Asia Minor Coins - Photo Gallery

Ancient Greek and Roman coins from Asia Minor


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Olba (AD 10-15) AE 14 - Ajax544 viewsAjax, high priest and toparch, 10-15 AD. AE14 (3.23g, 12h), dated RY 5 (14-15 AD). Head of Ajax as Hermes right, wearing close fitting cap / Inscription in three lines; two monograms. F/VF, green patina, obverse pitted.
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Olba (AD 10-15) AE 16 - Ajax438 viewsQuasi-autonomous, 1st century AD. AE16 (4.52g), struck under Ajax, son of Teukros, archiereus of Olba and toparch of Kennatis and Lalassis, 11-12 AD (year 2). TOΠAPX / KENNAT / [Λ]AΛAΣ / ET B, in dotted circle / Thunderbolt, APXIEP / AIANTOΣ above, TEVKPOV beneath; all in dotted circle. Very rare, about EF, glossy dark-green patina. Hoeft coll.; ex Sternberg AG Zürich XXV (1991), lot 160; ex Gutknecht coll. (M&M XVII (2005), lot 965).

Olba was for a long time a quasi-autonomous priest kingdom. It's main god was Zeus Olbios. Hence the thunderbolt on the rev.
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Olba (AD 10-15) AE 17- Ajax422 viewsAjax, High Priest and Toparch, 10-15 AD. AE17 (4.42g), struck 10/11 AD. ΤΟΠΑΡΧ ΚΕΝΝΑΤ ΛΑΛΑΣ ΕΤ Α (=year 1) / ΑΡΧΙΕΡΕ ΑΙΑΝΤΟΣ ΤΕΥΚΡΟΥ, triskeles and ET-A. VF.
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Olba (AD 10-15) AE 21 - Ajax476 viewsAugustus, 27 BC-14 AD, under Ajax, high priest and toparch, 10-15 AD. AE21 (6.78g), struck ca 11/12 AD. AIANTOΣ TEVKPOV, draped bust of Ajax right, wearing cap and with caduceus before neck / APXIEPEΩΣ TOΠAPXO KENNAT ΛAΛOΣ ET B (=year 2) across field, thunderbolt. Olive green patina. EF.
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Olba (AD 10-15) AE 22 - Ajax657 viewsAjax, High Priest and Toparch, 10-15 AD. AE22 (6.66g), struck 10/11 AD. ΑΙΑΝΤΟΣ ΤΕΥΚΡΟΥ, bust of Ajax as Hermes wearing pilos right, kerykeion (caduceus) over breast / AΡΧΙΕΡΕΩΣ / ΤΟΠΑΡΧΟΥ - ΚΕΝ/ΝΑΤΩΝ / ΛΑΛΑΣΣ, triskeles, in field A (date = year 1). Dark green patina, VF. Gutknecht coll.
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Olba (AD 10-15) AE 23 - Ajax465 viewsAugustus, 27 BC-14 AD, under Ajax, high priest and toparch, 10-15 AD. AE23 (12.50g), struck ca 10/11 AD. KAIΣΑPΟΣ ΣΕΒΑΣΤΟV, head laureate right / KENNATΩN KAI ΛAΛAΣΣEΩN around, APXIEPEΩΣ AIANTOΣ TEVKPOV TOΠAPXOV ET A (=year1) across field, thunderbolt. Olive green patina, aEF.
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Olba (AD 10-15) AE 24 - Ajax363 views14/15 AD. AE24 (12.85g). Ajax, high priest of Olba. Dated year 5 (14/5 AD). Laureate head of Augustus right / Thunderbolt; date below. VF, even brown surfaces.
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Olba (AD 10-15) AE 25 - Ajax323 views14/15 AD. AE25 (10.65g). ΣEBAΣTOΣ ΣΕΒΑΣΤΟΥ KAIΣΑΡ, laureate head of Augustus right / APXIEPEΩΣ AIANTOΣ TEVKTOV TOΠΑPXOV KENNATΩN KAI ΛΑΛΑΣΣΕΩΝ ΕΠΙ ΔΙΟΔΩ Ε (= year 5 = 14/15 AD), thunderbolt. Great portrait, small flan-flaws on obverse, very fine.
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Olba (AD 17-36) AE 24 - Polemo II356 viewsM. Antonius Polemo II, high priest, 17-36 AD. AE24 (12.20g, 4h). Bare head right / Thunderbolt. VF, brown patina, area of deposit, reverse pit.
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Olba (AD 17-36) AE 25 - Polemo II373 viewsM. Antonius Polemo II, high priest, ca 17-36 AD. AE25 (15.99g), dated year 11 (28/9 AD). Draped bust right / Throne; triskeles behind. VF, dark brown patina, a few ancient scratches (adjustment marks?) under the patina.
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Olba (AD 17-36) AE 26 - Polemo II392 viewsM. Antonius Polemo, high priest, ca 17-36 AD. AE26 (13.10g), dated year 10 (27/8 AD). Bare head right / Thunderbolt. VF, green patina.
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Olba (AD 41-69) AE 16 - Polemo III451 viewsM. Antonius Polemo III, high priest, 41-69 AD. AE16 (2.41g, 6h). Club / Harpa on globe. VF, brown patina.
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Olba (AD 54-68) AE 25 - Nero284 viewsNero, 54-68 AD. AE25 (10.67g). ΑΥΤΟΚΡ ΝЄΡΩΝΑ ΤΟΝ ЄΥЄΡΓ CЄΒΑCΤ ΚΑΙC, laureate head right / Μ ΑΝΤ ΠΟΛЄΜΩΝ ΒΑCΙΛЄΥC, Kerykeion in between snakes. Rare. Green patina, VF.
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Olba (AD 54-68) AE 28 - Nero 242 viewsNero, with Polemo II, King of Pontus, 54-68 AD. AE28 (12.50g, 6h). Struck ca 67-68 AD. Laureate head right / M ANT ΠOΛЄMΩ BACIΛЄYC, winged caduceus between two serpents. Near VF, green patina. Very rare.
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Olba (AD 68-69) AE 23 – Galba339 viewsGalba, 68-69 AD. AE23 (11.06g, 11h). Bare head right / Athena standing facing, head left, holding spear and shield. Near VF, green patina.
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Olba (AD 69-81) AE 19 - Domitian252 viewsDomitian, as Caesar, 69-81 AD. AE19 (5.14g, 6h). Bare head left / Cornucopia. VF, black patina, light earthen deposits. Levante Coll.
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Olba (AD 69-81) AE 24- Domitian595 viewsDomitian, as Caesar and Titus, 69-81 AD. AE24 (15.79g). ΔOMITIANOY KAIΣAPOΣ, bare head of Domitian left / AYTOKPATOPOΣ TITOY OYEΣΠACIANOY, bare head of Titus right. Olive green patina, VF. Very rare.

