Numismatic and History Discussion Forums > Roman Provincial Coins Discussion Forum

Geta AE28 from Anazarbus, Cilicia

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Innavigabilis:
I recently acquired an AE28 of Geta from Anarzarbus, Cilicia (image below). According to Wildwinds, this type is known only from one coin, which was sold in a German auction, and is otherwise unpublished. Here is the link to that example (not posting the Wildwinds image as I am not certain if that is allowed by the board rules here): https://www.wildwinds.com/coins/ric/geta/_anazarbus_G&N_5-197.jpg.

My coin looks as though it may be a double die match to the coin shown on Wildwinds. It has a desert patina, and the bottom of both obverse and reverse show what appears to be die or strike damage. The weight/diameter is 8.22 g/28.2 mm (the example on Wildwinds weighs in at 12.9 g). I do not see any obvious indications that it is a modern forgery.

I would be grateful for any knowledge that others might have on this issue, and also to get opinions regarding the likelihood of the die matches here (and, of course, to know if anyone sees an indication that the coin might be a fake!).

Thanks-
Innavigabilis

Pekka K:

Acsearch gives another coin: https://www.acsearch.info/search.html?id=4017769

Pekka K

Innavigabilis:
Thanks, Pekka!

On first viewing, the coin on ACSearch also appears to be a double die match to both the Wildwinds example and my coin.

Innavigabilis

SC:
Double die matches on a rare provincial coin such as this are to be expected. 

The issue was quite likely struck using only one set of dies.

If you plugged even these low numbers n=3, do=1 and dr=1 (in other words three known coins, one known obverse die and one known reverse die) into the Esty formula I expect you would get a result indicating one die was most likely - but I am still in holiday mode and too lazy to do this.

Anyway, this phenomenon (that single die runs are common) has been discussed by authors such as Harl in Civic Coins and Civic Politics in the Roman East, 180-275.

Nice coin.

SC

Innavigabilis:
Thanks very much for your expertise here, Otlichnik! Harl is now on my reading list for the New Year.

Innavigabilis

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