Curious Asia Minor Provincial

[kerux]

I recently obtained this AE24. The unusual reverse & legend caught my eye. The reverse has the Empress offering over an altar with the reverse legend of IOVLIA DOMNACEB. I have listed a couple of similar coins in the next message I found at CoinArchives that are identified only as "uncertain Asia Minor", but this coin seems somewhat different. The obverse bust looks more like a bare-headed Geta than a laureate Caracalla. The obverse legend seems to differ from the CoinArchives specimens as well. My reverse legend also has a CEB ending which is not part of the CA description. Can anyone offer some insight into this puzzler? Any known mention in reference works? My efforts at this point are not producing much.

Joe W.

[kerux]

Here are the similar specimens from CoinArchives.

Obverse legend is given as: AUT K MA AU ANTWNEINOS

Here is the link to the CoinArchives listings:

http://www.coinarchives.com/a/lotviewer.php?LotID=167846&AucID=210&Lot=1664&Match=1

Joe W.

[Steve Minnoch]

I think yours is also Caracalla, I read AVPHΛΙ AN  (not so sure about the AN but I am sure about the AVPHΛΙ)

Steve

[Jochen]

Oh, what an interesting type!

Best regards

[archivum]

Here's the Isegrim entry for that unreferenced Coinarchives type; looks like yours is a unicum -- nice one!

PRO:   CILICIA PEDIAS <?>
PO :   HIERAPOLIS <?>
PZ :   Between 198 and 217
   Obverse
VSG:   AYT K M AY ANTWNEINOS
VT :   PORTRAIT MAN R / CARACALLA
VA :   WREATH LAUREL / CLOTHES
VG :   ROUND <1> / WOMAN WALKING L <1-3(D), 5> / NIKE <1-3(D), 5, L, ?> / ROUND <5> / PRICECROWN <5> / BETWEEN / TORCHES 2 <PALMZWEIGEN?><5(D)>
   Reverse
RSG:   IOLIA DOMNA SEB
RT :   WOMAN STANDING HL / EMPRESS <IULIA DOMNA> / ALTAR LE
   Technical details
M  :   AE
GR :   26.3(1) / 27(2) / 25(3)
GEW:   11.17(1) / 10.16(2) / 9.12(4) / 10.58(5) / 9.11(6)
ST :   12(1) / 06(2,5) / 05(6)
   Bibliographical references
ZIT:   ZIEGLER KILIKIEN 1431(1) / SLG DUESSELDORF 11529(1) / NEG 294,39(1) / NEG 294,41(1) / INV 4252.32.91(1)
VGL:   ZIEGLER KILIKIEN 1432(2) / SLG DUESSELDORF 11625(2) / NEG 294,35(2) / NEG 294,37(2) / COLL WEISS(2) / SNG LEVANTE SUPPL 435(4) / SNG PFALZ 6 581(5)
SG :   AUKT KROHA 038 225(3) / SNG PFALZ 6 582(6)
   Additional remarks
FR :   PO: ZUWEISUNG AUF GRUND VON VSG UND VG DURCH R.ZIEGLER VS: AYT K M AY ANTWNEINOS VG: VGL HOWGEGO T11,260 RS: IOLIA DOMNA SEB

[kerux]

Thanks to all for your comments! The ISEGRIM info is great, however I notice some significant variations with my coin. As Steve observed the obverse legend includes AVPHΛΙ AN which does not conform to the Isegrim record. Also, I think it is clear that the obverse bust is not laureate but appears bare-headed. This is beginning to looking like an unlisted variant of the extremely rare laureate version.

Joe W.

Here's the Isegrim entry for that unreferenced Coinarchives type; looks like yours is a unicum -- nice one!
   Obverse
VSG:   AYT K M AY ANTWNEINOS
VT :   PORTRAIT MAN R / CARACALLA
VA :   WREATH LAUREL / CLOTHES

[archivum]

Yes, I would agree, hence that "unicum" -- "only one known," a unique obverse die, with a variant legend and portrait, though still Caracalla, as Steve rightly notes.  Here's a similar though larger obverse from the same mint proposed for the Isegrim specimens; the comparison with your coin appears to support that supposed source for both variant types' obverse dies.

[DEAD LINK REMOVED BY ADMIN]

[kerux]

Yes, I would agree, hence that "unicum" -- "only one known," a unique obverse die, with a variant legend and portrait, though still Caracalla, as Steve rightly notes.

Understood...I wasn't familiar with the term "unicum"...

The ISEGRIM data references SNG Levante suppl. 435 and SNG Pfalz 6 581-2....does anyone have access to these references? Could you post a scan?

Joe W.

[Pscipio]

Here's a scan of SNG PFPS (Pfälzer Privatsammlungen) VI 581-582 including the description. Sorry for the poor quality, I only have a hand copy. Use the download option to get the full 195 kb scan.

Lars

[kerux]

Thank you, Lars!

Joe