Other regions and uncertain mints

AR Obols AR Tetartemorions

AR Obols

SAM-AR-01, obverseSAM-AR-01, reverse
Identifier SAM-AR-01

Denomination: AR Obol
Period: 372 – 333/2 BC
Mint: Samaria
Detail
Weight: 0.53 g
Diameter: 7–8 mm
Obverse: Aphrodite right with earring and necklace, hair bound in sphendone; dotted border (off flan).
Reverse: Bearded male head right,.
Die axis: 45º
References: Meshorer & Qedar 1999, 186; Numismatica Ars Classica NAC AG, Auction 64 (17 May 2012), Lot 1670 (acsearch.info URL)
Provenance: Nomos AG, Obolos Web Auction 33 (11 September 2024), Lot 562 (acsearch.info URL).
Ex The Collection of Jonathan H. Kagan.
Ex Herbert Kreindler.
Remarks: (1) According to Meshorer & Qedar 1999, p. 71, the minting of Samarian coins began around 372 BC and ended in 333/2 BC.
(2) This coin resembles Nagidos obols of Type 5.5 with the head of Aphrodite wearing sphendone on the obverse and the head of Dionysos on the reverse. At the same time, the head of Aphrodite corresponds stylistically to Nagidos staters of Type 1.5. However, the hair of the male head on the reverse does not correspond to the way Dionysos is depicted on the Nagidos coins and the absence of an ivy wreath does not allow the reverse to be clearly identified as the head of Dionysos. Nevertheless, the Nagidos coins were very likely the inspiration for this Samarian coin type, and the female head on the obverse can most likely be interpreted as the head of Aphrodite (Meshorer & Qedar 1999, p. 41, also favor this interpretation).
(3) The coin type Meshorer & Qedar 1999, 93, is similar to this coin, but the male head is oriented to the left and to the left of Aphrodite’s head is the Aramaic inscription ŠMR, which is a shortened form of ŠMRYN = Samaria (ibid, pp. 19–20). A very similar male head to that on type 186 is also depicted on type 188, but the other side of this coin shows the bearded head of a satrap wearing kyrbasia.
(4)

This coin type may have also been minted as a hemiobol:

Numismatica Ars Classica NAC AG, Auction 64 (17 May 2012), Lot 1671 (acsearch.info URL)

However, it cannot be ruled out that the low weight of this specimen is caused by the degradation of the metal.

 

UNC-AR-02, obverseUNC-AR-02, reverse
Identifier UNC-AR-02

Denomination: AR Obol
Period: c. 4th century BC
Mint: uncertain mint in Cilicia or a nearby area
Detail
Weight: 0.63 g
Diameter: 10–10 mm
Obverse: Bull butting right on exergual line; above, uncertain letter; dotted border.
Reverse: Male figure standing left on exergual line; in left field, uncertain object or letter; in right field, uncertain letters.
Die axis: -165º
References: Unpublished in the standard references, but a number of similar specimens on the market, see below.
Provenance: Dr. Reinhard Fischer Auktionen, Fixed Price List (17 June 2022).
Remarks:
A number of specimens of these obols are known, but their attribution is uncertain. They may originate from Cilicia, but also from other areas of the eastern Mediterranean, especially Philistia or Samaria. The legends on the obverse and reverse are probably written in the Aramaic alphabet. However, their interpretation is unclear, as they are rather carelessly executed and some letters are probably shown retrograde. It is probably a local production of a minor city. We can distinguish three variants of the specimens known so far:
Variant 1:
The weight of the figure on the reverse rests on the right leg, with the left leg slightly bent and the right arm bent upwards at the elbow. The legend on the obverse is the same as on the reverse, but written retrograde.
Variant 2:
The figure appears to be walking to the left. The legend on the reverse is different from variant 1, there is only one letter on the obverse.
Variant 3:
The character is walking to the left or about to step. The legends on the obverse and reverse differ from variants 1 and 2.
The specimen in this collection belongs to variant 2. Samples of other specimens without claim to completeness (the first number indicates the variant):
1.1 Classical Numismatic Group, Electronic Auction 397 (17 May 2017), Lot 194 (acsearch.info URL). 0.62 g.
1.2 Savoca Coins, 4th Blue Auction (29 December 2017), Lot 513 (acsearch.info URL). 0.59 g.
Ex Savoca Coins, Live Online Auction 10 (16 October 2016), Lot 337 (acsearch.info URL).
1.3 Saint Paul Antiques, Auction 16 (31 March 2018), Lot 65 (acsearch.info URL). 0.60 g.
1.4 Nomos AG, Obolos Web Auction 20 (3 October 2021), Lot 817 (acsearch.info URL). 0.56 g.
1.5 Nomos AG, Obolos Web Auction 21 (2 January 2022), Lot 517 (acsearch.info URL). 0.67 g.
1.6 Biga Numismatics, Online Auction 22 (2 September 2023), Lot 176 (acsearch.info URL). 0.67 g.
1.7 Astarte, Web Auction 3 (22 February 2022), Lot 155 (acsearch.info URL). 0.62 g.
2.1 Classical Numismatic Group, Electronic Auction 495 (7 July 2021), Lot 231 (acsearch.info URL). 0.65 g.
Ex Classical Numismatic Group, Electronic Auction 462 (26 February 2020), Lot 183 (acsearch.info URL).
2.2 Leu Numismatik, Web Auction 19 (26 February 2022), Lot 1589 (acsearch.info URL). 0.65 g.
3.1 Numismatik Naumann, Auction 38 (6 December 2015), Lot 198 (acsearch.info URL). 0.55 g.
3.2 Roma Numismatics Limited, E-Sale 25 (27 February 2016), Lot 76 (acsearch.info URL). 0.67 g.
3.3 Savoca Coins, Live Online Auction 7 (28 February 2016), Lot 355 (acsearch.info URL). 0.73 g.
3.4 Savoca Coins, Live Online Auction 15 (28 May 2017), Lot 308 (acsearch.info URL). 0.65 g.
3.5 Classical Numismatic Group, Electronic Auction 398 (31 May 2017), Lot 299 (acsearch.info URL). 0.67 g.
3.6 Numismatik Naumann, Auction 77 (5 May 2019), Lot 107 (acsearch.info URL). 0.62 g.
3.7 Themis Numismatics, Auction 7 (27 June 2020), Lot 262 (acsearch.info URL). 0.60 g.
3.8 Aquila Numismatics (Fa. Online-Münzhandel), Auction 4 (19-20 August 2022), Lot 202 (acsearch.info URL). 0.73 g.
3.9 Aquila Numismatics (Fa. Online-Münzhandel), Auction 7 (4 December 2022), Lot 360 (acsearch.info URL). 0.70 g.
3.10 Victoria Numismatics UG, Auction 4 (20 December 2022), Lot 105 (biddr.com URL). 0.68 g.
3.11 Savoca Coins, 156th Silver Auction (19 February 2023), Lot 113 (acsearch.info URL). 0.58 g.
The average weight including the coin in this collection is 0.64 g with a standard deviation of 0.05 g.

