PADUAN & RELATED MEDALS. Paphlagonia. Amastris. Pseudo-autonomous issue, 2nd century AD. Medal (Bronze, 29 mm, 12.13 g, 8 h), by Giovanni da Cavino (1500-1570). An early aftercast. OMH-POC Diademed and draped bust of Homer to right. Rev. ΜΕΛΗϹ - ΑΜΑϹΤΡΙΑΝΩΝ The river-god Meles reclining to left, holding lyre set on his right knee with his right hand and leaning left on urn from which water flows. All'Antica I.16 (same dies). F. Imhoof-Blumer: Fluss- und Meergötter auf griechischen und römischen Münzen, in: SNR 23 (1923), p. 259, 215 and pl. 8, 21 (this medal, as an authentic Roman Provincial coin!). A highly interesting piece with a very old history. Minor roughness and a few light scratches, otherwise, good very fine.


It is somewhat surprising that Imhoof-Blumer mistook this Cavino medal as a genuine piece from 2nd century Amastris, but the renowned Swiss numismatist deserves indulgence, as he was likely in part deceived by the illustrious pedigree of the piece, which he hints at on p. 259 in the single-word 'Arolsen'. Bad Arolsen was the residential city of the hourse of Waldeck-Pyrmont, whose collection was in large part assembled by Christian August von Waldeck-Pyrmont (1744-1798) and sold in the 1930s by Münzhandlung Basel as the collection of 'Prince W.' Not only was Christian August an avid collector of coins and an acquaintance of Goethe and Eckhel, he also served many years as a high-ranking officer in the Austrian army before eventually being appointed supreme commander and field marshal of the Portuguese army shortly before his passing in 1798.

Cavino copied this medal from a genuine Roman Provincial coin from Amastris struck in the 2nd century AD, an example of which he must have had access to. Unlike with Roman Imperial issues, on which Cavino regularly invented new types, on his Homer he followed the ancient prototype very closely, copying even the legend breaks.