Among the coins I bought in Baltimore was this rather ordinary 1st century BC AE22 of Elaiussa in Cilicia. Many Greek bronzes have Zeus and Nike but the reason I bought this one was the centering. The reverse is perfectly off center. Many magistrates of this series were distinguished by a name written vertically or a monogram on the left side of the coin but here Dio wrote horizontally. Many of these show Nike's arm extended through the city name holding the wreath to the far left. This one has the wreath small and crowded between her body and the city name. This layout coupled with the long city name led to many coins like this Triton V specimen with letter loss due to good centering. https://www.cngcoins.com/Coin.aspx?CoinID=15723 My coin shoved the Nike far to the right placing the long city name in the middle where both ends would fit and allow space at the left for magistrate Dio on the flan. This coin makes it obvious why so many other magistrates dies used vertical letters of a monogram. Get with the program Dio! The Triton V coin was beautiful and sold for over 7 times what I paid for mine. I like mine mostly for the way it is so perfectly off center.
Is yours off center though, or are the rest of them centrally challenged? Perhaps the engraver's intent all along was to have the long city name closer to the equator. There isn't a dotted border to tell us where the intended center is. Nike's contour fits very well along the curve of the coin. Let's call yours the perfectly centered example .
Thanks Doug, a little random but you have just helped me I.D. a coin that I was struggling with In one of my trays that hadn't seen light of day for ages, I pulled it a few days ago when looking for something else. ADANA, CILICIA Obverse - Veiled head of Demeter Reverse - Zeus seated holding Nike & scepter, city name behind, monograms in front Weight 5.70g Size 21mm
I believe this one is a double die match for yours, Doug. https://www.cngcoins.com/Coin.aspx?CoinID=38355 Looking at the reverse struck on an unusually broad flan, it’s clear that yours received as well-centered a strike as was possible.
