Saturday, January 17, 2015

Greek Numbers on coins of M·VOLTEI·M·F

 M·VOLTEI·M·F
Marcus Volteius M.f.
AR Denarius. Rome, 75 BC. Crawford 385/4

M. Volteius M.f. AR Denarius. Rome, 75 BC.
Obverse - Laureate, helmeted, and draped bust of Attis right; thunderbolt behind, control symbol
Reverse - Cybele driving biga of lions right; ΞΒ above - control number (in Greek letters); in ex - M·VOLTEI·M·F
Crawford 385/4; Sydenham 777; Volteia 4. 3.87g, 18mm, 8h. Good Very Fine. Scarce.
There is some disagreement on the identity of the person on the obverse.
Grueber in BMCRR – Mommsen said, Attis, the beautiful Phrygian shepherd who was beloved by Cybele and had a cult following in Asia Minor. Cavedoni said, it is Corybas, son of Cybele.
Sydenham and Seaby quote Grueber.
Crawford and Sear say bust right. Crawford gives at least 3 probabilities.
RBW Collection – this attribution says female head, R.
Volteius minted five types. The theme of the five types relate to the five major celebrations in Rome. This issue has control symbols on the obverse and numbers (Greek letters) on the reverse. Crawford states that the obverse control symbol is always paired with the same reverse control number. He gives a table of 85 symbol / number combinations. He has symbols for all but 13 numbers. The British museum web site has 42 different symbols. I found examples of all but 28 symbols on line plus one not listed in Crawford. I found two examples of die number symbol combinations where the pairing was different than Crawford. A table of my findings is below.


#
Greek Number
Obverse Control Mark
BMC web site #, acsearch.info (ACS), deamoneta.com (DEA), CNG, EEM, OS - other source
number found

1
Α
           

0

2
Β
Winged caduceus
385.4.1, .2, ACS,
3

3
Γ
Crescent
385.4.3, 30, OT,


4
Δ




5
Ε




6
Ϛ
Butterfly
385.4.4, .5, ACS,
3

7
Ζ




8
Η
Wreath
385.4.6, 31, ACS,
3

9
Θ
Thyrsus
385.4.7, ACS, ACS,
3

10
Ι
Strigil
385.4.8,
1`

11
ΙΑ
Tongs
385.4.9, CNG, WW
3

12
ΙΒ
Axe
385.4.32, ACS,
2

13
ΙΓ
Tortoise

0

14
ΙΔ


0

15
ΙΕ


0

16
ΙϚ


0

17
ΙΖ
Frog
385.4.37, CNG,
2

18
ΙΗ
Heron walking

0

19
ΙΘ


0

20
Κ
?

0

21
ΚΑ
Owl

0

22
ΚΒ
Peacock r
385.4.36
1

23
ΚΓ
Amphora
CNG (top of Γ off flan),
1

24
ΚΔ
Anchor
ACS,
1

25
ΚΕ
Club
ACS, OT, 
2

26
ΚϚ
Lecythus, round squat vase
385.4.35, ACS, OT,
Jug – 3

27
ΚΖ


0

28
ΚΗ
Candelabrum

0

29
ΚΘ
Cock
385.4.11, 34, ACS, DEA, CNG, CNG, 
6
34
30
Λ
Palm branch
385.4.12, 13, CNG,
3
39
31
ΛΑ
Piercer
385.4.14, ACS,
Spear? – 2
41
32
ΛΒ
Simpulum
385.4.15, 33, ACS, CNG,
4
45
33
ΛΓ
?

0

34
ΛΔ


0

35
ΛΕ
Stilus
385.4.16
1

36
ΛϚ
Pentagram
ACS,
Star – 1

37
ΛΖ
Pileus
385.4.17, 38, ACS,
3
50
38
ΛΗ
Boot, r
385.4.39, ACS,
2

39
ΛΘ
Wheel
385.4.40, ACS, ACS,
3
55
40
Μ
Perfume jar
385.4.41
1

41
ΜΑ
Staff with double hook
385.4.18, CNG,
2

42
ΜΒ
Pelta, small crescent-shaped shield of Thrace
385.4.19
1

43
ΜΓ
Macedonian shield
385.4.20, ACS, ACS (MZ?), CNG,   
4
62
44
ΜΔ
Pear shaped shield
ACS, CNG, CNG,
3

45
ΜΕ
Oval shield
385.4.42, ACS, CNG,
3

46
ΜϚ
Oblong shield with rounded corners
CNG,
1

47
ΜΖ
Oblong shield with square corners
ACS,
1
70
48
ΜΗ
Small round shield
385.4.43, ACS,
2

49
ΜΘ
Large round shield
385.4.21, 44, ACS, OT, CNG, 
5

50
Ν
Ear

0

51
ΝΑ
Lyre key
385.4.22, 45, 56
3
80
52
ΝΒ
Leaf

0

53
ΝΓ
Lighted alter

0

54
ΝΔ
Alter
ACS,
1

55
ΝΕ
Axe
OT, CNG, CNG,
3

56
ΝϚ
Duck’s head
385.4.46, CNG, CNG,
3

57
ΝΖ
Dolphin
385.4.23, ACS,
2

58
ΝΗ
Crab
385.4.24, ACS, ACS, CNG, CNG,
5
94
59
ΝΘ
Scorpion

0

60
Ξ
Stove
385.4.25, ACS,
2

61
ΞΑ
Oil lamp
ACS,
1

62
ΞΒ
Thunderbolt
EEM,
1

63
ΞΓ
Plumb bob
385.4.53 (o delta)
1

64
ΞΔ
Dagger

0

65
ΞΕ
Dividers
385.4.47, DEA, CNG,
3
102
66
ΞϚ
Short boot
ACS, ACS,
2

67
ΞΖ
Foot r
385.4.26, ACS, ACS,
3

68
ΞΗ
Knife blade

0

69
ΞΘ


0

70
Ο
Bow and quiver
385.4.27, 51, ACS, DEA, 
4
111
71
ΟΑ
Hoop
385.4.50, ACS,
2

72
ΟΒ
Fish
385.4.49, CNG, CNG [OB],


73
ΟΓ
?



74
ΟΔ
Plumb Bob
385.4.53


75
ΟΕ
Bunch grapes
385.4.54, ACS,
3

76
ΟϚ
Pedium, staff with crook
CNG,
1

77
ΟΖ
Ladder
385.4.28, ACS, 
2

78
ΟΗ
Poppy head
OT, DEA [OH], ACS [OH]
3
122
79
ΟΘ
Shovel
ACS, DEA, WW
3

80
Π
Comb
385.4.29, 48, CNG, 
3

81
ΠΑ
Mask of Pan
385.4.52 (pi B), ACS,
2
130
82
ΠΒ


0

83
ΠΓ
Crested helmet

0

84
ΠΔ
Cornucopiae

0

85
ΠΕ
Tripod

0








Winged caduceus
A
385.4.55
1
131


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