Unusual Variation of Letters

 

This recent acquisition belonging to Duyrat 2005, série 7 will now help clear up some of the confusion surrounding the various Phoenician letters found on coin nos. 2255-2261 on page 66 of Arados Hellénistique, Étude Historique et Monétaire, (Duyrat 2005). The reverse of the coin bears a unusual variation of letters. Seen to the left of the Aradian era date and situated just below the prow of galley, beth & mem representing the mint control mark. Elsewhere on the reverse we see the engravers mark of lamedh (uncertain) in left field and ayin, yodh in right. The aforementioned engravers mark is however open to interpretation, the combination of Phoenician letters could also be a representation of a magistrates name.

As seen in Duyrat 2005 on page 66; [À gauche de la date : B, N ?, ’ ?]. 

 

Below are the known samples of this variant.

Arados 85 (175/4 BC): in right field ayin (`), yodh & in left lamedh ? / to the left of era date : beth & mem.

1. 2255 D9-R17?, Rauch, Vienne, 11, 3-4 nov. 1972, no 82.

2. 2256 D9-R17, Berlin, SM, Imhoof-Blumer (1900). 8,00 g, 21,0 mm.

3. 2257 D9-R18, New York, ANS 1992 54 624 Lindgren. 6,24 g, 17,8 mm.

4. 2258 D9?-R18?, Hirsch G., Munich, 180, 24-26 nov. 1993, no 381. 21 mm.

5.          D9?-R20, collection Martin Rowe, Stockholm, no XU. 5.04g. 19.68mm.

6. 2259 D10?-R19, Kölner Münzkabinett, Cologne, 27, 9-10 mai 1980, no 82. 21 mm.

7. 2260 D10-R20, New York, ANS 1944 100 70569 Newell. 6,65 g, 20,0 mm.

8. 2261 D10-R20?, Müller H. W., Solingen, 54, 20-21 fév. 1987, no 67. 7,03 g, 20 mm. 

 

Please follow provided link for the coins attribution;

AR-No.TPAP 85/12-B (XU)

Série 13 Revision – era date 375 Confirmed

 

Coin no.4608d was used for the purpose of this revision.

It´s been awhile since i have seen a Duyrat série 13 for sale. I bought this coin hoping it would help solve a dispute in respect to era date 375 (EOT) being possibly year 273 (ΣOΓ),  it didn’t disappoint. The letter T (Tau) representing 300 cuts through the barley-whiskers and is not the letter Γ (gamma) as previously thought, also the letter E (Epsilon) should not be mistaken for a Σ (Sigma). The bust of Helios appears to have Roman facial features  and fits in iconographically when placed after era date 365, are we looking at the face of Trajan in the likeness of Helios i wonder ?

Please follow provided link for earlier updates submitted in 2014.

“My Revision Of Series AR-HBVG (Duyrat Serie 13) – Duyrat 2005”

 

Ar 166 : PΞς (94-93 B.C), B, Gimel) (Greek/Phoenician letters)
4603    D1-R1, Paris BNF, H.Seyrig1973239.3,85g,18,9mm,12 h.
4604    D2-R2, Collection Lindgren, no.1345. 6,55 g.

Ar 231 : CΛA (29-28 B.C), ’, M, H (Greek/Phoenician letters)
4605    D3-R3, Berlin, SM, Löbbecke (1906). 5,63 g, 21,5 mm,12 h.   
4605b  D4-R4, Paris BNF.

Ar 233 : CΛΓ (27-26 B.C), ’, M, Y, Q. (Phoenician letters – Aleph Mem Yodh Qoth)
4606    D4-R4, Paris BNF, Waddington. 7,23 g, 22,7 mm, 12 h.

