Hi, I found this totally fake imitation coin recently. I don't know if any of the lettering makes any sense to the ancients collectors. Looking at the image it maybe Apollo with a stag in his hand depicting an old but long gone ancient statue. Any thoughts? It's made of aluminum and nothing on the other side except the image on the front reversed. Taken with and without flash - @furryfrog02 ?
WOW! What a crazy mishmash of letters and letter-like markings! Some letters are Greek, some are Greek but reversed, and some are not Greek ("R", for instance). Looks like gibberish to me-- no hidden meaning. Kinda fun though! I like it .
It's mostly likely supposed to be Zeus, who is often depicted in that pose with an eagle at his feet or in his hand. He's holding Victory, perhaps.
I think the iconography is supposed to be Zeus Nikephoros standing (holding a statue of Nike). That's probably supposed to be an eagle at his feet.
Looks like some take-off on a fairly common Roman reverse type (IOVI referring to Jupiter). Where did you find this?
If you start at 7 o'clock and read clockwise, with a little imagination you can read "IOVI CONSERVATORI AUGG" and in exergue "ALP" (some of the letters turn a bit Greek towards the end). So maybe based (partially) on a Tetrarchy follis? A strange piece!
I live in the Bronx NY. I was getting dinner at a Bodega Deli in my neighborhood and I saw the item behind pexiglass mixed with peppermint candy. I asked the cashier if I could see it and she gave it to me.
I think that it is attempting to to imitate this coin or something from the same issue:- Licinius I - Follis Obv:– IMP C VAL LICIN LICINIVS P F AVG, laureate head right Rev:– IOVI CONSER-VATORI AVGG, Jupiter standing left, chlamys across left shoulder, holding Victory on globe and sceptre; eagle with wreath at foot left Minted in Alexandria (_ | Wreath over Delta over N / ALE). A.D. 314 Reference(s) – RIC VII Alexandria 10 (R2) And here from Officina B Whether the OP is intended to be an A or a D is unclear to me.
Since the letter matches the mintmark which should be ALE, I'd guess he was copying wreath/A/N. These also come in a Constantine I version but mine is a delta.
