Hope this is not a boring question: Have been looking at this coin at different angles and under several lighting trying to nail down the Greek letter on the right side of the reverse, but I still can't say for sure which is the letter, well maybe it is impossible to find out. Just to focus on the letter and avoid any bias, I would like to say for now only the diameter and where it was struck: Alexandria, 21 x 22 mm
We recognize the reverse of this coin type. You didn't even need to mention Alexandria. I don't know how to type the letter, but agree with @Bob L.
If you're thinking it's what I think you're thinking, the size is wrong . Should be twice as big, if we are indeed seeing a Π in the reverse right field. It could also be an Augustus, rather than the person we're wanting it to be . Maybe it's really an M? Focused and well-lit images would help. I'm guessing it's an M rather than Π. The diameter would fit. Of course, knowing the weight would also help. How's the portrait? Any tooling? Tooling seems to be the norm for these, sadly.
Thank you so much for all your input, it is always very much appreciated. It should be an M, but I see a Π no matter how I turn the coin. If it is a Π, I really have a problem. I can try to take a better picture. Unfortunately, I am really bad with pictures as you all already know Here it is: 21 x 22 mm, 7.50 g Alexandria, 51 - 30 BC
Hi @cmezner, Could it have been an M to start with before a bit of tooling? The obverse shows tooling, so why not the reverse as well? Pity to destroy (IMHO) the actual value mark that way. - Broucheion
I wish I could answer that Could you please elaborate a bit where you see tooling on the obverse? Who would be such a fool to change the value mark? Everybody knows that changing the mark doesn't change the weight; but yes, it takes a lot of fools to make this world. Maybe a kid in ancient times wanted to buy something at the market and needed 80 drachmae but only had forty - that would be a nicer story, at least for me
Owning both the 40 and 80, changing a mark would not fool anyone. The 80 is sizable larger, something you know right away once you have handle old both denominations. The obverse looks like the portrait is "strengthened" at a minimum. Unfortunately, most coming on the market are nowadays.
Totally agreed. I know the 80 is larger; what made me ask the question and got me wondering is that at acsearch I found this AE 80 Drachmai (21 mm, 8.08 g): https://www.acsearch.info/search.html?id=6291112 The description says it is an AE 80 but below it says: Rev. BACIΛICCHC KΛEOΠATPAΣ, eagle standing left on thunderbolt; in left field, cornucopiae; in right field, M. and on the image I see a Π Very confusing
I suspect this low grade coin was not read by the seller but the description was cut and pasted from others they had sold. A big seller would spend only seconds cataloging a coin like this. They say M; you say Π. I see lambda which is not a choice and more a sign of my not expecting anything rather than actually 'seeing' the remnants of one letter or another.
Thought that this auction house based in Switzerland is a big seller, and thorough when cataloging: https://www.auctiones.ch/browse.html?auction=67&lot=17446