RPC 1720 lists five specimens, all from the same die pai. The same obverse die of Domitian Caesar was also used for RPC 1721, whose reverse names the koinon of the Lalasseis and the Cennatae, proving that the mint must have been Olba, the metropolis of this koinon. RPC considers this die to have functioned as an obverse die for RPC 1721, but as a reverse die for RPC 1720. But more likely it functioned as an obverse die for both coins.
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Olba (AD 70-100) AE 17369 viewsAutonomous, 1st cent BC. AE17 (3.08g). Club tied with a fillet / ΟΛΒΕ-ΩΝ, crenelated tower.
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Olba (AD 70-100) AE 18508 viewsImperial Times, after ca 54 AD. AE18 (5.26g, 12h). Head of Athena, helmeted, right / Harpa between caps of the Dioscuri, stars above. Fine, brown patina.
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Olba (AD 70-100) AE 19322 viewsAutonomous Issues, ca 1st cent AD. AE19 (4.14g). Filleted club of Hercules / Tall crenellated tower. VF, dark brown patina, with earthen encrustation.
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Olba (AD 1-100) AE 18278 viewsImperial Times, 1st century AD. AE18 (3.82g). Throne of Zeus / OΛBЄΩN, Hermes with purse and caduceus. Very rare. Green patina, VF.
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Olba (AD 100-200) AE 17356 viewsImperial Times, 2nd century AD. AE17 (3.62g). Head of Herakles right, club behind / OΛBEΩN, crenelated tower. Rare, good very fine.
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Olba (AD 117-138) AE 20 - Hadrian352 viewsHadrian, 117-138 AD. AE20 (4.74g). Laureate head right / Diademed and draped bust of Lunar goddess right, within crescent. VF, green patina.
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Olba (AD 117-138) AE 24 - Hadrian290 viewsHadrian, 117-138 AD. AE24 (10.28g, 1h) . Laureate head right / Thunderbolt. Near VF, brown patina. Interesting imaginary portrait.
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Olba (AD 138-161) AE 25 - Antoninus Pius261 viewsAntoninus Pius, 138-161 AD. AE25 (8.29g, 1h). Laureate head right / Eagle standing left, head right, on thunderbolt. VF, earthen green patina. Krizan Coll.
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Olba (AD 147-175) AE 23 - Faustina Jr.352 viewsFaustina Jr., wife of Marcus Aurelius, Augusta, 147-175 AD. AE23 (10.16g). Diademed and draped bust right / Winged thunderbolt. Good VF, dark greenish-brown patina.
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Olba (AD 161-169) AE 20 - Lucius Verus356 viewsLucius Verus, 161-169 AD. AE20 (6.46g). ΑΥΤ ΚΑΙ ΛΟΥ ΑΥΡ ΟΥΗΡΟC, laureate head right / ΟΛΒΕΩΝ, river god Calycadnus reclining left. Good VF, green patina.
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Olba (AD 161-169) AE 27 - Lucius Verus341 viewsLucius Verus, 161-169 AD. AE27 (13.44g). Laureate, draped, and cuirassed bust right, seen from behind / Turreted and veiled bust of Tyche right. VF, dark brown patina, light roughness. Ex von Aulock Collection, 5797.
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Olba (AD 161-169) AE 29 - Lucius Verus338 viewsLucius Verus, 161-169 AD. AE29 (14.47g). AVT KAICA AVPH-LI OVHPO[...], laureate and draped bust right / [...] ΟΛΒΕΩΝ ΜΗΤΡΟΠΟΛΕΩ, Lucius Verus (on left side) and Marcus Aurelius (on right) clasping hands; OMO/NOIA in field in between. Rare. Dark green patina, very fine.
