Hi all! I just thought I'd share an interesting addition to my collection - this antoninianus of Gallienus from Rome mint This coin has two errors. Firstly, the obverse is slightly double struck, and, more interestingly, the reverse has (also) been double struck, but giving the effect of two Laetitia heads, and the legend TIA AVG TIA AVG. The reverse looks the same when viewing it upside down As aptly described by the seller, the reverse is like a playing card I would assume what happened is the coin was struck, then the reverse die was turned around, and the coin struck again, giving the obverse a regular double strike and the reverse an upside down strike. Of course, this is probably wrong. I know lots of you are much more familiar with how ancient coin striking works, so if you know how this coin were struck, please share! This is a coin that I've had in my eBay watch list for a while now, but finally decided to buy it yesterday Please show me some ancient errors!
I love it! A playing card is exactly the first thing that came to mind when I saw the coin... then I scrolled down . The dies are in remarkably good condition, the flan generous in size, the fabric excellent, and the strike (double strike notwithstanding) excellent. What a coin!!
I have this one Aurelian A.D. 270- 275 IMP C AVRELIANVS AVG; radiate & cuirassed bust left. SOLI INVICTO•; Sol stg. left, right hand raised, left holding globe, at foot captive; ✶ in left field. In ex. KA RIC Vi Tripolis 390
Wow, I really love these error examples! Very dramatic. I always find it a bit challenging to imagine why just some parts of the die tend to be transferred/obliterated on the second strike... I don't have any of this particular type, but whenever I have an appropriate coin for it, I love to the opportunity to create a "triptych" image for it (or in Victor's case, it might need a "quadriptych" / "tetraptych"). Especially useful for clashed die errors for the same reason it would be for the types above. Mine is long ago sold but I saved the photo (this clashed reverse die is well-known, I've seen at least one that Doug Smith has posted too and others -- I wonder if anyone has even been able to determine which specific obv. die clashed it): I also use triptychs for coins like the Istros types with "two obverses" (or a Celtic imitation of Odessos with a hidden second face): Or just when showing the edge of a coin:
That's a great doublestrike oddity - the playing card effect on the bust and duplicated legends is excellent! Congrats. Here's my favorite - 180 obverse restrike on a brockage with two different obverse dies. More on this coin here: 46-bc-180-obverse-double-strike In the restrike oddity category - here's another that I bid on and didn't win (not my coin).
I still have my pair from this die as reported on my 1997 page. An what I consider a better pair also on that page showing the same die before and after the clash. Last and least is my solo clash from this type. Somewhere out there, I assume, is its twin. It is different from the others in that the incuse head on the reverse has its top the same orientation as the normal design on the reverse. I have no idea how many dies were used for these common coins and how many of them were clashed for all or part of their life. I have three and always enjoy seeing others from other dies. There are too many of these to make an easy die study - at least for me.
Way cool @Harry G ! Really great coin! I want one of those! Roman Republic AR Denarius ERROR BROCKAGE Q Fabius Labeo 124 BCE - ROMA X LABEO - Incuse and reverse of obverse Cr 273-1 Syd 532 Sear 148
Very cool coin @Harry G Here is an Claudius II with a similar situation going on, more apparent on the obverse than the reverse: Claudius II Æ Antoninianus (268-270 A.D.) Rome Mint IMP C CLAVDIVS [AVG], radiate head right / A[NNON]A AVG, Annona standing left, foot on prow, holding corn ears and cornucopiae. Δ in right field. Note: doublestruck RIC 18 radiate head (4.01 grams / 22 x 18 mm) eBay Feb. 2020 Lot @ $0.83 Radiate crown spikes everywhere! He looks more like a sea urchin than a Roman emperor : By Didier Descouens - Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=8379499
This item is an AE Antoninianus of Gallienus, who ruled 253-268 A.D. The obverse shows his radiate bust right, with the legend "IMP GALLIENUS AUG". The reverse depicts an antelope walking left, with the legend "DIANAE CONS(AUG)". The coin is attributed as Sear-2953 type