Ar 277 : ΣOZ (18-19 A.D), ΑΡΑΔΙΩΝ
4609    D6-R6, Berlin, SM, Imhoof-Blumer (1900). 8,35 g, 20,3 mm, 12 h.
4610    D6-R7, New York, ANS 1953 171 1645.
4610b  D6-R8, Paris BNF.
4610c  D6-R9, Paris BNF.
4610d  D6-R10, Paris BNF.
4610e  D6-R11 Collection Martin Rowe, Stockholm (GS).

Ar 281 : ΣΠA  (21-22 de notre ère), Q (Phoenician letter Qoph), ΑΡΑΔΙΩΝ
4611    D7-R8, Berlin, SM, Löbbecke (1906). 6,39 g, 22,8 mm, 12 h.
4611b  D7-R9, BMC.
4611c   D7-R10, Paris BNF.
4611d   D7-R11, Paris BNF.

Ar 282-296 : (24-28 A.D), G (Phoenician letter Gimel), ΑΡΑΔΙΩΝ
4618     D1-R1, Paris BNF.

Ar 297 : ΣϘZ (38-39 A.D), G (Phoenician letter Gimel), ΑΡΑΔΙΩΝ
4619     D1-R1, BMC.

Ar 352 : BNT (93-94 A.D), Q (Phoenician letter Qoph), ΑΡΑΔΙΩΝ
4612     D8-R9, Berlin, SM, Löbbecke (1906). 5,94 g, 20,6 mm, 12 h.
4613     D8-R10?, Collection Lindgren, no.1346. 5,57 g.
4614     D8-R10?, Munich, no 22. 5,12 g, 6 h.
4615     D8-R10, Paris BNF Collection Delepierre no.16. 7,50 g, 19,7 mm, 12 h.
4616     D8-R11, Collection Weber, no 8027. 5,24 g.
4616b   D8-R12, BMC.
4616c   D8-R13, Paris BNF.
4616d   D8-R14, Paris BNF.
4616e   D8-R15, Collection Molinari.
4616f    D8-R16, Collection Martin Rowe, Stockholm (HW).

Ar 365 : EΞT (106-107 A.D), Q (Phoenician letter Qoph), ΑΡΑΔΙΩΝ
4620     D1-R1, BMC.
4621     D1-R1, Collection Martin Rowe, Stockholm (GT).

Ar 375 : EOT (116-117 A.D), Q (Phoenician letter Qoph), ΑΡΑΔΙΩΝ
4607     D5-R5, Berlin, SM, C. R. Fox (1873). 5,61 g, 21,1 mm, 12 h.
4608     D5-R5, Berlin, SM, Löbbecke (1906). 8,04 g, 21,2 mm, 12 h.
4608b   D5-R6, Private collector.
4608c   D5-R7, Paris BNF.
4608d   D5-R7, Collection Martin Rowe, Stockholm (TD).
4608e   D5-R8, Paris BNF.

 

For the coins attribution please follow provided link.

AR-No.HBVG 375/EOT12-B (TD)

No.4608d (TD)

Era date EOT=375 (read from right to left)

Phoenician letter qoph in right field

Semi-Barbarous (Unofficial) Drachm Fourreé

 

Semi-barbarous or unofficial coins are often extremely difficult to date due to their confusing and illegible lettering. On this coin however one can clearly see the letters BP perfectly formed in left field, this combination of letters could be mistaken as Aradian year 102 (158-157 B.C). But unfortunately year 102 as already been allotted to official coins with PB read from left to right; ref Duyrat 2005 2871-2882 on page 79. Due to the coin being a fourreé the chances of correctly dating it will be remote.

One noticeable irregularity on the official coins of this series is that the era dates are read right to left up to year 99 and then left to right from year 100-105. From year 106 it then reverts back, i’m sure there´s a rational explanation for this. 

For the coins attribution please follow provided link.

