Coin of King Ballaios — second specimen

Description

A second bronze coin of Ballaios of the same type: the king’s head on the obverse, Artemis with a torch and the legend ΒΑΣΙΛΕΩΣ ΒΑΛΛΑΙΟΥ on the reverse. The reverse of this specimen is better preserved, so the figure of the goddess and the letters read more clearly on the model than on the first.

Two specimens of the same type side by side show how ancient coins were made: the same image, but each piece with its own die strike, offset and wear.

The 3D model was made from two photographs of the specimen (obverse and reverse) in the collection of the Bibliothèque nationale de France. The relief height was derived from the shading in the photograph, so the model is a faithful drawing in three dimensions, not a measured survey of the coin. The photograph is applied to the model as its colour. For 3D printing, obverse and reverse were prepared as separate flat-backed plaques, enlarged 3:1, at true and at emphasised relief height.