Neither of these coins are high-grade beauties but they are significant rarities . The 1st coin pictured of Philip II as Caesar, is the 1st issue of the young prince and listed as #1006 in Richard McAlee's book The Coins of Roman Antioch. The 2nd coin is one of the few examples of Philip II as Augustus that identifies the 3rd officina. Antioch - Syria, Philip II as Caesar, AD 244-249 (struck AD 244). Billon Tetradrachm: 10.7 gm, 26.8 mm, 7 h. Obverse: Bare-headed bust of Philip II, facing right, seen from the front. Reverse: Eagle standing on palm branch, head left, wings spread, wreath in beak. McAlee 1006, V. Rare. The unusual letter spacing on the reverse, with the gap between the P and X is not listed by McAlee, but is pictured by Michel Prieur, #331. Only 3 examples cited by Prieur. Antioch - Syria, Philip II as Augustus, AD 247-249 (struck AD 249), Officina 3. Billon Tetradrachm: 12.3 gm, 26.85 mm, 6 h. Obverse: Laureate bust facing right, seen from behind, 3 dots under bust. Reverse: Eagle standing left,head left, wreath in beak. McAlee 1064 (c), V. Rare. Prieur cites 5 examples.
It's always nice to find a rarity that others overlook. I'm happy you were to recognize these rarities for what they are, @Al Kowsky . I'm struck by the similarity in the portrait style and lettering between the officina 3 example (bottom) and this one of Philip II from Zeugma in my collection. It's enough to make one wonder if Zeugma contracted the work to be done in Antioch: Philip II, AD 244-249 (or 247-249). Roman provincial Æ 28.0 mm, 14.93 g, 12 h. Syria: Commagene, Zeugma. Obv: AVTOK K M IOVΛI ΦIΛIΠΠOC CЄB, laureate, draped and cuirassed bust, right. Rev: ZЄYΓMATЄΩN, tetrastyle temple, before which is a grove; colonnade on right and left; portico in front. Capricorn right in exergue. Refs: Sear 4142; BMC 40; Butcher 31c; SNC 60-62.
R.C., That's an interesting comparison ! The similarity is more than casual . You may be on to something with your idea that the mint at Zeugma could have contracted Antioch to do the die work. Even the lettering looks like Antioch work. It's no secret that the Antioch mint was the most prolific Roman mint in the Levant. The Antioch mint even struck millions of antoniniani to supplement the output of the Rome mint .
Another Zeugma... COMMAGENE, Zeugma. Philip I the Arab. 247-249 AD. Æ31, 19.2g; 6h (a nice chunky coin, how about that?) Obv.: AYTOK K M IOYΛI ФIΛIΠΠOC CЄB; Laureate, draped, and cuirassed bust right. Rev.: ZЄYGM-ATЄΩN; Peribolos containing grove of trees, seen in perspective; tetrastyle temple in distance, draped figure within (Zeus?); in exergue, capricorn to right. Reference: Butcher 31c; BMC 35.
Indeed, Philip's coins of Zeugma were probably struck at Antioch. Butcher, Roman Syria, p. 464: "Like most of the other coinages of Roman Syria during this period, the issues for Philip at Zeugma were probably struck at Antioch. Zeugma shares obverse dies with Antioch, Samosata, Cyrrhus, Hierapolis, and Philippolis in Arabia."
