Diomedes Ancient Coins

Lucania, Sybaris. AR Obol, circa 530-510 BC - Obv: Bull standing to left, head to right, Rev: Large M V One thing I have noticed is that there are different kinds of coin collectors. For some collectors it is about the coin itself - what mint at what date by what engraver. For others it is about how the coin connects with history, stories and myths, both to validate them and to evidence the period. The collectors of the former persuasion are more detailed, precise and more l

Knights of Rhodes (Knights Hospitaller). Philibert of Naillac. 1396-1421. AR Gigliato (27mm, 3.73 g). Grandmaster kneeling left, holding patriarchal cross set on base; coat-of-arms to right / Cross fleurée; each bar ending in shield with arms of the Order of St. John. This is a coin of Phillibert de Naillac, grand master of the Order of the Knights the Hospital of St. John of Jerusalem, otherwise known as the Knights Hospitaller, in 1376. The order was founded in Jerusalem

Historia Numorum - Barclay V. Head The joy in handling a Greek coin, apart from its aesthetic value, is feeling a connection with the people who may have handled it over 2,000 years ago.  To understand these people, you need to understand the context of the coin. Using ancient texts such as Herodotus, Strabo or Diodorus is a starting point but leveraging the knowledge and interpretation of scholars from the late Victorian age onwards provides you with a wealth of additional i

LYDIAN KINGDOM. Alyattes or Walwet. Countermarks. Sardes, uninscribed issues. Obv: Head of lion right, mouth open, mane bristling, radiate sun above eye. Rev: Two square punches of different size, side by side, with irregular interior surfaces. Whilst this coin is known as a trite, or third-stater, it is estimated that there are only around 100 surviving examples of full staters, which would indicate they were fairly uncommon in antiquity (or were significantly recycled). In

Antigonos II Gonatas, 277/6-239 BC. Tetradrachm (Silver, 30 mm, 17.08 g, 10 h), Amphipolis, circa 274/1-260/55 BC. Horned head of Pan to left, within the center of a Macedonian shield. Rev. BAΣIΛEΩΣ ANTIΓONOΥ Athena Alkidemos striding left; to left, Macedonian helmet with transverse crest; to right, monogram of EYPM. While reviewing some of the coins in my collection I noticed something that I had missed previously on this coin. On the reverse Athena Alkidemos 'defender of t

Corinth. Circa 375-300 BC. AR Stater (8.56g, 21mm). Obv.: Ϙ Pegasos flying left. Rev.: head of Athena to left, wearing Corinthian helmet; below chin, A; behind neck guard, Λ and trophy. The collection has reached the point where it contains many of the more common coins from across the Greek world. Rather than simply collecting minor variations of the same coins the focus is now on collecting the unusual - coins which may not just be a variation of type but which may have an

I am now at the point that - with the exception of a few coins which rarely come up at auctions, or which are prohibitively expensive when they do - I have a broad range of coins which represent my collecting interests in Greek coins. Rather than stop collecting and enjoy the fruits of 6 years labour, I have found myself casting around for new areas of interest. However, what I have also been doing is starting to pay a lot more attention to the provenance of coins - who ow

Sicily. Syracuse. Philistis, wife of Hieron II (275-215 BC). AR 16 Litrai-Tetradrachm, c. 218-214 BC. Obv. Diademed and veiled bust left;...

Lesbos. Mytilene circa 521-478 BC. Sixth Stater or Hekte EL. 11 mm, 2.56 g. Obv: Head of a ram to right; below, rooster standing right,...

Julius Caesar, Denarius, military mint moving with Caesar, spring-summer 48, diademed head of Pietas right, wearing an oak wreath, hair...

The obverse of this bronze coin from Pantikapaion in Thrace is the head of satyr facing right which is mostly identified as Pan (though I...

Bruttium, Medma. AR Stater, ca. 330-320 B.C. Obv: Pegasos flying left; Rev: Helmeted head of Athena left. When I started out collecting...

Dynasts of Lycia, Perikles (c. 380-360 BC). AR Tetrobol (16mm, 3.05g). Uncertain mint. Facing scalp of lion. R/ Triskeles; above, dolphin...

Bruttium, Terina, c. 300 BC. AR Drachm (15mm, 2.33g, 12h). Female head l., wearing triple-pendant earring; [triskeles] behind. R/ Nike...

Kroton, Silver Third Stater, 530-500BC. Obverse: Delphic tripod with three handles, with legs terminating in lion's paws, with ornaments...

LUCANIA, Velia. Obv. Helmeted head of Athena left; monogram behind neck guard. Rev. Lion standing left, devouring prey; Φ between legs;...

KINGS OF LYDIA. Kroisos, circa 560-546 BC. Siglos (Silver, 17 mm, 5.25 g), Sardes. Confronted foreparts of a lion and a bull. Rev. Two...

Bruttium. Lokroi Epizephyrioi. AR Stater, (8.31 g), ca. 350-275 BC. Obv: Pegasos flying left; Rev: Helmeted head of Athena right. Lokroi...

THRACE. Maroneia. Tetradrachm (Circa 189/8-49/5 BC). Obv: Head of Dionysus right, wearing ivy wreath. Rev: ΔIONYΣOY / ΣΩTHPOΣ /...

SICILY, Syracuse, Silver Tetradrachm, Second Democracy, Charioteer/Arethusa, c460-440 BC. Obverse: Charioteer walking horse drawn...