Barbaric Severans

In my study of coins of Septimius Severus and family, I have run across a few coins that simply do not fit the pattern of mints. Some, or all, of these may be ancient counterfeits. Some may be barbaric 'moneys of necessity'. Some may even be the rare remains of another official minting operation. Proving any of this will be as difficult as forcing these coins into the standard mint assignments.

Unless noted otherwise, coins are solid silver alloy of varying degrees of fineness. Dates refer to times of issue of regular coins bearing similar legends. Barbaric coins could be later copies.

	Solid Denarius - 196-197 AD - 3.0g L SEPT SEV PERT AVG IMP VIII HERCVL - IOEPES Much of the legend given above is assumed but traces of the letter bottoms suggest it is correct. The variant part is bold. Style seems reasonable. Is this just an error for HERCVLI DEFENS? Whether official or not, this coin proves that die cutting ability did not require Latin literacy.
	Two Fourree Denarii - 195 AD - 2.6g & 3.2g Top: SEPT SEV PERT AVG IMP V PM TRP III COS II PP Minerva holding shield Bottom: SEPT SEV PERT AVG IMP V head of Albinus? PM TRP II - I COS II P - P Minerva, shield on ground Both coins are thickly plated fourrees (not the usual thin wash found by this date) with Minerva reverses. The top coin is a good looking but not normal style using the standard image of Minerva standing behind her shield. The legends are normal except for the lack of the expected initial 'L'. I see a similarity between this coin and BMC 468 (page 117) assigned to an 'Uncertain' mint. At 2.37g the BM coin is lighter than either of these fourrees. Is it also plated? The lower coin has wildly ragged reverse legends with the last 'P' forced to sit beside the start of the legend. Minerva is shown holding a Victory in a pose not otherwise used for coins of Septimius. The bare headed portrait looks like it could be Clodius Albinus. This is an odd pair!
	Solid Denarius - 198 -202 AD - 2.1g SEVERVS AVG PART MAXI FELICIT AVGVS ^^^The crossed cornucopia type was not used as late as the first coins bearing the PART MAX legend. Both legends are not standard and show knowledge of the words being abbreviated (odd for a barbaric issue?). Style is not bad but not normal. Metal seems more base than usual. What is the ^^^?
	Solid Denarius - 193 AD - 3.6g IMP CAE L SEP SEV PERT AVG VIRT AVG TRP COSThis coin is both heavier and better in fineness than usual. It appears to be struck on an earlier coin (what?). Style is not official but what counterfeiter produces better than the real thing? Is this barbaric money of necessity?
	Solid Denarius - 193 AD - 2.1g IMP CAE L SEPT SEV PERT AVG BONI EVEVENT While this could be an early coin of Emesa the extra letter (T or I?) on the obverse draws attention to the style not being normal for that mint. The stuttering EV on the reverse is found on some regular mint coins.
	Solid Denarius - date? - 2.4g MP SEPT SEVE-RVS AVGV EII I --ARITAS (Hilaritas?)This poorly preserved coin is irregular in every way. The reverse seems appropriate for Julia Domna. The obverse legend spells out the name correctly. What appears to be 'EII' could be 'ST' continuing the spelling of 'AVGV'. A mystery!
	Solid Denarius - 193 AD - 2.0g IMP CAE L SEP SEV PERT AVG VICTOR IVST AVG Too wild in style, this coin otherwize matches the rare first period of 'Emesa'. A barbaric copy of a very rare coin?
	Bronze Denarius - 194-5 AD - 2.6g IMP CAE L SEP SEV PERT AVG COS II VIRT AVGThis is an oddly styled bronze copy of an 'Emesa' denarius. It was purchased as a Greek colonial of Damascus. Am I missing something here?
	Solid Denarius - 198-202 AD - 1.8g obverse legend nonsense VIRT AVGGThe odd feature of this very barbarous coin is the correct rendition of the reverse legend with the obverse hardly resembling the SEVERVS AVG PART MAX prototype. I see this as possibly Indian but would like to hear opinions.
	Solid Denarius 198-202 AD - 2.5g SEVERVS.AVG PARTICVS.MAX VICTORIAE AVGGWhile the style is all wrong, the expansion of PARTICVS from the expected PART and the triangular punctuation of the obverse legend distinguishes this unofficial coin.

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