Haven't posted a coin for ID in a long while, this is one of two Augustus/Octavian "moneyer's series" coins I acquired recently, one (
reverse in much better condition) was easy to identify (M Salvius
Otho) but this one has defeated me so far! The coin is better looking than the photos show it, I really should have taken them in better lighting conditions but the
rev. legend (what remains of it!) is clear enough.
The coin is about 27mm in
diameter. The
reverse is heavily encrusted (the encrustation is very hard and I'm not sure of any way to remove it without ruining the
patina!) and not much of the
legend is visible. Along with "I
VIR A" at about 5-6 o'clock, "IVS" is visible at about 1 o'clock, preceded by what could be a N or V and followed by either an O, C or G.
There are several
moneyers whose names could fit with this
legend, but none of the coins I've seen have a letter placement which matches my coin. The most likely one seems to be M SALVIVS
OTHO, the same as the other coin I bought - but all coins of this moneyer I can find online and in print have the "
OTHO" at around 4-5 o'clock (near the lower half of the central "C"), whilst mine is around 2 o'clock.
