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Author Topic: FIDEI LEG - Rome or Alexandria?  (Read 442 times)

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Offline Ron C2

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FIDEI LEG - Rome or Alexandria?
« on: July 04, 2021, 10:49:57 am »
Someone left a comment in my gallery on this example of (I think) RIC IVa 1, FIDEI LEG TR P COS.  The URL has all the coin details.

https://www.forumancientcoins.com/gallery/displayimage.php?pid=171048


This was the comment left:

Quote
That is a beautiful coin and a great portrait, I didn’t think Rome mint at first glance? Very heavy too, is that a trace of an undertype to the lower left of fides?

Cohen lists this entire issue C146, but RIC breaks it out into two mint issues: Rome (RIC IVa 1, "common") and Alexandria (RIC IVa 349 "Rare, R1"). 

I had assumed it to be the Rome Mint version, and the last auction house to sell the coin (Editions V. Gadoury) listed it as such. 

What is the consensus here?  Rome or Alexandria?  Personally, I think Rome based on style and fabric

In-hand, I see no evidence of undertyping.  While on the heavier side, the coin is not my heaviest Septimius denarius and falls inside the usual range, which I would characterize as anywhere from about 1.8g to about 4g based on the samples I've weighted over the years across the various issuing mints. 
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R. Cormier, Ottawa

Offline curtislclay

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Re: FIDEI LEG - Rome or Alexandria?
« Reply #1 on: July 04, 2021, 02:46:44 pm »
Certainly Rome, judging from style.

Moreover, on the Alexandrian denarius of these types the rev. legend ends COS II not COS. RIC 349 is mistaken to list an Alexandrian denarius of these types with just COS in the rev. legend: for RIC cites Cohen 146 as source, but Cohen 146 gives COS II not COS. Bickford-Smith, in his unpublished monograph on Alexandrian denarii, knew four Alexandrian specimens of this coin, all with COS II; others have been published since then, including two in my new collection, all with COS II not just COS.

Not that an Alexandrian specimen with just COS couldn't turn up some day; but so far only the variant with COS II is known. And as stated your specimen doesn't break the rule: stylistically it is without doubt from Rome not Alexandria.
Curtis Clay

Offline Ron C2

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Re: FIDEI LEG - Rome or Alexandria?
« Reply #2 on: July 04, 2021, 03:05:26 pm »
Thanks Curtis, I really appreciate the confirmation. I now also won't drive myself crazy looking for an Alexandrian mint exmple of COS without a II.
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Offline maridvnvm

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Re: FIDEI LEG - Rome or Alexandria?
« Reply #3 on: July 05, 2021, 08:06:31 am »
You may well find one which is not described as COS II but it is more than likely that the II is simply off flan or only partly visibile and lazily attributed.


Offline Ron C2

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Re: FIDEI LEG - Rome or Alexandria?
« Reply #4 on: July 05, 2021, 06:58:57 pm »
Ha! Maybe that is the coin Mattingly had in-hand when he erroneously created an Alexandrian version of RIC 1!
My Ancient Coin Gallery: Click here

R. Cormier, Ottawa

 

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