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Olba (AD 161-180) AE 18 - Marcus Aurelius228 viewsMarcus Aurelius, 161-180 AD. AE18 (3.63g, 12h). Laureate head right / Pilei of the Dioscuri surmounted by stars. VF, earthen green patina. Rare. Ex Eduardo Levante Coll.
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Olba (AD 161-180) AE 20 - Marcus Aurelius189 viewsMarcus Aurelius, 161-180 AD. AE20 (6.45g, 1h). Laureate head right / Mercury standing left, holding bag and caduceus. Near VF, green and brown patina, some roughness. Scarce issue. Ex Eduardo Levante Coll.
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Olba (AD 161-180) AE 28 - Marcus Aurelius208 viewsMarcus Aurelius, 161-180 AD. AE28 (9.91g, 11h). Draped bust right / Dionysus standing left, holding thrysos and kantharos over panther. Near VF, green patina, some roughness. The only specimen cited by Staffieri for this type. Ex Eduardo Levante Coll.
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Olba (AD 164-182) AE 26 - Lucilla310 viewsLucilla, wife of Lucius Verus. Augusta, 164-182 AD. AE26 (9.77g). Draped bust right / Nemesis sianding left, holding cubit-rule; wheel at her feet. VF, black patina.
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Olba (AD 177-192) AE 21 - Commodus279 viewsCommodus, 177-192 AD. AE21 (9.21g, 7h). Laureate, draped and cuirassed bust left / Hermes standing facing, head left, holding purse and caduceus. Near VF, brown patina.
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Olba (AD 193-211) AE 28 - Septimius Severus1588 viewsSeptimius Severus, 193-211 AD. AE28 (15.43g). Septimius, radiate, on horseback right, right hand raised; c/m: thunderbolt on throne / Serapis standing right, holding sceptre, right hand raised. Near VF, dark green patina with some smoothed red encrustation.
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Olba (AD 193-211) AE 31 - Septimius Severus, Julia Domna and Caracalla524 viewsSeptimius Severus, with Julia Domna and Caracalla, 193-211 AD. AE31 (19.77g). Confronted busts of Septimius, on right, and Domna, on left; c/m: Nike(?) / Caracalla standing left, holding Nike and spear. VF, brown surfaces.
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Olba (AD 198-217) AE 25 - Caracalla273 viewsCaracalla, 198-217 AD. AE25 (14.11g, 12h). Emperor on horseback right, raising right hand / Helios, holding whip, driving quadriga right. VF, dark green patina, rough reverse. Very rare – the only example known to Staffieri.
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Olba (BC 50-0) AE 18162 viewsAutonomous issue, 1st century BC. AE18 (5.18g, 1h). Helmeted head of Mars (?) right / ΟΛBЄΩN, spear between caps of the Dioscuri surmounted by stars. Very rare. Slightly rough, otherwise gVF.

SNG Levante dates this issue to the Roman Imperial times but the style, fabric and transversal ethnic look earlier. It may have been struck sometime in the 1st century BC, before the Teukrid priest-kings appear on Olba's coinage, with the obverse type reflecting the increasing Roman influence in the era.
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Olba (BC 50-0) AE 24726 viewsend of 1st century BC. AE24 (9.04g, 4h). Throne chair 3/4 to right, EP to left / Winged thunderbolt, NI above, ΟΛΒΕΩΝ below. Rare. Green-brown patina, aEF.
 
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