This volume is full of beautiful approaches to numismatics, each revealing a small part of the colorful world of antiquity. We begin with a substantial section on Greek coinage. First, Marvin Kushnet provides a comprehensive synopsis of his dissertation in the form of a statistical analysis of archaic and classical coins and pottery from Cyprus, one of the most intriguing areas for numismatics in the entire ancient world. The second essay, also from Marvin, documents new die varieties from 5th century Selinus, exhibiting his wide range of expertise and keen eye. Next, we feature Vincenzo Marrazzo’s study of some new, early 5th century overstrikes noticed in the numismatic trade, a welcome addition that helps add further clarity to the dating scheme organized by Fischer-Bossert.

Moving to Hellenistic times, we have many terrific essays. First is an essay by first-time contributors Steluţa Marin and Virgil Ioniţǎ, concerning countermarked coins from the area west of the Black Sea, which carefully reconsiders the dating of certain key types. Next, we feature Catherine Lorber’s long-awaited formal publication of the Hamadan Hoard of 1977. We are very grateful to have Cathy contributing to our journal and especially with the publication of such an important part of numismatic history. Lloyd Taylor’s first (of three) essay appears next. It offers a comprehensive overview of the tetradrachms and didrachms of Sophytos, an important update to our knowledge of such coinage. Following that work is an essay by Lloyd and his co-author, Julian Wünsch, which catalogs the coinage of Andragoras, offering another important update to our knowledge of such coins and their larger context. This essay is followed by Dr Taylor’s final contribution detailing a modern Agathokles cupro-nickel forgery. The final Greek essay is by long-time contributor and numismatic giant David MacDonald, who offers an updated, comprehensive overview of Apollo/Three Nymph denarii of Apollonia Illyriae.

In the Roman section we have two essays – first, an important reassessment of RRC 442 by Francesco Di Jorio, which convincingly argues we ought to view the iconography as a piece of propaganda. Following that essay, Jack Nurpetlian documents an interesting occurrence in which several coins that appear at first glance to be examples of brockage have a missing leaf on one side – a mystery indeed. In the next section on Oriental Numismatics we feature an essay by Bob Langnas that discusses an unconventional portrait attributed to Kamnaskires V. Finally, we have the important documentation of a new silver coin of the Gothic Kingdom in Italy and related types by long-time contributor Dirk Faltin.



Taken from the editor’s foreword