After taking a few weeks break from ancients I decided to pick up another coin. Roman Provincial, Egypt: Gallienus (Alexandria Mint) 253-268 AD Tetradrachm AE Potin 21mm / 9.9 grams O: AVT K ΠΛIKΓAΛΛIHNOC CЄB Laureate and cuirassed bust facing right R: LIB (year 12) Athena standing, facing left. Wearing helmet, chiton and aegis. Holding spear with right hand and balancing shield with gorgon’s head with left hand. Palm in left field. Reference: Milne 4098, Sear 10571 Though I initially wanted to collect Greek coins, I find myself liking some Roman coins too.
Beautiful coin - rough surfaces, but beautiful all the same. The surface on the reverse looks like it's part of the design. What generally causes that effect? Rusty dies?
Thanks guys. The reverse is what drew me to it. I would guess its been circulated a few times or like you said, rusty dies.
That looks more like minor surface damage to me. Still, a nice coin! The detail on the interior of the shield is intruiging.
I believe it is surface damage on the coin not die but am not sure that this one is a die match so it proves nothing. It does show the shield well but does not have any face details so I can't say with certainty that the shield hub was a gorgon. Have you seen a clear one? http://www.acsearch.info/ext_image.html?id=292394
Yeah, I find myself being drawn to these some as well. I just picked up a couple of late crummier ones on Ebay, but two really nice ones from the Roman Egypt expert in my coin club. Really high end VF's of Carinus and Probus. Definitely an intriquing series. Too bad Diocletian put an end to them. What I really like about them is their thickness. Its a change of pace from thin coins.
Yes, its a gorgon on the shield. My photography is not the greatest but looking through a loupe I can see the details.
