AE with long snake-entwined (maybe) staff

[laney]

AE 18.5 mm, 2.75 g

I don't recognize the portrait or the legends.  Is that figure standing on the reverse holding a serpent-entwined staff, and what is he or she holding?  I've seen some coins with Athena holding a staff that kind of looks like this one, but I don't see any sign of a helmet on the figure on my coin.   The closest design I've come across is a larger coin of Gallienus from Iconium, with Athena holding an owl in her right hand.  So it's not a very compelling match.  Many thanks for any help with this id.

Laney

[Akropolis]

Tomis?
I can’t make out the obverse.
PeteB

[laney]

Hi PeteB,

Neither obverse nor reverse legends really line up with coins from Tomis or anyplace else that I can find, especially with regard to the spacing of the letters.  I wonder if it's an imitative, or from some autonomous mint.  Very peculiar, especially since the portrait looks pretty good. 

Laney

[Pekka K]

In my opinion PeteB is right, reverse reads TOMITWN.

Reverse shows Dionysos with long thyrsos.

Pekka K

[shanxi]

I have doubts about Dionysos

With the legend MOY behind the head, the obverse show probably Tomos, but I can't find an example with Tomos and Dionysos

Also Dionysos is either depicted witha long Himation or a short Chiton, but laneys example shows neither of these.


Therefore I tend to Demeter:

https://rpc.ashmus.ox.ac.uk/coin/182277
https://rpc.ashmus.ox.ac.uk/coin/178640
https://www.corpus-nummorum.eu/coins/28876
https://www.acsearch.info/search.html?id=2224729

[laney]

Thank you  Acropolis, PekkaK and shanxi.  You have convinced me — and I think the serpent is an optical artifact. You’ve all come to my rescue before too!
Laney