Unusual Caracalla denarius portrait

[William J Bligh]

Thoughts on this, anyone? Is it a provincial mint or a barbarous imitative type or what?? He just looks so....WEIRD.

[Tiathena]

 
   Very different / unique for sure.  Not the typical juvenile Marcus Antoninus portrait, where (to me, anyway) he always looks so much like Geta.

  Just right-off the ‘cuff’ so to speak – my gut-reaction is to suspect it’s a provincial & not a barbaric imitation.
  What does the reverse look like?

  Best –
  Tia
 
 

[William J Bligh]

Here's the reverse - Apparently its the 'Securitas Perpetua' type, but the legend is a bit blundered.
Here's a link to the official type on wildwinds.

http://www.wildwinds.com/coins/sear5/s6678.html

It's too bad there's a large scratch across the reverse, but the portrait intrigued me enough to pick it up anyways

[Tiathena]

   
    Thanks for showing the reverse, too.
  Yeah – that’s sure different.
  I’m clueless.
  Still have a gut feeling it’s Provincial – but my gut feelings usually prove wrong in these questions it seems.

  I definitely understand your underlying question better now, tho’ – thanks.

  Also for the obverse – the official one (@ WW’s) – shows M. Antoninus as bear-head, draped and cuirassed, right: where yours is laureate.
  Maybe a different (but similar) coin altogether?
 
  Best –
  Tia
 
 

[curtislclay]

As you suspected, clearly an ancient imitation, combining a rev. of 196/7 AD with blundered legend, with an obv. of 199-200.  Hence the wierd style!  Interesting nevertheless.

[maridvnvm]

Curtis is of course absolutely correct but to act as an illustration of what he is saying I thought that I owuld include the following coins to the thread. The first coin illustrates the bust from A.D. 199-200 and the second coin illustrates the reverse in question.




And as Curtis indicates this is an interesting coin.
Regards,
Martin