A Caracalla Tetradrachm - Youthful Portrait

Here's an earlier tetradrachm of Caracalla, from Antioch. Unlike the coin that I posted yesterday, this example is almost at the opposite end of the spectrum: the engraving is much more refined, the metal quality much better and the legends are virtually complete. The portrait is so refined, it almost has a sculptural, expressive quality, in the tradition of many of the Greek drachms and tetradrachms of centuries before.

This coin was acquired in November 2019.

Caracalla (198-217 CE)
AR Tetradrachm (circa 208-211 CE)
Seleucis and Pieria, Antioch
AVT KAI ANTΩNЄINO-C, laureate head right / ΔHMAPX ЄΞ VΠATO Γ, eagle standing facing on leg and thigh of animal, head right, with wings spread, holding wreath in beak.
Prieur 206; McAlee 670.
Good EF with a nice portrait
Very scarce

12.1 grams, 25 mm, 11 h.

 

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robinjojo, That Tet is a beauty ! I've posted the Tet pictured below last year but it makes a good comparison to your coin. Caracalla is sporting a little less beard in this protrait .

 

Love both of them! I only last week got my first tetradrachm. However it was of his cousin/illegitimate child? Elagabalus

 

I like that portrait. Has not developed the full scowl of his later years.

 

..that's a dandy....i have one of him from Markianopolis..

 

Great portrait and coin @robinjojo
And @Al Kowsky's example is to die for as usual....

An Antioch portrait (more "western/Roma" style) and a Laodicaea portrait (pore "eastern" style)


Prieur # 214A


Prieur # 1176

Q

 

@cucumber that 2nd one looks off. Caracalla doesn't look too bright.

 

Eyeball on his cheek

 

Reminds me of Sloth from the Goonies

 

From the 1939 movie Hunchback of Notre Dame

 

Q, Your Tet from Antioch has a stunning portrait ! The portrait of Caracalla from the Laodiceia ad Mare Tet is certainly hideous . I sold one just as ugly as yours about 6 years ago for $345.00 , see photo below. Your coin would fetch more at auction because it's in better condition & has no porosity .



The ugliest portrait I have ever seen on a Caracalla Tet is from Gaza, Judaea, pictured below ! Never the less, it sold at a Heritage auction for $33,460.00 !

 

I've never seen a tetradrachm from Gaza for Caracalla before. As the hammer price indicates, it must be incredibly rare. I must say that it has its own appeal, in its crude way.

Who's on the reverse?

 

Great coins! I like portraits of Caracalla, that really show what is written about him.

Angry:
'About-to-pillage-Alexandria-'-angry:


'I-will-let-my-horse-crush-this-enemy'-angry:

 

robinjojo, Prieur does list 12 different types of Caracalla Tets from Gaza, & all are rare. All the Roman Tets from Judaea are rare except some of the issues from Caesarea Maritima, & they bring high prices at auction. Heritage didn't identify the figure on the reverse of the Gaza Tet, but suggest "the young Caracalla", & this seems reasonable. Why they would put a mature & young head on the same coin is anyone's guess . There are a number of mints that issued rare Tets of Caracalla's bust on the back of an eagle like the one I sold in 2018, pictured below. This coin was struck in Tyre, Phoenicia.

 

Nice youngster, @robinjojo !

I only have a couple coins from Caracalla... his fae says it all

CARACALLA


RI Caracalla 198-217 AR Denarius MONETA

And, I am a Quinarius fan, so here is one for @kevin McGonigal


RI Caracalla 198-217 AR Quinarius CE 213 1.3g 13.6mm Laureate - Victory Wreath Palm RIC IV 101 RSC 450 RARE
Ex: @Brian Bucklan

 

I didn't know he issued the quinarius.