FORVM`s Classical Numismatics Discussion Board

Numismatic and History Discussion Forums => Roman Coins Discussion Forum => Topic started by: stlnats on April 20, 2023, 12:55:03 pm

Title: SC on the reverse of T. Gallus silver
Post by: stlnats on April 20, 2023, 12:55:03 pm
Over the last couple of years I've been exploring coins outside of longstanding area of interest, the "nummi" of Diocletian's coinage covered by RIC VI.  I came across this coin in a recent auction and was surprised to see it carried "SC" in the reverse field.  My library on this period is rather sparse but it's described as a product of the Antioch mint and is listed in RSC (cf 81) and apparently in RIC (cf 87) but i don't have a copy if the latter for the period.  I think I recall hearing something about this years ago when I was a more general collector and have seen the SC on the posthumous coins of Vespasian.  My, perhaps mistaken, understanding was this the latter use of SC or ex SC was related to Vespasian's deification by the Senate. 

At any rate, can someone provide an explanation of what's going on here for me?  A cite to a reference (esp accessible online) would be great.  Thanks very much for any assistance.   

NB Per Pekka's note, I corrected the RIC/RSC numbers which were incorrect in the OP.  Sadly I had even double checked them before posting (LOL), but such is life.  Thank you for catching the mistake.
Title: Re: SC on the reverse of T. Gallus silver
Post by: Pekka K on April 20, 2023, 01:03:12 pm
OCRE shows no picture: http://numismatics.org/ocre/id/ric.4.tr_g.87

Pekka K
Title: Re: SC on the reverse of T. Gallus silver
Post by: Pekka K on April 20, 2023, 01:07:06 pm
Acsearch shows anoter coin: https://www.acsearch.info/search.html?id=8384777

looks like same dies as OP coin.

Pekka K
Title: Re: SC on the reverse of T. Gallus silver
Post by: stlnats on May 03, 2023, 01:27:42 am
Just as a follow up, can anyone else provide some insight/explanation of why this silver issue carries the SC on the reverse for me?  A cite to a reference (esp accessible online) would be great.  Thanks very much for any assistance. 
Title: Re: SC on the reverse of T. Gallus silver
Post by: mauseus on May 03, 2023, 05:32:30 am
Hi,

Yes, RIC 87. The provenance notes that the BM example is from the Dorchester hoard, plus another specimen in Budapest. The footnote comments that officina numbers, prevalent on most of the Antioch coins of the period are absent (or not commented on) on the PAX AVGVS SC coins. However, that doesn't seem to be the case here with the dots under the bust.

Checked Mattingly's paper on the Dorchester hoard (NC 1939) and there's no specific comment on the type. Similarly looked at Mattingly's paper on Treb Gellus (NC 1946) and again there's no comment.

Regards,

Mauseus
Title: Re: SC on the reverse of T. Gallus silver
Post by: mauseus on May 03, 2023, 06:08:50 am
Hi,

Metcalf's publication "A n t i o c h hoard of antoniniani and the eastern coinage of Trebonianus Gallus and Volusian" (ANS Museum Notes 22, 1977) records in footnote 15 that Karl Pink (Der Aufbau...etc. NZ 69, 1936) suggested that the SC was the product of the die cutter simply copying a Roman Bronze coin as the prototype, plausible given a seemingly chaotic operation at Antioch and also being used to adding SC to the dies for the silver tetradrachm.

Regards,

Mauseus
Title: Re: SC on the reverse of T. Gallus silver
Post by: stlnats on May 03, 2023, 09:13:25 pm
Thanks for looking into this for me.  I was aware that SC was used on some contemporary tets (and think I probably have one or two in my collection) but figured that there just had to be more to it than confused/inattentive die cutters.  Yet in my admittedly limited search I could not find anything specific and given the authorities you cite clearly the explanation is reasonable and makes sense.  A fun coin to have in any case and maybe it'll provoke some discussion at my next ancient coin "study group" meeting. 

Again, thanks very much for your efforts!  Much appreciated.  Cheers and...

What fun!