Nikopolis, Caracalla, tooled?

[Jochen]

Hi!

Revisiting my coins I came across this one:

Moesia inferior, Nikopolis ad Istrum, Caracalla, AD 198-217
AE 26, 9.62g, 25.72mm, 225°
struck under governor Aurelius Gallus
obv. AV K M AVR - ANTWNINOC
       Bust, draped and cuirassed, seen from behind, laureate, r.
rev. VP AV GALLOV - NIKOPOLITWN / PROC ICT
      Zeus, in Himation, enthroned l., resting with raised l. hand on sceptre and putting his r. hand
      on his r. knee
ref. a) not in AMNG
      b) not in Varbanov (engl.)
      c) not in Hristova-Hoeft-Jekov (2013):
          rev. not listed
          obv. No. 8.18.1.22 (same die)

I think whereas the obv. is authentic the rev. is heavily tooled. It is difficult to say wether it shows Zeus or Serapis. The gap between GALLOV and NIKOPOLITWN has enough space for a former kalathos of Serapis and l. before the leg are faint structures which remind of Kerberos.

What do you think about this coin?

Every opinion highly appreciated!

Jochen

[Akropolis]

The emperor's hair on the obverse also appears tooled.....to my old eyes. How can the strands of hair be so distinct, while the chest is indistinct?
PeteB

[Jochen]

I think it is a horror coin!

Jochen

[Meepzorp]

Hi Jochen,

I agree with Akropolis. The hair on the obverse is definitely tooled. And his eye is up on the bridge of his nose.  It is not even in the eye socket.

Actually, the obverse looks more tooled than the reverse. But I see what you mean about the gap in the reverse inscription.

If someone was going to tool the reverse inscription, why didn't he just re-trace the original inscription to make it stand out more? Why did he try to create a whole new inscription? You can clearly see that something (letters?) was once in the gap. That's strange. It is as if the tooler was trying to create a completely different coin type.

Meepzorp