A curious reverse (certainly a die issue) on a Gnaeus Pompeius denarius

[labienus]

Hi,

I just added in my Imperatorial section a denarius minted by the Pompeians under Gnaeus Pompeius before Munda (see below).
I mostly suspect that this is a die issue but, on the reverse, between Hispania and the Pompeian soldier, there is a form like a horse looking right (plus an unidentified form between the two legs of the soldier). This is, in my opinion, the Crawford 469/1d (variant with larger prow and long stem) - correct me if I'm wrong - but, whatever the variant, I have never heard of any denarius of the type with a horse represented between Hispania and the Pompeian soldier (plus this form on the prow).

Apart from that, style, metal, etc .... are OK (i.e not a fake).

So, main scenario is a die issue (although - if this is the case - an interesting one) but fully interested in hearing from you.
Thank you very much in advance.

[curtislclay]

Your identical coin seems to be illustrated by Sear, Imperators, p. 35, no. 48.

Isn't the "horse head" before the knees of the lady actually just the bottom of the "palm branch with long stem", which Crawford names as a distinguishing mark of several varieties of this type?

[labienus]

Hi, Curtis
thanks for your interest in this question. Before posting, I had a look at the Sear Imper. among others and the detail (whatever it is) before the lady seems obviously there but the one between the legs of the soldier doesn't seem to be (accepting that the picture on the book is quite small and catching this detail is quite difficult).
Additionally, if this is the stem, would this be "perpendicular" to the palm branch ?
Last but not least, I had a look at several examples on Acsearch inc. the ones classified as "with long stem" : unless my eyes are betraying me, I saw none.
Last (and I assure you that I didn't take prohibited substances before posting this question !!!!), when looking at the detail between the legs of the soldier, it does look a little bit as some kind of "bull's head" or bucrane facing although much thinner on the bottom (i.e a little bit like in some denarii of the Social Wars of 91 BC) : apart from the "bull's head" completing the "horse's head", again, I still think this is a die break but the form it took is quite strange.
Best
Pierre