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Leery. For sale now.

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slokind:
Alas, the host flan may have been a damaged specimen of the very rare, very nicest Hermes with cock.  In combination with the Head, it is not in AMNG (p. 432, no. 1680 is with an armored Bust).  The cornucopiae and scales are inept replacements.  P.L.

curtislclay:
I have to disagree with Pat L. on this one: even after renewed inspection and comparison with the coins in CoinArchives and Wildwinds, I strongly think that the types and legends of this coin are essentially original.

The one detail I think might be altered is the scales of Aequitas; maybe it was originally the patera of Concordia.  However, I am inclined to believe that the scales too are original; the legend, after all, seems to break around the left-hand pan!

I am quite unable to believe that the stronger, better-struck details on this coin are complete inventions of the tooler, or have even been seriously damaged by his work: they look exactly as I expect and surely must be original.  Among these details I include the profile and the front of the neck of the portrait, the wreath ties, most of the hair detail, the legend behind the portrait; the legs, head, and cornucopia of Aequitas; the beginning and end of the circular legend on the reverse and the PR - OC IC -TRO in field.

If I am right, this is actually an important coin, since the issues for Macrinus under Pontianus at Nicopolis are rare, and this is a new type for the issue and perhaps a new obverse die!

Barabus:
 The coin looks like it was cleaned with Scott brite sanding sponge.

bruce61813:

--- Quote from: downindixie on April 11, 2007, 07:01:53 pm --- The coin looks like it was cleaned with Scott brite sanding sponge.

--- End quote ---

It would be my guess that it is what is generally called a 'real crusty' and was cleaned by electrolysis, the pitting on the obverse is consistent with heavily encrusted coins, this is from a lot os experience with the PMS COL VIMs', and they are usually very poor.  You may not be too far off about the scotch bright.

Bruce

curtislclay:
Examination of the coin in hand (I purchased it) confirms my opinion from the image: I think the coin has been heavily scraped in the fields, but the types and legends are essentially original and unaltered, including the scales of Aequitas.

The only actual alteration that I can see: a line cut into the hair to emphasize the top edge of the laurel wreath on obverse.  The uppermost, three-part leaf in the wreath is probably also recut: the parallels illustrated above show that two plain leaves side by side are to be expected here.

I am passing the coin on to Pat L. for her specialized collection of Macrinus and Diadumenian at Nicopolis and Marcianopolis.  Hopefully an untouched specimen from the same dies will turn up someday, to confirm or refute my opinion that the details of this one are correct!

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