AR-No.BSPT 88-150/BP 1-Drachm (TB)

Fourrèe in Semi-barbarous style

 

This coin was mistakenly advertised as a fourrée from Ephesos, it´s actually a coin of Arados. The city name of ΑΡΑΔΙΩΝ can be seen on the reverse in right field. Very little is known about these particular fourrée, only two other specimens have ever been found.  The obverse monogram appears to consist of letters A & P and were possibly intended to mean Arados, the letter gamma can be seen to the left and above the letter A (note. this could be a makers mark and not the city monogram).  We can also see the Aradian era date, epsilon & lamda in left field (possibly year 135 or 125-124 BCE). Although the style could be deemed semi-barbarous, i feel that this fourrée was the result of silver depletion towards the end of the workshops quota. Regrettably the coin as taken an heavy battering and much of the silver has fallen away, still it is an important find and one that i felt needed to be documented. 

1.  2988  DA-RA, Paris, BNF, H. Seyrig 1965/737. 4,27 g, 17,1 mm. 

2.  2989  DA-RA, Londres, BM, BMC 171. 3,32 g, 17,2 mm. 

3.            DA-RA, Stockholm, collection Martin Rowe. 2.47 g, 16.60 mm. 

 

Please follow provided link for the coins attribution.

AR-No.BSPT 88-150/ΛE 8-Drachm (QZ)

Blundered Mintmark

 

The following coins of Arados were struck between 115-113 B.C (era date 145-146) and belong to série 7, 8 & 10. For those of you acquainted with the Phoenician alphabet and in particularly that of Arados, the letters highlighted in the image below will appear extremely unusual (No.1-4).  Coins struck two years prior and after show no signs of irregularities, as a reference i have added two samples of these coins to the image below (No.5-6) [1].  If we begin with the highlighted letters on coins 1 to 4, at first glance they seem to resemble beth & nun but mirror imaged. I suppose one could possibly categorise these letters has being blundered, but perhaps there is a more logical explanation for this oddity [2]. After checking reference books and the coins in my collection for similar formed letters, no coins struck before or after the aforementioned dates were found. I then began to think along the lines of travelling engraver, someone specifically brought in to produce dies for the three series mentioned above [3]. This idea prompted me to look further afield and so i started comparing the Sidonian and Tyrian alphabets. 

Highlighted letter right, nun ?

After many hours of studying the numerous varieties of lettering, i found one version of the Sidonian letter nun which was almost identical but written with the usual rotation. The second was the Tyrian letter sadhe, also extremely similar with a rotation closely matching that of coins 1-4. 

Highlighted letter left, beth [4] ?

Towards the end of G.Hills introduction to BMC Phoenicia are the alphabets of all the major Phoenician cities, listed under the city of Tyre is a mirror imaged letter resh [5]. 

On certain bronze issues of Sidon there is a version of samekh that should also be considered as a possibility.

 

On page 69 of Duyrat 2005 (Arados Hellénistique), the author of the book understandably questioned both of these disputed letters but could not decipher their meaning [6].

Series 7,8 & 10 in Duyrat 2005 are numbered as follows;

série 7 – No.2447-2455 / série 8 – No.2542-2543 / série 10 – No.4383-4386.

In my opinion the chances of blundered lettering occurring on all three series over a period of two years is highly unlikely, unless it was intentional and included as part of a makers/engravers mark. 

I feel these coins will inevitably remain a mystery but hopefully in the not too distant future, i will have the opportunity to study the BNF coins in hand at the Paris Museum. 

For the purposes of attribution, i have opted for the following combination of letters, mem, yodh, taw & sadhe. I made this decision purely on gut feeling and for want of a better solution.

 

[1]  No other issues spanning the Persian or Hellenistic period of Arados have similar letters on them.

[2]  If the letters were blundered, why didn´t the city leaders stop the production of coins after era date 145 coins were issued ?

[3]  Possibly someone from the Aradian dependences or elsewhere in Phoenicia.

[4]  We can almost certainly discount a blundered or mirror imaged beth, below the era date on coin 3 is a perfectly formed letter beth in combination with the disputed letter.

[5]  I feel this option needs to be overlooked, see tail of disputed letter on coins 1-4.

