Late Roman coin from Caesarea Maritima

[Chen E]

Late Roman coin found in Caesarea Maritima in the late 1950's (As the previous coin that I've uploaded for identification yesterday, but as for now, remains unidentified).

Has what looks to be a mint mark of "P" integrated with a cross ?

12 mm', 0.8 gr'.

Would appreciate identification.
Thank you.

[SC]

It s a late Roman coin, a SALVS REIPUBLICAE type.

The reverse is an off-set strike and appears to be on a flan that is slightly too small.  That means that you only get the left hand part of the design which is Victory striding to the left, head turned back to the right, and dragging a kneeling captive behind her.

It was struck from 388-408 by Theodosius I, Valentinian II, Arcadius and Honorius, and later, in the 420s.  I can't make out whom in this case.  It is one of the most common late-45th and early 5th c coins.

The  is a form of Chi-rho.  It was used at several mints including nearby Antioch.

SC

[Chen E]

Thank you very much SC !

I got a group of coins that were collected from the dunes of Caesarea Maritima in the late 50's (Found untouched and as found in box from that time) and I'm trying to separate them to groups. Apparently one of the groups are tiny coins, known as the "Minute coins of Caesarea". One of the members of this site "v-drome" has superb collection of such minute coins and he displayed them beautifully in his album here:
https://www.forumancientcoins.com/gallery/thumbnails.php?album=3906

These tiny coins were minted due to a lack of small change in circulation in Caesarea. This local mint took many coins from circulation and made miniature variations of them. Sometimes they mixed the design with unknown themes and some of them has no parallel of their design in numismatic so far and are enigma to numismatic scholars.
   
See types of such coins in the collection of member v-drome linked above BCC M-42 to BCC M-45.

I've also added one of these enigmatic coins that I've found in the group of coins from the 50's (I may might find more in the identification process). The minim coin shows bust of unknown Caesar on obverse and 3 parts of heads on the reverse. This is similar to Hamburger #123 (Atiqot 1954 Vol.1 “Minute Coins from Caesarea Maritima”).

In any case, I'm trying to separate "ordinary coins", meaning regular circulated coins, such as this one, that you kindly helped me identify, from the minute coins and hence my questions.
Many thanks.

[v-drome]

Hi, Chen E. 
 Thank you for referencing my gallery of minims.  The minima coins are a great mystery to me.  I have a few others that I will try to photograph and publish, soon.   Some questions I have are: whether the late Roman minimae were official issues, or local imitations.  Another question is if the tiny coins, imitating coins of Tyre and elsewhere, were actually produced in Caesarea or if they were brought there by travelers and soldiers, and then lost.  Conditions at Caesarea were favorable for preserving and finding such small coins...maybe at Tyre they were not?  I have not had access to new research for many years, so I do not know what the current theories are.  Certainly, locally produced coins generally circulated in their own area, however, many official issues of city coins from around the eastern empire have also been found at Caesarea.  I had one other strange idea...what if these were toys, like play money?

Best Regards, V-drome

(P.S. if the box you found the coins in was a Blue and Red Capitol brand Matchbox, it might be mine!!!)

[Chen E]

thanks for replying v-drome. These coins are fascinating for me too.

The great numismatic scholar Ya'akov Meshorer published in his book (1997, "A Treasury of Jewish Coins: From the Persian Period to Bar Kokhba" or as known to any Jewish coin collector simply as TJC) a small 1 page section on these coins as addendum. He published 13/14 minute coins that are Jewish related (Because his book was on that subject). Hamburger, as you know didn't published a single "Jewish" minima probably because at the time that he wrote his article (1954) they were thought to be regular Jewish coins only made carelessly in Caesarea and not minima coins.
You have in your collection 6 of such Jewish related minute coins (I wrote comments on 3 of them to refer them to Meshorer TJC publication types). I've found 3 such coins in the box.

Meshorer strongly believed (and he noted that many numismatic scholars feel the same today - meaning, in 1997) that these coins were imitations of coins found in circulation in Caesarea and that they were issued in order to provide small change money, which was missing.
 
I don't know of comprehensive or updated article on the subject other than that since Hamburger publication that not include all types (You have some unlisted type and I have found some more) and in his own words (I'm translating from his article in Hebrew to English): "The author has several other coins whose identity remains obscure, although they are preserved in very good condition, and therefore they are not mentioned here (meaning, in his article). The article discusses only some of the existing types, and it is expected that new findings will emerge, as well as descriptions of the miniature coins in other collections, which may complement the picture."

I've added unlisted type that I've found in the box from the 50's. Hamburger listed 16 coins with Head of Tyche on obverse and galley on reverse. You have also listed 10 types in your gallery (Hamburger types) and I have found several as well, but none similar to this one. Obverse shows a what looks to be a male figure (Not a Tyche or a woman) and the reverse shows unlisted relatively detailed galley. I've illustrated (Sorry for the lack of talent in the field) to show emphasize the unusual galley design.
 
Regarding the box – It's not yours !!  it actually contains several small cardboard boxes (None of matchboxes..): one reads, "Weaving Weights" and inside are stones with holes in them. Another says: "Coins" (That inside I've found the coins..) and another says nothing but inside there are stones like the Neolithic finds you've published in your gallery, one of them is dated 1957. Another says, "Metal finds from Caesarea" in which there are different objects some unknown such as the one I've added. Anybody have any idea for what that is ? Both side are a bit decorated as can see and the back side has hollow place like a sort of buckle (But its small to be one I think).  13.5 mm' X 27 mm', 2.89 gr' in weight.

Will look forward to new minima coins you will upload in your gallery.

[Chen E]

Regarding your thoughts/theories: Meshorer (One of the greatest numismatic scholars in the 20th century in my opinion) was convinced that the minima coins were made in Caesarea Maritima and as noted he also stated that most scholars at the time that he wrote his book (1997) think so as well. This also refers to the reason for minting the minute coins – Lack of small change in circulation.
 
Also, I personally don't think that so many coins can come from unknown place and get lost by so many soldiers for so many centuries (The many designs, types & variations are indications for that. Hamburger also thought that). I think it is more likely that they were minted in local mints in Caesarea. I also don't think that the fact that other city coins from around the eastern empire have also been found at Caesarea can indicate that minima coins were also travel from another cities to Caesarea. I assume almost in every city in ancient times city coins of other places were found (probably mainly got there by trade) and almost none had minima coins found in them.

Regarding the possibility that they were toys of something like play money –This is the first time I hear such theory. That would be soooo cool but I don't think that in ancient times someone had so much money (Minting coins probably wasn't a cheap process) to mint so many coins in so many styles and in one city just for fun and games, but who knows....