Aelia Capitolina coin (extremely worn)

[Ecgþeow]

Hey everyone,
I just bought this coin on ebay, and I don't know anything about it.  It said it was from Aelia Capitolina under Antoninus Pius, and I wanted a coin from there, so I bought it.  I know coins from that city are generally expensive, so that's why this coin is such low quality.

So, could anyone provide some info on this coin?  Who's depicted, what does it say, etc.?

thanks!

 

[Howard Cole]

From what I see in my references, your specimen is not that bad!

Lindgren I has a specimen that is much more worn than yours.  You barely can make out the busts!  It is number A2443A.
AE22, 8.89 grams.  ... ...AVGP Bust of Antoninus Pius, laur., right.  Rev. M . AVREL  ...CAC Bareheaded bust of Marcus Aurelius, right.  BMC 33.

There is also one of these illustrated in SNG ANS, Part 6.  It is number 602.  It is a little better than your coin.  The bust on the reverse has a lot more detail.  Here is their description.
Obv. IMPANTONINVSAVGPPP, bust of Antoninus Pius right, laureate.
Rev. MAVP ... Head of M. Aurelius right.

Hope that helps.

[Ibex-coins]

City coins from Coele-Syria generally did not have great quality control for their minting.  The mint workers were generally local workers and because it was nominal coinage not as much care was spent in quality minting.  Generally coins minted in Antioch, Lundgrum and Rome were of higher quality and of course gold and silver were minted with greater care.  For these reasons it can add to the difficulty in trying to find high quality local city coins.  City coins that are EF carry a very high premium

[Ecgþeow]

Thanks, guys!  This is my first city/provicial bronze, so I wasn't quite sure what to expect.  I bought the coin for very cheap, so I just assumed that the average coin is much higher quality.
do you know what the full legendss are supposed to be?
thanks,
~Zach

[Howard Cole]

Just took a look in Sear's book on Greek Imperial Coins.  He has this coin listed as number 1526.  Here are the legends he gives, which varies a little in the obverse inscription from SNG ANS.

Obverse: IMP. CAE. ANTONINVS AVG P.P.P.
Reverse: M. AVRELIVS CAESAR C.A.C.

It is one of the lower valued coins for Antoninus Pius and Marcus Aurelius in this section.

[Ecgþeow]

thank you.  I think the Sear one is more correct for my coin, as I see a CAE on the lower left of Antoninus Pius' bust.

It is interesting that the legend is in Latin, as I was under the impression that city coins were in Greek.  Maybe it was in Latin as the city was populated by Hadrian with Legionary veterans.

[Howard Cole]

Basically you have it correct.  If the city was originally a Greek city, almost all of its coins have Greek legends.  If the city was founded by the Romans, usually as a colony, it usually has Latin legends.