogue including trade offcr.;. quality bought and sold Roman a"d Judea" Coillage With f~ir grading & reasooable prices Dedicated to the needs ofthe col/ec/ar wc arc major suppliers 10 many US dealer.;. Why nO! [I)' us? PO Box 36 Send fo r free list Fort Washington PA 19034 Box 70642. Marietta, GA 30007 Payment acecptcd by US doll~r cheque, Vif;ll 215/275-3430 alld Mastercard. Members of the British (404) 9774573 Numism:.tic Trade Associatioll and the Antiqllity Dealers Associati on. Please write or tciephone for your frce copy. ANCIENT COINS Christian Blorn JOHN CUMMINGS L TO ., AND A NTIQUITIES PO Box 38, Grantham, Greek, Roman and lines, NG31 8AA, England. J. Harlan Berk, Ltd. World Coins Telephone 0400·81848 Six buy or bid sales per year Write or call for free catalogue wriTe for free price liST 312-609·0016 - ... ,,- Ai P.O. Box 7618 , '.~~:!' 312-609-0017 +. GREEK, ROMAN Arlington, VA 22207 'i:J. 31 N. Clark St. ~ Chicago, IL 60602 703·533·3119 and noon 10 midnight WORLD COINS * * * Whatever your No List Issuel/ Appraisals collecting interest, *** the ProfeSSional INC. Directory is the place CLASSIC GREEK, ROMAN AND to find what 39 WEST 55th STREET BRITISH COINS NEW YORK, N.Y. 10019 . Profc s.~ ion~l service with a persona! flavor you Ire looking for! BOQ·223·0868 Or 212·246·5025 • n.o.'glufl,1 alld detailed c ~(alogs - high hx 212-489-0768 qualily phc)logrnphs and priming. Sample i)",<"c- $2 CJ)aV~;;'S ROMAN IMPERIAL . ANCIENT NEAR EAST ~J! Cold Spring, MN 56320 ISLAMIC & INDIAN • (612) 685·3835 + COINAGE Our Specialty · Buy, sell, trade ancient coins and antiquities · All coins and artifacts fully guaranteed • Write or call for free For Scrim 52 The Gelator Professional Directory ( Coins & Books ) ( Coins.&.Books ) ( Shows & Conventions) Ancient & World Coins ANCIENT COINS GREATER ARCHEOLOGICAL NEW YORK PONTERIO ARTIFACTS NUMISMATIC Greek, Roman, CONVENTION & ASSOCIATES, INC. Byzantinc MAY 7, 8, & 9, 1992 Auctions OMNI PARK CENTRAL HOTEL 1818 Robinson Ave. Buy and sell high grade coins, 7th Ave. & 56th SI.. New York City San Diego, CA 92103 Held .imultar.eou.ly with the entire col/ections, lots. AMERICAN ISRAEL NUMISMATIC DEALERS ARE KINDLY ASSOCIATION CONVE NTION REQUESTED TO ASK FOR CONVENTION FEA TURES: (619) 299-0400 AUC100S by Sta<;k·•. ar"lCienlS aU"'i""'. 'Ancienls OUR SPECIALOr:PERS. Arcade'. M The Professional Directory is FINE NUMISMATIC BOOKS Bought and Sold BOSTON... your window to a variety of Numismatic Arts Ancient Qnd Foreign Coin sources and services. Mecca of The Norrheast! of Santa Fe P.o. Box 9712, Santa Fe, NM 87604 BAY STATE COIN SHOW Phone or FAX · 505·982-8792 October 30, 31 , Brian Kritt We are always keenly interested in buyin g November 1, 1992 important Antiquarian and Out·OI·Plint Dealer in Ancient & Medieval Coins Numismatic Books and Ubraries in all "57" PARK PLAZA HOTEL languages. Ancients Catalog $5 Specializing ill Ancient Over 25 years... Greek, ROII/Gn & Judaic Coins "New Englalld's Largest Coill Show!!!" Bourse space $195 and up. Say you saw it in %e Cefator Chairman: Ed Alco Box 400, Winchester, M A 01890 ( Services ) 617-729-9677 P.O. Box 558 KEY MARKET KNOWLEIlGE Burtonsvi lle, MD 20866 Clients find our DalGbase, wilh The advertisers (301) 236-0256 15,000+ Lot Descriptions and Prices Realized, gives critical on these pages knowledge of past hammer prices for any Roman Imperial Gold, support your Silver or Bronze coin. Use our Service when plotting Quctioll journal. Support bidding strategy or valuating them and say your holdings. INDIA, PERSIA, CIIINA and EU ROPE NUMISMATIC you saw it in illexpel!S;"e early cvills Frl'e List, $ fH1},lIIeni facility. ARCHIVES Robert Tyc BOX 173 rrhe Ce£ator Locheynort, South Uis! urr LETON, CO Scotland, PA815SJ, United Kingdom 80160-0173 USA May1 992 53 Professional Directory C Equip • & Supplies ) ( Equip. & SupplieS ) ( Equip. & Supplies) INTRODUCING PHOTOGRAPH Glasrubber COINS & BILLS Th" linasl tool aver invanted for cleaning · Instant Pola ro id Prints ancient bronze coins and artifacts i@i@ 01t>0f • Color or Black & White .0 •• named /0'[ and • Same Size or Enlarged i@" ."