[6]  The letters reference in Duyrat 2005; M, Y, N?, S[ts]? or mem, yodh, nun & sadhe.

I would like to thank BNF for allowing me the use of their images for coins 1, 2, 3, 5 & 6.

Listed below are the 10 known samples of série 7 with disputed letters.

Arados 115-113 B.C (145/146), dans le champ droit : B ; à l’exergue : M, Y, T ?, TS ?

115-114 B.C

1.  2447 D82-R154, collection A. Ronde, Paris. 18,1 mm. 

2.  2448 D82-R155, Berlin. 3,47 g, 18,6 mm. 

3.  2449 D82-R156, New York, ANS 1944 100 70661 Newell. 4,30 g, 18,0 mm. 

4.  2450 D82-R156, collection W. Moore, New York. 

114-113 B.C

5.             D82-R156, Stockholm, collection Martin Rowe No.QX. 5.16 g, 16,99 mm. (Coin No.4 in image above & below)

6.  2451 D82-R157?, Elsen J., Bruxelles, liste 29, fév. 1981, n 13. 7,29 g. 

7.  2452 D83-R?, SNG Copenhague, Phoenicia, no 67. 4,36 g. 

8.  2453 D84-R158, Londres, BM, 1930 2 6 13 E. Rogers. 3,20 g, 16,8 mm. 

9.  2454 D85-R159, New York, ANS 1944 100 70662 Newell. 4,32 g, 17,1 mm. 

10.  2455 D?-R?, SNG Fitzwilliam, Cambridge, no 6015. 5,06 g.

Please follow provided link for coins attribution;

AR-No.TPAP 146/TSTYM12-B (QX)

Attractive Patina with Sandy Orange Tones

This well centred strike is my first Aradian year 119, i really like the coins attractive patina with various shades of green and sandy orange tones. Below are the two published coins with the same control letters and era date from Duyrat 2005.

An 119 (141/0 B.C)
‘, M 

1. 2161  D250-R342, Paris, BNF, Vogüé no 284. 3,82 g, 16,0 mm, 12 h. 

2. 2162  D250-R343, Paris, BNF, Vogüé no 282. 3,65 g, 15,0 mm, 12 h. 

3.           D250-R343a, Collection Martin Rowe, Stockholm, No.QS. 3,79 g, 16.82 mm, 12 h.

 

Please follow provided link for coins attribution;

AR-No.ZTR 119/M`12-C (QS)

Extremely Rare Aradian Era Date 71

 

Extremely rare Aradian era date 71 with Phoenician control letters ayin and taw from right to left. Although there is very little patina remaining, both sides of the coin have exquisite sharp details.

New combination of dies for coin 3.

An 71 (189/8)

‘, T 

1.  1719  D43-R66, New York, ANS 1944 100 70557 Newell. 3,05 g, 14,4 mm, 12 h. 

2.  1720  D43-R67, Beyrouth, AUB Museum, no 35. 3,05 g, 15 mm, 12 h. 

3.            D43a-R67a, Collection Martin Rowe, Stockholm, No. QQ. 3,46 g, 15 mm, 12 h.

Please follow provided link for coins attribution;

AR-No.TPSC 71/´TS12-C (QQ)

Phoenician Fourrée during the Persian period

 

Type 1

I have dated this obol sized fourrée to between 380-350 B.C, the coin is iconographically correct when compared to similar silver types of this period depicting Ba´al. Test cuts reveal precious metal was added to the base metal, but it appears that the silvering process was a failure. I have no doubts what so ever that this coin was minted in an official workshop.

Please follow provided links for coins attribution;

AR-No.BEGP-O (F) 380-350/´M8 (QM)

Type 2

Weighing the equivalent of a tetrobol, this fourrée is extremely interesting and one which pushes the boundaries of our knowledge. After closely studying the iconography, i have dated the coin to 333-332 B.C [1]. This would mean the coin was struck towards the latter end of Gerashtart´s (Gerostratos) reign.  Greek influences are plain to see on the obverse, the bust of Ba´al seems to have almost morphed into that of Zeus. 

