It is identified as Antonius Pius. It sure doesn't look like any Antonius Pius that I've ever seen. I was thinking it was someone like Tetricus or Victorinus or a barbarous of some sort but I can't make out the legend. Figured you fine folk may have a good idea
Unfortunately I don't have a picture of the reverse. The picture was a seller's photo and they had it identified as Antonius Pius.
It is a little bothersome that a coin this clear would be mistaken for an Antoninus Pius by anyone selling ancient coins. I am never sure where to draw the line between the bad day at the official mint and a good day at an unofficial one. The lettering on this one strikes me as believable style. Compare to mine below with the fat R and S descending below the base line (I believe yours has it at the end as well). Tough love time: Those who have trouble reading legends could benefit from practice reading high grade coins sold online by CNG level sellers and working their way to reading lower grade specimens. Pay special attention to finding letters that are 'odd' like the fat R and P, B with smaller lower loop and any other letter that strikes you as different than the style your son is being taught in school. This should make reading ancient legends easier. Starting with poor coins is harder but this OP coin is clear enough that I would expect anyone to be able to read with very little practice. This might not be a good thing to do with ff2 since his school teacher might mark him down for making Gallic Empire letters on his homework.
I must have been loopy from lack of sleep lastnight. I can’t believe I missed the TETRICVS on the coin. Oof. I am embarrassed now haha.
It might sound counter-intuitive, but knowing what you're looking for in legends can be a very important factor in helping to decipher vague or ambiguous legends. You may say: "How would I know what to look for? I'm still trying to see what is actually on the coin." It can come from experience creating familiarity. Also, there are lists of possible legends in just about any book on Roman coins - and the legends tend to follow formulas - knowing that can steer you towards the right segment of the legend to concentrate upon because it's the part that may contain the most irrefutable clues as to who it is - everybody has D N, IMP, CAES, P F AVG, etc, in their legends - you need to be looking more towards the middle of many/most coin legends to see the part which holds the information you are seeking.