-,-. .cof""".,~ i@i@ ·E",sinp dediC!ated to the C!oin • Pdis/'Ong ..... ·R,....". __ Call or Send for F' Free Brochure • • - Check out these rates! Professional Directory Ads just make 1/6 Page - $60 good sense! 1/2 1/3 Page - $110 1 col. x 1" - $7 per month 1 col. x 2" - $14 per month 1/2 Page - $160 1 col. x 3" - $20 per month Full Page - $320 Signature ads only 1/3 Multiple insertion Annual discounts available contracts: 1/6 take a 10% discount Targeted directly to collectors of Write to: ancient coins and antiquities %e Cefator i Get the most from your advertising dol/ar, P.O. Box 123 I advertise in Lodi, WI 53555 i rrfie Ce{ator (608) 592-4684 P.O. Box 123, Lodi, WI 53555 • (608) 592-4684 54 The Gelator Paid Advertisement THE BACK PAGE with all his/her features in good proportion. Sort of like a Dear Celator Reader: side-view of a marble sculpture. Nice centering, a nice solid I was intrigued, as 1 am sure many of you were, by my strike, good metal to begin with, this is all towards the good friend Alan Walkers comparison of Greek didrachms appearance of the coin and easily worth that 1/3 1am talking of Tarentum vs. relative rarity of Victorian crowns. Hello? about. Hello out there? Anyone listening or reading what I say? Now for the other 1/3. That is based on whal has Thank you all for the supportive comments and leiters that happened to the coin in the ensuing 2000 years. I will quote you have written. I am sure that Alan is not the first one 10 a learned authority. "no deep scratches, breaks, plugs, be able to figure out that the purpose of this advertising that holes, recut hair, painted on patina need apply." If the coin I do each month, and which has the appearanceof a "regular has been in acidic soil, if the coin has been in jewelry, if the column", is to get you to think about ancient coins. I am sure coin has been cleaned by tumbling with plastic ball·bearings, that I could easily use this space to advertise specific items, these all will go towards determining the last 1/3 of the but I really don't need to do that. Buying is not the end-all. equation. Nor whether you buy them from me or from anyone, bul WeI!, myfriend continued, you didn't mention the rarity in to get you to start thinking about why you collect ancients, making this decision on whether to buy the coin or not. My what you should look for in ancients, what you should be reply is that rarity is not nearly as important in determining aware of in terms of new finds, new problems, maybe even price as the popularity of the coin in question. Rarity is some new thinking. artificial anyway, because we are only making that judgement I recently had lunch with a relatively new collector in based on the coins that we know about. Remember my tale Southern California, and his comment was good enough to of the Kyme tetradrachm that used to be $3500? If you look delve into this month. Hewas concerned about the grading in RtC Vol. VIII, the family of Constantine, you soon begin to of ancients. How do you know if the coin which you are suspect that half the coins are extraordinarily rare. For most buying fora VFwi11 be someone else's VF, or perhaps a fine, people who are currently collecting ancients, a Constantinian Of abt. VF, or good fine, maybe even a choice VF. Sounds bronze with starlo I. vs. one with star to r. is pretty much the sortoffunnywhen you say it this way all lumped together, but same animal. Lots of rarities in Byzantine bronzes, Turkoman the terminology is authentic, and it is a question which bronzes (sorry Wayne), Roman Colonial bronzes, but in almost automatically comes from having collected US coins. many of these cases the rarity is of more interest to the When I was a kid and going to l-day coin shows at the academic collector because there is little demand for the local VFW hall, I figured out pretty soon that the Bust Half that coin amongst the vast majority of persons who buy ancient cost $4 in VF would almost certainly be a fine if you went to coins. Demand seems to be what runs the show. Cafigula sell itto another dealer. If you were lucky "well really not a is really 1lll1.raJ:e:, butboyis he popular. Just think if PBS ever nice VF, but close to a VF." The money that was made in does a show called "I, Caracalla", or "Tales of Gordian III'. those days, and we are talking about dimes and quarters, as Maybe even "The Young Antoninus Pius". Demand is what at the same time you could buy a "Gem BU" Morgan dollar seems to be a very big factor in today's market. Anyway, for $1 .1 0, and after doing a bit of cleaning with your pencil enough for all of you to chew on for the moment. eraser, could get $1.25 for it (maybe). The idea of the eraser was to get off that dark stuff (toning), because everybody FOR THE MONTH OF MAY WE ARE IN N.J. wanted a "shiny" coin and "silver-dip" hadn't been invented for the masses yet. Show Schedule: Maybe we are coming full round, as the number of "shiny" San Francisco, May ' .2, NAB, at the Holiday Inn -Golden ancients which are today on the marketplace is at times Gateway on Van Ness. Show hours 10-7 Fri. & Sat. Open discouraging. to the public, see ad last month's issue. Oops, off in another direction again - back to the issue at hand. Greater NY ShOW, May 7-9, at the Omni Park Hotel, NYC, I have this opinion. It is my opinion and not necessarily 56th & 7th Ave. Usual Spring show, with most of the boys, Wayne Sayles' opinion, nor Alan Walker's opinion, or any Thurs.-Sat., no Sun. show, show hours 11-7 on 5/7,10-7 on one else's. It is mine!!! I say the grade of an ancient coin 5/8, & 10-6 on 5/9. really js not alilhat important. Certainly not important enough Collectors Extravaganza, Las Vegas, May 29-31, at the to try to have a board of "experts' all agree as to the grade, Sahara Hotel. Who knows? We were invited, we figure, give and then certify it or put some number on it. I think the most it a shot. Every type of collectible imaginable. Big booths, important aspect in buying an ancient coin is the appear· few slots around. if you are in the Vicinity, come on by. ance. Now to justify this bold statement. Grade, I figure, counts about 1/3. By grade I mean the amount of wear the coin has sustained. By counting 1/3, I mean not towards anything as basic as the price, but towards whether you want to end up buying the coin or not. Rare Coins & Classical Arts Ltd. Artistry counts for another 1/3. Come on guys, I am not the barbarian you sometimes try to paint me being. I know about "Specialists in Museum Quality Coins" good art. Fact is, at one time I was even married to an art Member: ANA, ANS, SAN, AI NA, INS, Ex· Fellow RNS historian with 2-1/2 Ivy League degrees. Problem is she didn't like coins much, maybe that is why that marriage is in P.O. Box 374 P.O. Box 699 the past tense. South Orange, NJ 07079 Palm Desert, CA 92261 Another digression -I think a dog should look like a dog, Phone: (201) 761-0634 Phone; (619)345-7161 and an eagle like an eagle, and Apollo should be beautiful, FAX: (201) 761-8406 May 1992 55 INDEX OF DISPLAY Celator Classifieds ADVERTISERS Rates: Aigai Numismatics so Album, Stephen $5.00 for the first 20 words, 20¢ each additional word. Ampkora " Ams&lIem, Claude 22, 52 Ancient World Arts, Ltd. " Wanted to buy: ancient Roman. Pri Wa.nted to buy - Bronze Age weap Atchaeologia Gallery "27 vate collector pay more for better mate ons. Write to: Roben W. Sm ith, P.O. Aries PhoIog.