"THE NUMISMATIC COLLECTION OF THE REGIONAL HISTORICAL MUSEUM

AT SMOLYAN (CENTRAL RHODOPES).

GREEK, THRACIAN, MACEDONIAN, ROMAN REPUBLICAN, ROMAN IMPERIAL, ROMAN PROVINCIAL AND BYZANTINE COINS FROM THE 5th CENTURY BC TO THE 6th CENTURY AD"

by S. Filipova, E. Paunov, N. Boyadzhiev, E. Tenchova and I. Prokopov

(='Coin Collections and Coin Hoards from Bulgaria' /CCCHBulg/ volume III;

general editor: Dr Ilya S. Prokopov)

English text throughout, format 8°/A4, 224 pp., glossy card covers, 1325 coins.
Sofia: Provias Publ. Ltd, May 2011.
ISBN 978–954–92000–2–7.
Contents: Introduction. Abbreviations. Map of the region. Catalogue of coins.

This is the third consecutive volume in the series 'Coin Collections and Coin Hoards from Bulgaria', presenting the numismatic collections of municipal and regional museums in Republic of Bulgaria. After the first one on the museums of Lovech and Razgrad (CCCHBulg I, 2007) and the second about the coin collection of Kyustendil museum (CCCHBulg II, 2009), the latest volume focuses on the rich numismatic collection of the Regional Historical Museum ‘Stoyan Shishkov’ in the town of Smolyan [ extant hoards and stray coins from the Central Rhodopes are included in this edition. It covers the ancient and early Byzantine coin from the region, 1325 pieces in total: among them 1064 are Greek, 13 Thracian, 110 Macedonian, 1 – Egyptian,1 – South Italian,22 Roman Republican, 510 Roman Imperial,42 Roman provincial issues and 30 early Byzantine, as well as 13coin hoards.

A thorough 20-pages introduction (pp. 6-26) provides background information on the region of Smolyan (Central Rhodopes) in Central South Bulgaria, its geography, historical and archaeological development in Antiquity. All find-spots are given in a gazetteer in alphabetical order. The introduction of Apollonia Pontica cast arrow-head proto-money, the earliest coins of Abdera and the monetisation of the Rhodopes region; the general coin pattern and monetary circulation are comprehensively discussed and analysed,with numerous references given.

After the initial edition of the Smolyan collection in 1991 by I. Prokopov, now all hoards kept in the Smolyan museum collection are completely published by the authors, 13 hoards altogether:

1.‘Abderahoard’/Starcevo’ – 19 small 4th century BC AE coins of Abdera – nos. 397-415;

2.‘Starcevo – I, Belite kamani’ –726large AE coins of Maroneiaof the 2nd – early 1st century BC (the largest even found hoard)–now 617 published, nos. 456-1072;

3.‘Starcevo –II’ - 5 small AE of Abdera of the 4th century BC (from filed survey) – nos. 416-420;

4.‘Starcevo – III’ – 32 small AE of Abdera of the 4th century BC (from excavation) – nos. 421-452;

5.‘Starcevo – IV’ (= IGCH 939?) –23 small AE of Maroneia of the 2nd – 1st century BC–nos. 1073-1095;

6.‘MVR-Smolyan/2000’ (part of ‘Starcevo I’?) – 28 small AE of Maroneia, 2nd – 1st century BC – nos. 1096-1123;

7.‘Smolyan II / 2000’– 41 small AE of Maroneia, 2nd – 1st century BC – nos. 1124-1164;

8.‘Strashimir / 1977’ (= CH IV, 79) – 22 AE of Thasos and 2 denarii (1- Republican; 1 – Augustus) – nos. 1165-1187;

9.‘Smolyan region hoard’ – 3 AR Alexander-type late tetradrachms, 2 Mesambria and 1 Odessus, ca. 125 BC – nos. 453-455.

10.‘Smolyan I / 1975’(= IRRCHBg, 61)–7 Republican denarii and 1 quinarius, nos. 1199-1206;

11.‘Barutin’– 91 late Roman AEs, from Constantine I down to Valens – nos. 1207-1253;

12.‘Borino I’ – 23 AE late Roman AE3 and AE4, from Constantine I down to Julian II – nos. 1254-1276;

13.‘Borino II’ – 33 Late Roman AE3 and AE4, from Constantine I down to Julian II – nos. 1277-1297.

As usual, coins are catalogued and illustrated with clear black & white photos in chronological and geographic principle, following the classic SNG-standard.

This volume was printed with the financial support of the RegionalHistoricalMuseum‘Stoyan Shishkov’ at Smolyan.