Marcus Aurelius TR P XV with Felicitas denarius- probably new variant

[timka]

Hi!

Below you can see two early denarii of Marcus Aurelius that have a story to tell. The first one was lying around for long enough - I kept it as it seemed to have a typo on the reverse legend - the last letter 'P' was missing in the intended legend  FEL TEMP...So, it is  FEL TEM, but not FEL TEMP as it should be in reality. So, I kept it as just another funny coin.

But recently I spotted another one of the same type from different obverse and reverse dies, and having the same shortened FEL TEM and missing P on the reverse - it is one on the right below.

This time I checked the bronzes in BM, and learned that BM possesses dupondius and sestertius from the same TR P XV/Felicitas issue with the same missing P on the reverse!!!    

NB! RIC and RSC listed only the full FEL TEMP variants for both denarii and bronzes/RIC, without mentioning the shortened variants without P.  

So, it is not the die cutter's mistake as I thought in the beginning! This short FEL TEM legend could be applied on purpose, not by mistake, as FEL TEM was featured on denarius, dupondius and sestertius. As well as I got two different variants of this type  with bare head and laur head (though the same style of drapery on far shoulder and behind) - pics are below.  I doubt the mistake could be repeated so many times. Unless it was all done by only one officina with a drunk head of copy ...all other officinas seemed to mint regular FEL TEMP.

Generally, this denarius type TR P XV with Felicitas on reverse is very very scarce - only few of each bust variants were recorded by RD. All those ones I was able to find in internet, all had the full legend FEL TEMP.  

RIC 13 (FEL TEMP -full legend), cites single specimen R.it 1899 p 453. I suppose it could be misread, and it could be short FEL TEM in reality, as my coin.

Ob.  IMP CAES M AVREL ANTONINVS AVG - (1) laur head right (2) bare  bust right, both with drapery on far shoulder

Rev. FEL TEM TR P XV COS III - Felicitas standing left

RIC 13 (var), RSC 197 (var)

(1) 2,8 g - 18mm - 180'
(2) 3,2 g - 18mm - 180'

I would much appreciate your comments - do you agree this reverse legend was intended, not a mistake?

Thank you for you time! - I mean for the time while reading my blah-blah:)))

Cheers,
Z.

 

[timka]

....these are sistertius and dupondius with the same missing 'P' on reverse - from BM collection

[curtislclay]

Further coins with FEL TEM, confirming that this was an intentional variety:

Denarii of Marcus shown by Rupert on Forvm, in my collection, and two others in Berk stock and on eBay, that I have recorded in my BMC.

Two sestertii of L. Verus quoted by Szaivert in his Marcus-Commodus monograph, and a dupondius of L. Verus in my collection.

[timka]

Curtis, thank you very much for this overview. I found that thread started by Rupert back in 2008 -  https://www.forumancientcoins.com/board/index.php?topic=45554.0 There are many interesting insights and further facts from you and Rupert about this strange issue. What is interesting is that all the dies from Rupert's thread and mine are different - so this FEL TEM issue was massive enough, and all early scholars overlooked it, as it looked like another die cutter's mistake.

Yes, sometimes a wheel is reinvented (ie my personal re-discovery of FEL TEM in this very instance ). But reinvented wheel is always better than no wheel at all .

Thank you, Curtis - have a nice weekend!

Cheers,

Z.