Any help on a Judaean coin?

NiceCurrency

It's either John Hyrcanus, Judah Aristobulus or Alexander Jannaeus but I just can't make heads or tails of it, three different people say those three different names

NiceCurrency

NiceCurrency

3rd times a charm? at getting an image to show hopefully

lordmarcovan

Yep. It's a Judaean coin, all right.



So glad I could be of assistance.



Looks like an Egyptian mummy finger at the top of the picture, too.



And a Roman or Roman provincial coin.



So you've got a mix of cultures goin' on.











Seriously, though, I have no clue on Judaean coin attribution. Did you try over at FORVM? Is that where you got three different answers?

NiceCurrency

I didn't try forum because if they see it go up for sale somewhere I'll be shunned lol

however if it's Judah Aristobulus I'm likely keeping it

I got 3 different answers on facebook

NiceCurrency

this new format really takes some getting used to, evidently my reply is just a run on sentence there even though I used return

lordmarcovan

There have been some issues with line breaks like that. Read some of the threads on the USCF. I was having the same problem but no longer am. Can't remember which browser and/or device I was using when I encountered that problem.



There are still bugs and glitches to be worked out, and a lot of learning curve for us users to work through, but I'm just glad not to be hit with the captchas. While I can't say I love the new format, I don't hate it like I was worried I might.



It'll just take some getting used to, is all.

lordmarcovan

PS- nice patina. Judaeans are a bit crude for my taste, but I like that most of the bronze comes with that nice desert patination.

NiceCurrency

I have a guy that is adamant that it is Judah Aristobulus and showed me images from teh newest Hendin reference and I guess I kinda see it so that's what I'm rolling with unless someone can show me why not

CIVITAS

Gotta say Alexander Jannaeus.

lordmarcovan

So what IS that mummy finger lookin' thing in the photo, really?



Please tell me you didn't roll up a giant Cheech & Chong doobie in papyrus, to better "get in tune with the vibes of" your ancient coins!



Oh- I know- could it be a small burrito? That's it, isn't it.



NiceCurrency is experimenting with the artificial patination of ancient coins by refried bean paste! Wait'll his TPG employer hears he's a coin doctor! *gasp!*



So that's where all that talk about Taco Bell napkins on the Liteside came from!

lordmarcovan

PS- your "Pukin' Punkin" avatar is now perfectly in synch with the season, for once!

NiceCurrency

lol, that's the prior owners image, I have skinny girl hands, what I've had argued to me is the inscriptions are a different style for each ruler which makes sense



as such we've matched this to Hendin 454 and he showed me exactly what those inscriptions were, basically the top line where the name is is absent on my coin, we believe it to be John Hyrcanus I

NiceCurrency

I understand the first line is the name and the rest on them is all the same, high priest of the council of jews, but the style certainly matches here

CIVITAS

My argument is in the characters themselves, not the style. I think there are two key points that differentiate my take from the seller's take.

1. I think the seller is confusing the last character on line 3 with a wreath leaf.

2. The character with the arrow pointing to it in my image can't possibly match anything in line 2 of the John Hyrcanus inscription. Notice the distinctive tail.


I've color coded and shape coded the images. Rectangled characters are definite matches. Elliptical shapes are probable matches. Colors correlate to lines of inscription.

I am not an expert on Judaean coins, but I would catalog this as Alexander Jannaeus (Hendin 473 [4th Edition]) if I were selling it.

NiceCurrency

Thank you Josh, I of course do not own this reference and these seem quite confusing.



The seller got 3 different answers and was discouraged and group lotted it with other stuff



Your photo makes the most sense now and I can move it as a "widows mite"



much appreciated sir :-)

lordmarcovan

Hey, more power to y'all.



I believe my brain just exploded.

Zohar

You guys are awesome. I learned something.