I am working through a mixed batch of coins that I have bought to start off the year. The batch consists of about 20 Alexandrian Tets from Claudius II Gothicus, though to Maxiamianus Herculius and about 20 Imperials, Provincials through to a Byzantine. The coins have arrived and I am working through with my attributions and photographs. I will not inflict them all on you but will share ones I think worthy of sharing or if I need help with the attribution. Here is the first of the batch. A realtively scarce, year 1 Aurelian Tetradrachm. Aurelian, Billon Tetradrachm Obv:– A K Λ ∆OM AYPHΛIANOC CEB, laureate, draped, and cuirassed bust right (seen from the front) Rev– Eagle standing right, wreath in beak, palm frond behind Minted in Egypt, Alexandria. L - A (year 1) across fields; Year 1 of Aurelian, 270 A.D. Reference:– Milne 4301. Curtis 1734 (noted as a rare variety), BMC Alexandria 2367. Emmett 3927 (Year 1, Rarity R3) 7.96 gms. 21.44 mm. 0 degrees Some clogging in the obverse legend but a nice style portrait. Martin
Very nice, great portrait. Aurelian, With Vaballathus (270 - 275 A.D.) Egypt, Alexandria Potin Tetradrachm O: AYT KΛ ∆ AYPHΛIANOC CEB, laureate, draped, and cuirassed bust of Aurelian right, date L - A at sides ( year 1 ). R: I I A C OYABAΛΛAΘOC AΘHNOY AYT C ΠΩ, laureate, diademed and draped bust of Vabalathus right, date L - D across fields ( year 4 ) 20mm 9.54g Köln 3054; Dattari 5422; Milne 4308; Curtis 1738; Emmett 3914 Aurelian (270 - 275 A.D.) Egypt, Alexandria Potin Tetradrachm O: A K Λ ΔOM AVΡHΛIANOC CEB, Laureate and cuirassed bust right. R: Eagle standing right on wreath, head turned left; star above right, L D right. Dated RY 4 (272/3 AD) 11.25g 21mm Köln 3076; Dattari 5492; Milne 4398 var. (no star); Emmett 3933 var. (same)
Here's a Carinus and Numerianus: Carinus (283-284 A.D.) AE Tetradrachm of Alexandria, 19mm 7.19 grams Year 2 = 284 AD. Obverse: A K M A KAΡINOC CEB, laureate, cuirassed bust right Reverse: L-B, Elpis standing left holding flower and hem of skirt. Reference: Milne 4701-3, BMC 2454, Koln 3177 Numerian, Feb/March 283 - Oct/Nov 284 A.D. Roman Provincial Egypt Billon Tetradrachm, 8.26 grams, 20.7 mm, Alexandria mint Obverse: AK M A NOVMEPIANOC CEB Laureate, draped, and cuirassed bust right Reverse: Athena seated left on high backed throne, wearing crested helmet, long scepter in left hand, Nike offering wreath in right hand.
Ooooh... let's see a photo of the pile! My year 5 Aurelian may well be my favourite coin of Roman Egypt:
Great coin! I have one of these too, although not quite as nice. It has some encrustations that I wish would disappear. These year 1 coins seem fairly rare. Emmett rates them as R3. I was only able to find a handful of representative examples online when I bought mine. As I understand, these were minted for a short time, not long before Zenobia captured Alexandria in 270.
Nice portrait on the OP coin, and of course on @Severus Alexander's wonderful example. The ones on the double-headers with Vabalathus seem decidedly less flattering...
I wonder if the variations and scarcity of LA solo Aurelians is due to the mint being in control of Vabalathus and so much production going to the two headed type.
Hi Doug, I had been pondering this too. Year 1 coins can be on a shorter production volume based on when the emperor rose to power, in this case September. SO they can be generally scarcer than Year 2 etc. We also have the Vabalathus situation here which undoubtedly would have had an influence. There seem to be many more Year 1 double headed coins than Aurelian only so we could assume the Vabalathus control was a major factor. There is also a possibility that many of these coins have gone overlooked as they are "just another Alexandrian Tet. with an Eagle". I have seen (and now bought) another of these year 1 coins which was labelled as blandly as this in a dealer stock "Aurelian, Tetradrachm, Alexandria". As an aside. Here is a quickly snatched image of the obverses of the group that I bought and am working through.
All, From page 154 of Roger Bland's The Coinage of Vabalathus and ZenobiaThe Coinage of Vabalathus and Zenobia from Antioch and Alexandria (Numismatic Chronicle 171, 2011) "Aurelian’s reign began with a small issue of coins in his sole name dated Year 1 (September - c.December 270), and was succeeded by an issue with year one of Aurelian and no regnal year for Vabalathus (c.December 270 – c.March 271), followed by another in the names of Aurelian and Vabalathus dated Years 1 and 4 (c.March 271 - 28 August 271. This was succeeded by another issue for Aurelian and Vabalathus of about the same size dated Years 5 and 2 (29 August 271 - c.March 272, and then by a much smaller issue in the names of Vabalathus Augustus and Zenobia from the same year (c.March - c.June 272)." - Broucheion
Thank you for that info! My question is... when was Alexandria captured by Zenobia/Vabalathus? Were these year 1 sole coins minted before that occupation or were they minted under Zenobia/Vabalathus for Aurelian? As these coins were listed in this book... it seems to suggest they were minted under Zenobia/Vabalathus?
Hi @Orange Julius, The entire chronology (numismatic and historical) is laid out in this paper in Table 1. - Broucheion
I haven't gotten round to the large lot yet but my second example of the OP type has arrived today. It would appear to be the same obverse die as that shown by @Orange Julius above.
AURELIAN Tetradrahm OBVERSE: AUT K L D AURHLIANOC CEB, laureate, draped and cuirassed bust right REVERSE: Eagle standing left on thunderbolt, wreath in beak, D/L (year 4) left, star right Struck at Alexandria, Egypt, 29 Aug 272 - 28 Aug 273 A.D. 7.73g, 21mm Dattari (Savio) 5470-1; Milne 4381-2; Emmett 3922