Coin, Phrygia, Apameia
Septimius Severus - Cast Paduan Medallion - 16-17th
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Coin, Phrygia, Apameia, Septimius Severus, Renaissance imitation of an original roman medallion (France BnF 515), 16-17th century, Magistrate Agonothes, VF(30-35), Bronze.
laureate, draped and cuirassed bust of Septimius Severus right
Representation of the story of Noah: to right, upper parts to waist, tunicate and stolate respectively, of Noah and his wife, latter also veiled, seen standing left in enclosing square chest floating on waves, inscribed with NΩE and with raised lid, on which perches a dove facing left; to left, standing figures as above but full-length, of Noah and spouse raising right hands in salutation and gazing upwards at dove flying right above them, grasping olive-branch in claws
From a specialist collection of 15th-19th century Medallions
AYT K Λ CEΠT CEOYHΡOC ΠEΡ
EΠI AΓONOΘE TO V AΡTEMAΓ / AΠAMEΩN
53.69 gr
Bronze
Bronze (not to be confused with brass, although usage of the two terms varied in times of yore) is an extremely ancient alloy with origins going back to the period around 2,000 BC. Also known...wait for it...as the Bronze Age (who would have guessed?). Back in ancient times, a proportion of 10% tin was added to copper. It was used in particular for luxurious objects such as swords, helmets, hairpins, and even chariot ornaments.
That is by no means insignificant though, as when putting on a bronze helmet you would already find yourself with an extra 3 kilos or so on your head. Add to that your sword and armor…let’s see you advance quickly now!
The heavyweight of alloys one might say*.
The first Western bronze coins probably date back to the end of the 4th century BC and Greece.
Although the coins may be ancient, it is more difficult to date the appearance of a specific word for this alloy. The earliest record is a Venetian manuscript in Greek dating from the 11th century, but it is not impossible that it was in use earlier.
Nowadays, the bronze used in coinage is an alloy of copper (majority) and tin (minority) along with other metals such as zinc, for example, which improves the castability, or nickel, which produces a harder alloy. Its main qualities are undeniably its great resistance to corrosion and mechanical wear as well as...its aesthetic aspect.
The patina of bronze can vary, ranging from verdigris to brown through to black.
*Actually, puns aside, copper and cupronickel have a greater density, for example.
