Please help with a republican coin

[Skolot]

Salve ! Please help me to identify this republican coin.  19 mm, 5.59 gr

[Andrew McCabe]

Salve ! Please help me to identify this republican coin.  19 mm, 5.59 gr

Grain ear Uncia struck in Sicily about 212-210 BC, Roma obverse with pellet behind, prow right with corn ear above. Crawford 42/4. This is one of the most prolific of all Roman Republican struck bronzes, I must have seen thousands over the years.

[Skolot]

Thank you very much, Andrew !
Is it worth cleaning ? If it is, then how ?

[areich]

There doesn't seem to be much to clean. There is just a tiny bit of dirt on the reverse. Removing it would not be a visible improvement and cleaning always carries a risk.

[Gilgamesh]

I would date this issue a little earlier than Andrew has - 213-212. Struck during the major part of the "siege" of Syracuse by M. Claudius Marcellus, you have a coin associated with a significant event in history. Common yes, but something to appreciate. Don't clean it!

[Andrew McCabe]

I would date this issue a little earlier than Andrew has - 213-212. Struck during the major part of the "siege" of Syracuse by M. Claudius Marcellus, you have a coin associated with a significant event in history. Common yes, but something to appreciate. Don't clean it!

Ted is of course correct. I was thinking of the lighter corn ear and KA series Crawford 69 when I said 212-210. The latter types are invariably struck over Syracusan coin captured after the siege Ted mentions. This type isn't and thus is associated with the siege itself.

[Skolot]

Thanks a lot