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A bronze coin of Macrinus from Nikopolis ad Istrum with a reverse showing Herakles fighting the Lernean Hydra. Coin Type: Bronze AE27 of Macrinus, 217-218 CE
Mint and Date: Nikopolis ad Istrum in Moesia Inferior, 217-218 CE.
Size and Weight: 25mm x 27mm, 9.69g
Obverse: AYT K M OΠЄΛΛ CЄV-H MAKPINOC AV
Laureate, draped and cuirassed bust right, in mail armour, seen from behind, wearing short beard.
Reverse: VΠ CTA ΛONΓINOY NI-(KOΠOΛITΩN ΠPOC ICT)
Young Herakles standing left, grasping the Lernaean Hydra with his left hand and holding a club behind him in his right hand to strike it.
Provenance: dianacoins (eBay), October 2008
Ref: Varbanov I (English) 3480; AMNG I 1760; Moushmov 1290; Hristova/Jekov (2011) 8.23.14.2
BW Ref: 011 039 133
Click on the picture for a larger scale view of the coin

Note 1: The reverse legend was completed by reference to the Coin Archives site, now no longer available to us without a disproportionate annual payment. Both these dies are shown on this page of Patricia Lawrence's web site. These are her obverse MBf and reverse R17iii.

My specimen confirms Pick's view that the obverse legend ends in MAKPINOC AV. Pat Lawrence has completed it as MAKPINOC (AVG) and Varbanov starts it with AV (omitting the T) an finishes it with MAKPINOC, two errors. The terminal AV is clear on the coin shown here, which is from the same obverse die as the specimens illustrated by both Pat and Varbanov, and I cannot see any more letters. The legend is correct in both the first and second editions of Hristova/Jekov.

Note 2: This coin is listed on WildWinds under Macrinus, Nikopolis AE27 Moushmov 1290.


The content of this page was last updated on 2 April 2010.