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Ruler: | Tacitus | ||
Reigned: | 275 - 276 AD | ||
Denomination: | Base silver (10%) Double Antoninianus/Aurelianus | ||
Mint: | Antioch | ||
Date of Issue: | January - June 276 | ||
Obverse: | Bust right, radiate, cuirassed and draped with paludamentum. "IMP C.M. CL. TACITVS AVG." | ||
Reverse: | Emperor in military dress standing. Right, holding short eagle-tipped sceptre in left hand, receiving a globe from Jupiter standing. Left, holding long sceptre in left hand. "CLEMENTIA TEMP." | ||
Mint marks: |
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Reference: | RCVM 11762,RIC V.1 211,New RIC temp. no. #4087 | ||
Weight: | 3.8 gms | ||
Diameter: | 21.9 mm | ||
Comment: |
This coin is an example of an extremely rare denomination. These coins (marked IA at the Tripolis mint [example] and XI at the Antioch mint) have been shown to contain 10% silver (1)(2) (hence XI means a ratio of 10 parts copper to 1 part silver) as opposed to the normal XII meaning 20 to 1 (5% silver). The discovery that these coins contained silver in a 10:1 ratio has given credence to the theory that the XXI marked coins of Aurelian's reform were meant to signify a 20:1 silver/copper ratio, rather than being a fraction or multiple of another denomination. (1) "Analyses de Series Atypiques" by J. P. Callu, Cl. Brenot, and J. N. Barrandon, in Numismatica e Antichita Classiche, VIII, 1979, pages 241-254. (2) "The alloy of the 'XI' coins of Tacitus" by Warren Esty, Nancy Equall, and Richard Smith, in Numismatic Chronicle, 1993, pages 97-226 | ||
TACITUS (M. Claudius Tacitus)
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R20135