 

AR Tetartemorions

UNC-AR-01, obverseUNC-AR-01, reverse
Identifier UNC-AR-01

Denomination: AR Tetartemorion
Period: c. 1st half of the 4th century BC
Mint: uncertain mint in Cilicia or a nearby area
Detail
Weight: 0.19 g
Diameter: 5–5 mm
Obverse: Lion’s head facing.
Reverse: Bearded head of Pan or satyr right, with horns and long ears; incuse circle.
Die axis: 110º
References: Troxell & Kagan 1989, p. 277, 8; SNG Levante, 241
Provenance: Bucephalus Numismatic GmbH, Auction 6 (12 June 2022), Lot 434 (acsearch.info URL).
Remarks:
According to Troxell & Kagan 1989, p. 275, this coin type appeared on the market together with other previously unknown types of silver hemiobols and tetartemoria from Cilicia and nearby areas in 1984 and 1985. Its mintage can be dated to the 4th century BC based on the reverse circular incuse, most likely to the first half of this century. These silver fractions were probably intended for the small daily transactions of the local population and the mint was probably located in Cilicia, but other area of southern Asia Minor, such as Caria, cannot be ruled out (ibid, p. 281). The head of Pan or satyr is found on Nagidos obols and bronze coins, but the artistic representation is different (see Coin Catalogue / Nagidos, Types 5.8, 5.9, 8.1 and 8.2).
Other specimens without claim to completeness:
1 Troxell & Kagan 1989, p. 277, 8a. Weight uknown.
2 Troxell & Kagan 1989, p. 277, 8b. 0.18 g.
3 Troxell & Kagan 1989, p. 277, 8c. 0.20 g.
4 Troxell & Kagan 1989, p. 277, 8d. 0.16 g.
5 SNG Levante, 241. 0.17 g.
6 Classical Numismatic Group, Electronic Auction 286, 5 September 2012, lot 151 (acsearch.info URL). 0.15 g (5 mm, 4 h).
7 Gerhard Hirsch Nachfolger, Auction 284, 26 September 2012, lot 2456 (acsearch.info URL). 0.19 g.
8 Fritz Rudolf Künker GmbH & Co. KG, Auction 216, 8 October 2012, lot 469 (acsearch.info URL). 0.15 g.
9 Gerhard Hirsch Nachfolger, Auction 287, 7 Frebruary 2013, lot 2002 (acsearch.info URL). 0.18 g.
10 Gerhard Hirsch Nachfolger, Auction 306, 12 Frebruary 2015, lot 1869 (acsearch.info URL). 0.15 g.
Ex Gerhard Hirsch Nachfolger, Auction 296, 13 Frebruary 2014, lot 1901 (acsearch.info URL).
11 Bucephalus Numismatic GmbH, Auction 21 (23 June 2023), Lot 232 (acsearch.info URL). 0.17 g (5.4 mm).
12 Nomos AG, Auction 29 (5 November 2023), Lot 888 (acsearch.info URL). 0.19 g.
Ex The “Collection sans Pareille” of Ancient Greek Fractions, acquired in 1983.
13 Shanna Schmidt Numismatics Inc, Fixed Price List (accessed 18 January 2024). 0.19 g (6 mm, 3 h).
The average weight including the coin in this collection is 0.17 g with a standard deviation of 0.02 g.

 

19 September 2021 – 27 November 2024