Bought this coin on a local site for a song, sellers description: roman provincial assarion empress Tranquillina (241-244 AD) ???? bronze 26mm - 14 gram Cant find it and would really like to give it a catalog number. please help , thanks.
I can confirm it's of Tranquillina; the obverse inscription reads CAB TPANK[VΛΛEINA] CEB. The tough thing is to identify the city it's from or the figure on the reverse. Despite the George-Washington-like profile, the reverse figure is likely female, given the hair bun at the nape of the neck. The diadem looks like ears of grain and I wonder if it might be Demeter. There is nothing remotely resembling an AE 26 with this reverse type on WildWinds or in Sear's Greek Imperial Coins.
Here is a reverse of her husband from Cappadocia, Caesarea that is similar. Veiled and draped bust of Tyche right, wearing Mount Argaeus on her head, although yours may be a polos. Your coin also looks cast, so Bostra may be an option.
I think you're on the right track. There is a great deal of similarity in the reverse portrait on the OP coin and the Tyche portrait on the Cappadocia coin of Gordian III.
I searched ISEGRIM (database of Asia Minor only) for coins of Tranquillina with head reverse, filtering on 20-29mm diameter. Matching cities were only BITHYNIA, Cius and CILICIA PEDIAS, Anazarbus. Reverses heads were only Athena and Selene. I checked my SNG Paris and the online Waddington Recueil General and neither matched. I've only seen one Tranquillina. This one is from Deultum and the relief seems lower than yours. Yet there are a lot of reverse types at Deultum. Look in SNG Bobokov or similar for that very distinctive head from your example? Thrace, Deultum. Tranquillina (241-244AD) AE22 6.64g Obv: Draped bust right, wearing stephane Rev: Perseus and Andromeda standing facing one another; Andromeda on left with left hand raised, Perseus on right, holding harpa and gorgon’s head, releasing Andromeda from her chains; sea-monster turned to stone below. Refs: Youroukova, Deultum 411; SNG Bulgaria 1518-20; Varbanov 2945. Mionnet Suppl. II #574
Although I dont have a reference with a catalog number, I know a lot more about this coin thanks to you guys, many thanks. after close inspection I concluded its a low crown polos on Tyche's head. Here's my description sofar:
My Tranquillina follows my pattern of oddball coins that no one else wants. It is a different reverse from Deultum like the one Ed showed and I quote below. The reverse is Orpheus standing and not special. The reason I wanted it was the error on the obverse. Can anyone see it? Have you seen another similar error? Deultum was a full colony and entitled to issue coins with Latin Legends. Ed's coin reads SAB TRANQVILLINA AVG in Latin just as it should. Mine reads SAB TRANQVILLINA SEB. SEB abbreviates Sebasta the Greek word for Augusta which in Greek letters is written CEB. They used the Greek title and transliterated it into Latin letters. I can't help thinking the error was partially assisted by the first part of the name being similar. I call this my SAB-SEB coin. Remember the words of a wise numismatist: In ancient coins, rarity is common. This may be a rare survivor from this unusual obverse die but there are so many oddities at least this level that most people simply do not care.
Cool coin @Andres2 ! I am not an expert so I cannot comment to it! But I do enjoy coins with a bust on each side. I hope you scored a RARE on with some unique history as to why it was struck! My only Tranquillina: RI Prv Thrace Deultum Tranquillina 241-244 CE Æ 22mm 6.6 g Hermes purse caduceus SNG Bulgaria 1504-8
I did found out where it was minted thanks to an old thread where randygeki showed a similar one: My coin with full description: And a better one sold on FORUM ANCIENT COINS:
