Help needed for Nikopolis reverse

Dear friends of Nikopolis!

Today I got this coin:

Moesia inferior, Nikopolis ad Istrum, Caracalla, AD 198-217
AE 16, 2.19g, 15.5mm
obv. [AV K M A] - ANTWN[I?]
Bust, draped and cuirassed, laureate, r.
rev. NIKOPOLI[T] - PROC ICT.
Altar with basket (cista mystica?) from which a snake is coiling up
ref. a) not in AMNG
b) not in Varbanov
c) not in Hristova/Hoeft/Jekov (2018):
rev. cf. No. 8.14.47.31 corr. (for Severus, same die)
obv. e.g. No. 8.18.46.14



A similar coin is known for Severus. It is another example for a parallel issue for members of the imperial family.


This type was described as "altar, on which snake is coiling, head l." This new coin has far the best preserved rev. I have seen until now. And my suspicion that the old description is not correct is proven. It can't be a snake alone because there are structures above the altar not compatible with a snake alone. The snake winds around horizontal objects (bars, grids?) So I think it is a basket or a similar container set on the altar in which the snake is coiling up.

What do you think? Each opinion is appreciated!

Thanks in advance
Jochen

 

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It certainly appears to be more than just a snake, but what?

 

When a coin is badly struck and very worn, it could reflect many possible images which could be even different to several viewers. I had my own experience in this
respect in several occasions. Good luck in your search anyway.

 

I'll do some research over the weekend. Just dropping by the forum for a few minutes as I finish up the workday.

 

It looks similar to this one:

"ISIS Altar carved on the front is the "cista mystica" and a woven wicker basket used for housing Isis' sacred Serpent"

 

There are several variations on the snake theme from Nicopolis so mine really don't pertain here but are offered for those who like to see coins. The Caracalla as Caesar has obverse legend retrograde and base out. Has anyone seen one like this?

 

Odd - maybe a cista mystica with some kind of damage to the die?

https://www.acsearch.info/search.html?id=225071

Ref: AMNG I, 1, 399, 1504. SNG Budapest 348
https://archive.org/details/p1dieantikenmn01akaduoft/page/398

 

Dear Sulla80!

Thank you for your post. But I don't think so. It is not accidentally depicted or a damage. I have attached AMNG 1504 from my collection. It looks very different!


Jochen