[1]  Gerashtart´s (Gerostratos) regnal years were 339-332 B.C.

Please follow provided links for coins attribution;

AR-No.BEGP-T (F) 333-332/´M2 (QO)

Small Denomination Bronzes in Phoenicia during the Persian period

 

The following was written by John Wilson Betlyon´s in his publication “The Coinage and Mints of Phoenicia – The Pre-Alexandrine Period;

A series of small denominations were developed to supplement the larger coins. Being a period when great liberties were taken by the Phoenician mints and when commercial development reached new and greater heights, ample supplies of small change, minted in both silver and bronze, were required in the market place. 

Betlyon is referring to the bronze coinage he categorised has “The Fourth Aradian Series” dated ca. 380-350 B.C and numbered 24-25 [1]. Depicted on the obverse is a figure of marine deity with a fish-like lower body, holding a wreath in his right hand and a fish or dolphin in his left. On the reverse we see a galley with two waves below, figurehead on prow and a curved ornament on the poop deck.  To date, these are the only bronze coins of the Aradian Persian era to be recognised as an official mint. Although extremely rare, they do occasionally turn up for sale in auctions.

The following type of Aradian bronze have never been documented before and are extremely rare, to my knowledge only two survive to date [2]. In my humble opinion, i believe it to be yet another defiant attempt by the Aradians to supply the market place with further types of bronze denominations [3]. The first is in my collection (a) and second belongs to the Bibliothèque nationale de France (b). Both have a weight equivalent to that of 1/6 staters and date from between 348-338 B.C. I have split them into two distinctive groups, although similar, they do not share the same dies. The iconography of this type still have archaic style busts, but have started to show early signs of Greek influence. There isn’t any trace of silver, these coins were struck purely in bronze.

[1] For further reference, this type can also be found on page 12 in BMC Phoenicia dated 350-332 B.C and numbered 83-85 or in HGC10 on page 16, numbered 55-56.

[2] Please drop me a line if you know the whereabouts of matching coins.

[3] We know from history that the Aradians attempted to abandon the Persic standard in favour of the attic standard, this attempt was short lived due to the massive military intervention by the Persian King against the revolting Satrap. Even in defeat, the Aradians remained rebellious.

(a)

(b)

Please follow provided link for my coins attribution; 

AR-No.BEGP-1/16 S 348-338/´M6 (QN)

Marine Deity Dagôn ?

 

According to Palestine and Phoenician history, both Dagôn (Yamm ?) and his brother El-Kronos were worshipped together as equals [1]. Many scholars believe that the merman images found in Palestine and Phoenicia are those of Dagôn, this depiction as survived the ages but still deemed controversial. Dagôn was also associated with the half fish female deity Derceto, this may also account for his own portrayal as half fish – half man.

1: Ba´al was said to have been born at El-Kronos & Dagôns celestial house.

There are many unanswered questions in respect to who is depicted on the coins of Arados. This is a very complex and difficult subject to tackle and one which perhaps will never be solved. 

Dagôn was associated with being the god of grain in the middle Euphrates and old Babylonia. It´s only when the Phoenicians & Palestinians adopted Dagôn as one of their own gods that certain scholars, possibly incorrectly, translated the diminutive form of Hebrew to that of fish ( דג ). I believe when translated, this gives us the name of Dagôn, meaning “little fish” or “what belongs to the fish”, thus translates as “fish-stump” (fish like body) ?

There are other options such as Yamm (Yam), an ancient god from the semitic word meaning sea. He was worshipped by the semitic religions including Phoenicia and the Canaanites. Perhaps Dagôn is an adaptation of Yamm, this was common practice in the ancient world i.e  Ba´al = Zeus ? 

Please follow provided link for coins attribution;

AR-No.MDDWH /´M (PZ)