RIC VII, ALEXANDRIA 19, VALENS, MINTMARK VARIETY [FORGERY]

OBVERSE	IMPCAVRVALVALENSPFAVG [IMP C AVR VAL VALENS P F AVG]; head r., laur.
REVERSE	IOVICONSER-VATORIAVGG [IOVI CONSERVATORI AVGG]; Jupiter stg. l., chlamys across l. shoulder, leaning on sceptre, Victory on globe in r. hand; eagle with wreath to l. K in left field, wreath above X above R (sic!) in right field. ALE in exergue.
NOT IN RIC	MINTMARK VARIETY. Specimen similar to ALEXANDRIA 19 (RIC VII, plate 24, no. 19) except for "R" as an officina letter instead of "A" or "B". For better comparison, see also another example of ALEXANDRIA 19, off. A (CNG Mail Bid Sale 75, lot 1135, 3.36 g). The seller claims that it is simply an engraver's error: "The officina letter on this piece seems to be a corrected die engraver's mistake: he apparently started to make a die for officina B but then was ordered not to do so and modified his B into the required A!" However, this explanation is not convincing. Additionally, there are also many other unusual or odd details which leads to the conclusion that this piece is probably a modern forgery.

NOTES

Weight 3.91 g; diameter 21.5 mm. Coin sold on Nomos auction 22 (lot 365) in June 2021 for CHF 16,000.