Hello all, I Just purchased this coin and I'm trying to decipher the reverse legend. It is referenced as RIC IV 45. Everywhere I search I find the lettering listed as "P M TR P IIII COS III P P" but it seems I'm missing the last 2 "I"s and the last "P" Please bear with me, a long time collector but a fresh rookie with ancients! Any help appreciated!
It's looks like a clogged die, though weak strikes will look similar. If you look closely you can see the faint outline of the missing legend.
You would never find COS I on a Roman coin or inscription, it would make no sense. On your coin it's COS III PP, but a problem with the die resulted in two I and a P not in relief.
Quite a strong statement. There is an entire eastern issue of Septimius Severus described as "COS I" listed in RIC and BMCRE. Here is one of about a dozen examples that I have from this issue. Septimius Severus denarius Obv:– IMP CAE L SEP SE - V PERT AVG COS I, Laureate head right Rev:– FORTVNAE REDVCI, Fortuna (Pietas) standing left holding patera and cornucopia, sacrificing over altar Minted in Emesa, A.D. 193 References:– RIC Page 139 (5) (Scarce)
Thanks, I didn't know these coins. The only explanation I see is because it's a coin minted in Emesa (Homs, Syria) where people didn't speak Latin. "COS I" is against all rules of Latin numeration and Latin epigraphy, if the person has been consul only once, it's just COS. See Pope Francis : when journalists began to mention him as Francis I, he issued a statement saying his pope name wasn't Francis 1st but just Francis. But in Greek it is possible: there is an inscription in Milet with "[δημαρχικῆς ἐξουσία]ς̣ τὸ α̣ʹ" (Milet. Ergebnisse der Ausgrabungen und Untersuchungen seit dem Jahre 1899,VI,3 1103). The die-cutter spoke Greek and composed his Latin inscription like a Greek one.
I specialise in these eastern issues of Septimius Severus and there is lots of evidence that the engravers didn't speak Latin. There are several examples of dies where they experiment with the legend structure. IMP CAE L SEP SE-V PERT AVG II CO IMP CAE L SEP SEV PERT AVG II COS Here is an example where the legend is EVENTVC instead of EVENTVS. Likely a Greek speaking engraver.
