What is your oldest coin with a date?

sumnom

I recently acquired some Southern Sung Dynasty coins from Darkside member johnsim (thank you laurent for putting us in touch!), including the first coin below, a Chunxi Yuanbao. It is dated 1182 AD and is now the oldest dated coin I have. The obverse includes the reign period while the reverse shows the year of the reign period in which the coin was minted. In this case the reign period is Chunxi (1174-1189 AD) as indicated by the characters at 12 and 3 o'clock. The number on the reverse above the hole is "9" so this coin was minted in the ninth year of Chunxi or 1182 AD. I find these issues to be especially interesting because they are dated, an unusual feature in Chinese cast coinage.





The coin below was minted in the fifteenth year of Chunxi (1188 AD) and is far better condition but due some calligraphic features, I suspect it may be fake. I'd appreciate any opinions. (I did not buy this one from johnsim, by the way.)





I have 21 coins from the Southern Sung that are dated, ranging from 1182 to 1263 AD and are by far the oldest dated coins in my collection. What are the oldest dated coins in your collections? Please post some pics if you can.

lordmarcovan

Oldest I've had was something like 1510.

Oldest I presently have is probably in the 1600s.

I have Roman coins that are datable to a single year (and, in fact, datable to to a short span of two to three months, in some cases), but of course they're not "dated" in the real sense of the word.

Sapyx

I believe this one is. A drachm of Ariarathes V of Cappadocia:



The two letters gamma-lambda at the bottom of the reverse are Greek numeral-shorthand for "33". Year 33 of Ariarathes V correlates to 131/130 BC, his last year on the throne.

Michigan

I have a coin so worn that I can make out the bust of someone and barely see a "1666" date. European I'm sure but I have no idea
what country since all wording on the coin is worn away.

pendragon1998

AuldFartte

I think this is my oldest dated coin. 1549 Denor from Hungary



I have some much older ancients, but I don't think they're dated.

sumnom

Sapyx, that's amazing. I had no idea dated coins when back so far.

I also find it interesting, Lord M, that there are coins that coin be dated to a several month period so far in the past. Cool stuff.

baddspellar

I have a silver drachm from the Western Kshatrapas (now, part of modern India). I don't have a picture, but it's this particular type.


These coins were all dated in the Shalivahana (or Saka) era, which I believe is still in use for certain religious calendars. As a math buff, what I found particularly interesting is that the date is written in Brahmi numerals, which later evolved into our indo-arabic numeral system. Mine bears the image of Vijayasena, who reigned from 239-250AD. It's at home, and I don't recall what date it is, but I had fun figuring it out. It's in nice shape, and cost me around 10 dollars.

farthing

sumnom - it's important to realize that some roman emperors only lasted a few months in the job!

Makes it much easier to date their coins when they lived only 2 months after taking the throne.

Edited for spelling - Doh!

sumnom

<< <i>sumnom - it's important to realize that some roman emperors only lasted a for months in the job!

Makes it much easier to date their coins when they lived only 2 months after taking the throne. >>



Such emperors have given numismatists a great and lasting gift!

sumnom

<< <i>I have a silver drachm from the Western Kshatrapas (now, part of modern India). I don't have a picture, but it's this particular type.


These coins were all dated in the Shalivahana (or Saka) era, which I believe is still in use for certain religious calendars. As a math buff, what I found particularly interesting is that the date is written in Brahmi numerals, which later evolved into our indo-arabic numeral system. Mine bears the image of Vijayasena, who reigned from 239-250AD. It's at home, and I don't recall what date it is, but I had fun figuring it out. It's in nice shape, and cost me around 10 dollars. >>



I really like it when so much numismatic fun can be had for such a reasonable price. It is our good fortune that there are so many coins like that out there.

ozzysdad47

I am not sure of the exact date? Maybe LordM can decipher the date? But i feel that this is one of my oldest.

satootoko

Here's a coin with a date, assuming there is some fruit on the date palm pictured on this coin from ancient Crete, identified as

<< <i>A61 Crete, Priansus. AE 17. Artemis right with hair rolled - Date palm between dolphin and rudder, PRIANSIEWN. SNG Cop 548. Sear 3372var. 6.3g. >>

sumnom

Dates - mmmm.

goossen

This is the mine, not quite old but I like it...

JoesMaName

It's not much to look at but here's my oldest: France 1645 quarter ECU

TwoKopeiki

Here's my oldest dated one:

worldcoinguy

MDLXVII = 1567 (Saxony taler)

Hyperion

1582 French Whatzis

MSD61

AZLARRY

This is my oldest a 1718.

Swampboy

1jester

Here's my oldest dated coin: 1509 Polish Half Grosz, Krakow mint

CIVITAS

<< <i>
I have Roman coins that are datable to a single year (and, in fact, datable to to a short span of two to three months, in some cases), but of course they're not "dated" in the real sense of the word. >>



You mean not dated in the modern Western sense of the word.

Tyrol Thaler 1484 (Sold this one two years ago, I think.)



German States, Aachen 1420 AR Turnose



Kings of Macedon, Alexander III, Ake Mint Dated Year 26 (321-320 B.C.)

ColinCMR

Sumnom why do you think the Chunxi year 15 coin is fake?

lordmarcovan

I just remembered- I used to have a 1509 Polish piece practically identical to the one 1jester posted, but it was stolen from my antique mall booth. That is the earliest Western-dated piece I can remember having.

sumnom

<< <i>Sumnom why do you think the Chunxi year 15 coin is fake? >>



I don't know that it is but the source of suspicion is in the calligraphy. There is a Chunxi issue with that calligraphic style but the according to Ding, it should have adifferent reverse. For the most part it looks quite good. I am just a little wary over what appears to be something of a mismatch between obverse and reverse.

lordmarcovan

(Swooshing sound of sumnom's post flying completely over LordM's head)

sumnom

You can compare the two Chunxi Yuanbao images in the first post to the this thread and see some differences. Carefully compare the "yuan" on both coins. The "yuan" is the character at six o'clock.