Strange coin from Nikopolis - AE17 Caracalla

[helcaraxe]

Dear friends,

I had this coin in a nice lot of provincials, which I should like to share with you:

Nikopolis ad Istrum.
Moesia inferior.
AE17. Caracalla.
Av.: AV KAI ANTONIN; draped bare bust right.
Rv.: NIKOΠOΛIT ΠPOC ICT; Victory standing left holding wreath.
2,99 g.

The funny thing about the coin ist that the obverse legend ist both pointing outward instead of inward (by which I want to say that the bottom of the letters are toward the edge of the coin) as well as mirror-inverted. However the style is quite good, so I can't believe that it is inofficial.

Have you seen something similar before? Or even a quotation?.

Many thanks for any advice!

Semper pax
helcaraxe

[Jochen]

Hi Helcaraxe!

Nice find. There are several types from Nikopolis with retrograde legends. I have 7 ex. in my collection. These errors are mostly on the rev. Obv. errors are more rare. On your coin the legend is not retrograde but upside-down. I have 2 ex. in my collection. The 1st coin I have attached seems to have an obv. from the same die as yours, if I'm not wrong. The 2nd coin has the same error, but I cannot identify the bust type for sure.

Your type is not listed in AMNG nor Hristova/Jekov. Possibly it can be added to the next edition of HrJ.

Best regards
Jochen

[helcaraxe]

Thanks, Jochen, for your reply.
The obverse seems indeed to be of the same die.

Probably only one die engraver, who did not know his P's and Q's. Maybe a sign too, that for the cutting of obverse and reverse inscription different engraver were responsible?

Semper pax
helcaraxe