I really wanted to see what was underneath the encrustations. 6 hours later I uncovered this. I’m thinking an Elagabalus or Young Caracalla provincial, but I just can’t read enough letters to know for sure. The reverse makes no sense and I can’t figure out what the motif is. I can read the letters AVTA(lambda)I(pi)TA but that didn’t help too much.
Good point, quite likely. Caracalla has some Nikopolis issues with grapes, but I can’t really make out the reverse legend
I soaked it in distilled water for a while, then attacked it with flat screwdrivers and tungsten pricks, then rinse and repeat over the course of a week...
Thank you! Looks very close, but mine appears to have an unbroken legend. Probably just a variety or something. In any case, that’s probably the uncleaned find of a lifetime!
The reverse legend is unbroken in the Ruzicka listing, though present on the CNG example. Just struck with a different die. What's the diameter and weight of yours?
Thank you for clarifying. I have to admit I don’t really know how to read the text refernences. This one is about 20mm, with 4.58g. A bit larger and heavier but part of the weight could be remaining encrustations, I suppose.