I think that's the most enviable
Caracalla Gallus coin that I ever saw, and certainly the best triumphal
chariot. If only there were a heaven from which numismatists could look down and see what was unknown in their lifetime, how
Pick would love it. It was not known to
Pick, but
AMNG I, 1, no. 1327, for Septimius was, known to him from a single specimen in St. Petersburg,
schlecht erhalten, so that he can't be sure whether
Nike is behind the emperor or not: you see, he already
had noticed the correspondence to the
Macrinus Procession reverses: pp. 344–345 and at no. 1327 on p. 369; Varebanov's no. 2675 (Bulg.) is
AMNG I, 1, no. 1712 (
obv. in Parade Armor with
aegis /
rev. without
Nike and ill. Taf. XIX, 26, while Varbanov's no. 2676 (Bulg.) is
AMNG I, 1, no. 1713 ("ebenso, aber im Viergespann noch
Nike"). He knew only two specimens for the latter. Now, if only
Agrippa had issued one for
Diadumenian, too! I do not believe, however, that he did so, partly because even now it hasn't appeared, partly because
Diadumenian was not co-Augustus, especially if I am right in suspecting that the use of these two
obverse dies puts the Processional issue before the very end of Macrinus's reign.
Again, from my friend's files, I attach that very elegant, almost mannered version of the Parade Armor
bust, which has die-links with the long-bearded naturalistic
obverse. These must be the ones towards the very end of
his reign.
Pat L.
The Bust/Hygieia coin is again from my friend's photo files; the Head/Tripod is my accession scan. The
head on no. 1713, of course, is one of those known to have originated with Pontianus.
P.S. I don't think the one from
CoinArchives was
falsified, but I do think the
conservator did not know which die he was trying to liberate from the crust, or whatever was on it; the die for
Pick 1712 is not widely known, and obviously it was a difficult job.