Got this to hold me over till I get another coin It was cut intentionally, in ancient times (presumably to make change). It has a nice used feel to it. Augustus AE 25 As, of leaded bronze, from Colonia Patricia (Corduba), Spain. 19/18-2 BC. PERM CAES AVG, laureate head left / COLONIA PATRICIA in two lines within wreath. SGI 16, RPC 129, Lindgren 87.
I'm not sure that coin was halved for change. Usually those kinds of cuts are straight and down the middle. I'm thinking the flan had some stress fractures and eventually broke apart. At any rate, it's a great coin for the portrait, the full lettering of COLONIA PATRICIA, and nice detail in the wreath. Great find!
Cool addition, randygeki ... I am not going to give my opinion on slice versus stress-fracture, but I am going to mention that the "other guy" sure didn't get his full half (yah, it kinda looks a bit like one of those deals my older sister tried to talk me into when we were kids) ... => "no Steve, honestly ... your half of the Pop-tart is just as big as my half"
=> I meant the "otherguy" that received his "half" of this particular coin (I'm thinking that his half must look a bit like a mere sliver of the moon?) ... yah, it's never any good when you have to try and explain your jokes (nevermind ... you guys carry-on) Cool addition, randygeki
My copy of this coin: AUGUSTUS Æ 25 As OBVERSE: PERM CAES AVG, laureate head left REVERSE: COLONIA PATRICIA in two lines in wreath Colonia Patricia (Cordoba - spain) 19/18-2 BC 8.07g, 24 mm RPC 129
Ah, I see, lol. Yeah, I hope he didn't pay too much for it. Incidentally, here's a coin of Colonia Patricia that I won in a larger lot of other coins. I ended up selling it, thinking that I could do better in the future, and I now regret the decision.
My other Augustus coins from Colonia Patricia: AUGUSTUS AE Semis OBVERSE: PERM CAES AVG, bare head left REVERSE: COLONIA PATRICIA, apex & simpulum Colonia Patricia (Cordoba - spain) 19/18-2 B.C 4.08g, 20 mm RPC 130 AUGUSTUS AR Denarius OBVERSE: CAESAR AVGVSTVS - Bare head right REVERSE: OB/CIVIS/SERVATOS - Legend in three lines within oak-wreath, ties inward Colonia Patricia mint 19 BC 3.3g, 17mm RIC 77A, C208 AUGUSTUS Æ 31 Dupondius OBVERSE: PERMISSV CAESARIS AVGVSTI, bare head left REVERSE: COLONIA PATRICIA, aquila between legionary standards Colonia Patricia (Cordoba - spain) 15-14 BC 18g, 31 mm RPC 128, SNG Cop 464
Thanks all Maybe it was fractured and then cut to smooth it out or maybe hammered down in some way. The edges on the missing side are flat with corners. Ill see if I can take a good pic of it and post it.
It's possible the flan fractured when it was struck, then the sharp edges wore down by circulation. It wouldn't have mattered to merchants if it was broken - the bronze was fiat currency anyway, and the coin is all there but for some of the wreath. I think it's very interesting precisely because of the break.