&phic rial, especially the 12 Caesars. Also Ast ...ion Ancient Numismatics, Inc;, " Box 563, Rockland, ME 04841 or call Athena GmbH " Byzant ine and Medieval. Mario (207) 594-4526. Bank leu Lid " Assante, 1079 Atwood Ave., Johnston, Say Stole Coin Show " Beach, 0Il0l98 M. " RI 029 l9. Wanted by Private Collector: Gold Berk, Harlan J. Ltd. Cove',52" aureus of Tiberius or M. Aurelius in Biflder, lucien & Co. t3,50 Blom, Christian Greek, Roman, Medieval coin s . mint state; good XF Republican C&derlind. Tom " Monthly catalogs with very reasonabl e quadrigatus; good XF sestertii of Clvistie's ", Classical NumismaHe Group Covet, 20, 38 prices and discounts issued for 26 years. Hadri an; XFdenariusofVitellius. John CMV Nu mismatics, L.A. Lantz Francis J. Rath, Box 266, Youngstown, Krawczyk, Box 610043, Houston, TX Coon·Blum, Inc. "52 Colosseum Coin Exchange NY 14174. 77208-0043 (phone: (713) 922-5228). Cummings, John Lid. "52 DavissoJ'lS , Ltd, 52 Connoisseurs and romantics wi!! love Economopoulo$ Enterpr ises The other a ncients: Africa, Mideast, Elsen, Jean SA " Valentine Duval: Gil autobiography. Indin, Southenst Asia, the Orient. Empire Coins Inc. " Th e AgeofEn!ightenment is brouglll to Primitive Monies. Books too. Free list. Fagan, W. & Co. " life as the antiquarian Duval relates hi s Semnns, Box 22849P, Seattle, \VA Galatindon Coin Gallor;'s 18, 49 M"intl Ct"ss;c,,1 NlMTIismatics " Indi vidual needs ca tered to, and begin teed. Hispania, Suite 104, 2765 N. Malloy. Alex G . Ir.(:, " ning collectors encouraged. Free li sts Scottsdale Road (# 106), Scottsdale, AZ Malter. Joel .\ Co. " upon request. D. Bakker -Ancient Coins, 85257. Marlin. C.J. (Coins) Ltd. " McDaniels. Bi ll " Box 968, Orl eans, MA 02653. McKenna, Thomas P. 33.49" Minerva Munzen und Medaillen AG ", STILL LOOKING for a specia l book M & A Coins on ancient or fo rei gn coi ns? We stock May 92 Numismatic Archives " Trivia Answer: Numismalic Aria 01 Sanla Fe " over 1000 different titl es . Pl ease write: Numismalic Fine Aria "5 A. G. van der Dussen, HOlldstraat 5, "Byzas" Numismalica ARS Classica AG 6211 HW, Maastricht, Netherlands. Oracle Ancienl Co1ns "SO Owen. Edgar L. Pagasi Coins 29,5"t Phrllips. Wayne C . Phoen;cia Holyiand Arll>quities 48, "54 Ponterio.\ Associates 9,39,53 If you buy or sell ancient or medieval coins or antiquities Rogers. Calvrn J. Rosenblum. William M. 33,51" You should be subscribing to the Popular Award Winning Periodical Royal Alhena Galleries Cover Specializing in Ancient and Medieval Numismatics and Antiquities: Rubin. Michllel 52 Rynearson. Paul SO Sadig/l Galleries Saslow . Arnold A. 32,55" Schinke. Glenn 'The Ce[ator Sear. David A. " Shore. Fred e. " Offering Monthly: Spink & Son. lid. ", SIack'S/Coin Galieries . News· Features· Commentary· Book Reviews Sternberg. Frank " Superior Galleries 2S, "49 . Coming Events· Letters and Notices· Humor and Trivia Swiss Numismatic Society . Display and Classified Ads· And much morel · Time Machine Co. 34,48" Treasure Island Twente. John.\ Janet " ONL Y $24.00 for twelve issues (U.S. addresses) Tye. Robe" " (Canada - $30, All other addresses - $48, payable in U.S. fund s) Waddell, Edward J. Ltd. 40, "SO W al den. William B. 19. "II , S2 Weil Numismatics. lid., Randy Write to Whillord , Craig A. " %e Cefator Woll , Michael to Sandia " P.O. Box 123, Lodi, WI 53555· (608) 592-4684 56 Th e Celator · IN CONJUNCTION WITH • THE SPRING NEW YORK INTERNATIONAL • A Public Auction Sale of ·700 PLUS LOTS • GREEK • ROMAN REPUBLICAN • ROMAN IMPERIAL • GREEK IMPERIAL • BYZANTINE . MEDIEVAL . ENGLISH · NEW YORK CITY . FRIDAY · JUNE 26, 1992 ·6 PM · SALE 21 · Catalogue with prices realized SlO.00 · Write today .. ~ Classical Numismatic Auctions Box 245, Dept. A Quarryville, PA 17566-0245 USA (717) 786-4013, Fax (717) 786-7954 Year 3 denarius overstruck on a denarius of Vespasian Minted 134- 135 CE. Mildenberg- 198, 0 -25, R- I27, Obverse depicts a bunch of grapes to symbolize the fenility of the land, an d bears the legend "Shimon'-, S 12,500 HARLAN J. BERK, LTD. 31 N. Clark Street, Chicago, Illinois 60602 ,-,"" "m)$I'", (312) 609-0017 FAX: (312) 609-1309 ,"" ~ uMI~ M ~ m l $ {t> r' '"'l~' ,,,' •