Light Julia Paula denarius - is this normal?

[Ron C2]

Hi all,

I was weighing some of my coins today that I didn't have recorded weights for and found my lightest denarius.  The majority of my collection is severan period denarii. 

In this case, it's a Julia Paula denarius which I believe matches RIC IVa 211. 

This one comes in at 2.09g, which is on the lighter side though not the lightest Severan denarius I've found online (some in the 1.7g range that seem to be legit).  My next lightest is a 2.21g caracalla RIC IVa 144a VICT PART MAX coming in at 2.21g.

This Julia Paula example averages 1mm thick on the flan edge, which is on the thinner side - I guess to be expected in a 19mm flan that weighs so light. 

Is this very unusual for a Julia Paula denarius? I checked online and the next lightest example I found after a 5 minute search was another coin from the same series at 2.11g here: https://www.coinarchives.com/a/lotviewer.php?LotID=1726388&AucID=3930&Lot=687&Val=4aa6195743469f2af5bb103bc3f81267,

FWIW, I didn't find any die matches in the fakes gallery and I bought the coin from a well reviewed dealer in Portugal that is not on the NFSL. It definitely seems struck, no evidence of casting, and has traces of old corrosion in the flan cracks.



Obv: IVLIA PAVLA AVG, draped bust right.
Rev: CONCORDIA, Concordia seated left, holding patera; star in left field.
180 degree alignment.

[Callimachus]

Weight of coins of Elagabalus & Severus Alexander vary greatly.
The average weight of the 108 denarii of Elagabalus and Severus Alexander in my gallery is 2.99694 gm.

However I have several coins over 4 grams:

Severus Alexander RIC 281 (4.20 gm)    
https://www.forumancientcoins.com/gallery/displayimage.php?pos=-90103

Severus Alexander RIC 278 var (4.20 gm)
https://www.forumancientcoins.com/gallery/displayimage.php?pos=-90102

Orbiana RIC 319 (4.10 gm)
https://www.forumancientcoins.com/gallery/displayimage.php?pos=-91947

Then there are those on the low end:

Julia Paula RIC 222 (2.06 gm.)
https://www.forumancientcoins.com/gallery/displayimage.php?pos=-106975

Severus Alexander RIC 302 (1.77 gm)
https://www.forumancientcoins.com/gallery/displayimage.php?pos=-90119

Severus ALexander RIC 67   (2.04 gm)
https://www.forumancientcoins.com/gallery/displayimage.php?pos=-92342

[curtislclay]

The coin looks to me very convincing in the photo. The weights vary so much that they are not a significant criterion!

[Ron C2]

Thanks Curtis.  I actually ended up returning the coin because in-hand I was not so convinced.  It didn't "ring" right when allowed to settle on a wooden surface.  Different audible sound to all my other severan denarii which were remarkably consistent in sound apart from this coin that had a thin, high-pitched ring to it - I was worried it could have been struck in tin.  Maybe it was because it was so light, but I got spooked and the dealer was kind enough to accept a return.

[Ron C2]

After returning the subject coin, I found this one at a local dealer that I think is a nicer example and I picked it up for a fair price.  It also weighs in at a much more typical 3.08g.

While the other coin was attractive, it just didn't feel real to me in-hand.  This new example, on the other hand, passes the ring test, is a marginally better obverse strike (to my eye, though the other coin had a better struck reverse), and has nicer old toning.  

What do you guys think?  Upgrade over the first coin?



https://www.forumancientcoins.com/gallery/displayimage.php?pos=-166850