Can anybody tell me exactly what this coin is? See alot of similar coins that lead me to believe it is Aurelian and maybe minted in Alexandria, but not 100% sure if that is the case or what year it was minted.
It is an Alexandrian tetradrachm. I can't read the legend. For me it could be Aurelian, Probus, or even Diocletian. So it is probably one of these rulers.
My guess is Aurelian too. I think I can make out some of the legend... Milne 4418, Emmett 3923, Curtis 1770, BMC 2359v Search here for more examples: https://www.acsearch.info/
The reverse reads Year 5, and Aurelian is the only candidate for tetradrachms in this style who also ruled 5 years. Very nice coin; I recently got nearly the same type in a mixed lot
I agree with the assessment of it being Aurelian (he has that telltale emphasized nostril) and RY 5. Here is my "close, but not exact" example, similar to @Finn235: Aurelian, Ruled 270-175 AD AE Tetradrachm, Egypt, Alexandria Struck 273/274 AD Obverse: A K Λ ΔOM AVPHΛIANOC CEB, laureate and cuirassed bust right. Reverse: Eagle standing facing wings open, head right, holding wreath in beak, ЄTOVC Є to right and left, RY 5. References: Emmett 3924, Dattari 5490 Size: 20mm, 8.4g I really enjoy his Alexandrian tets... nice size for being so late, and typically nice style: Aurelian, Ruled 270-275 AD AE Tetradrachm, Egypt, Alexandria Struck 274/275 AD Obverse: A K Λ ΔOM AVPHΛIANOC CEB, laureate and cuirassed bust right. Reverse: Eagle standing left, head right, holding wreath in beak, ЄTOVC – S to right and left, RY 6. References: Emmett 3923, Köln 3096 Size: 21.8mm, 8.3g Aurelian, Ruled 270-275 AD AE Tetradrachm, Alexandria, Egypt Struck Year 4, 272/273 AD Obverse: A K Λ ΔOM AVPHΛIANOC CEB, Laureate, cuirassed bust right. Reverse: Eagle standing left, head left, wreath in beak, Δ / L (RY 4 = 272/273 AD) in left field, star in right field. References: (Savio) 5470-1; Milne 4381-2; Emmett 3922.4 Size: 21mm, 7.73g Ex: The Bing Collection (February, 2019) Aurelian, Ruled 270-275 AD AE Tetradrachm, Egypt, Alexandria Struck 272/273 AD Obverse: A K Λ ΔOM AVPHΛIANOC CЄB, laureate and cuirassed bust right, slight drapery on shoulder. Reverse: Eagle standing right, holding wreath in beak; star to upper left, date LΔ in right field (year 4=272/273 AD). References: Emmett 3928, Dattari 5481, Köln 3074 Ex: Naville Numismatics, Auction 49, Lot #203 (5-12-2019) A very fun area to collect!
I found mine metal detecting on a beach in Massachusetts about 25 years ago, and although extremely curious about it I've never really looked into it all that much. Here's 2 pics with better lighting....not bad shape considering. Thanks for the input guys.
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
Coincidentally, I just bought another Aurelian yr. 5 tetradrachm (20 mm, 8.53 gr.), that I really like because of the good condition of the obverse, and the uncommon reverse. Yes, the type has only a 1 (= common) in Emmett (nr. 3961), but I had never seen it before, and now I can compare it to examples on Acsearch and Coinarchives. There are apparently two types, one with 'of the year', ETOVC, spelled out in full. Mine has the 'L' as a common Alexandrian designation for 'year', and I like the empty space on the coin surrounding the L / E. Apparently, the year 5 (273/274) was very special for Aurelian, I wonder why. And thanks for alerting me to his distinctive nostril.
