NEW BOOK: LYCIAN COINS

The author has an exceptionally large number of ancient coins from Lycia, located in various German and Western European private collections at the present time, recorded and cataloged. The ensemble, which is created in this way contains not only a number of previously unknown pieces but overall it is more extensive and diverse than all previously published collections of coins of this type in private or museum-owned.

When compiling the coins therefore numerous references and links between various series have become visible that were previously undetected. These compounds have enabled the author to reconstruct the chronological and topographical context in which the relevant issues should be classified. As a result, while a new perspective on the political geography of Lycia in the 5th and 4th century v. Chr. Developed, which brought a number of additional details to light and in some ways different from previous interpretations.

A comparison of obtained from the analysis of the numismatic holdings findings with the results of archaeological and especially the epigraphic research in Lycia has led to a whole series of new results and questions that discussed in the introductory essay entitled "Lycian coins and inscriptions" be: This is among other things to the allocation and dating of the inscriptions on the famous pier grave at the Agora of Xanthos to the question of the authorship of such important buildings as the Nereids monument or Heroon of Trysa and to many other important problems of history Lycia in question period ...

For more information, or to order, see:
https://www.amazon.com/Lykische-M%C3%BCnzen-europaischen-Privatsammlungen-Wilhelm/dp/6053964212

The book is divided into two parts: An introduction and a catalogue part. In the 71(!) pages of “introduction”, Wilhelm Müseler gives an account of his notion of the Lycian history of money. He does so mostly by means of the coins, which he analyses in great detail. This includes chapters on weight standards, the legends, the images and the mintmark. Regarding chronology, although he offers his own solutions for some eras, he mostly follows Novella Vismara and the chronology she has worked out for the collection Winsemann-Falghera. This truly extensive “introduction” ends with the historic conclusions, in which Wilhelm Müseler reconstructs the history of Lycia based on the coins as far as possible. He does it thoroughly, knowledgeably, sometimes a bit apodictically and with an exuberant delight in academic controversy.

For the coin trade, the catalogue will be the most useful part of the book, especially because it entails numerous coins, which often turn up in trade but never in the relevant publications of museum collections. The division of the catalogue into chapters follows the chronology. Every single coin is described with all data relevant for catalogue creation: Minting dynast, minting city, denomination, approximate date and – when dynasts are concerned – the assumed mint. In addition, Müseler gives a detailed description and quotes the corresponding literature, if provided, names the weight and the auction where the piece was sold. It is obvious that Wilhelm Müseler has written many coin catalogues in his life and knows, which data is needed. One piece of information is missing though – in which collection the coin can be found today.

To read the complete article, see:
Lycian coins (www.coinsweekly.com/en/News/Lycian-coins-/4?&id=4574)

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