Alongside the usual COS II issue (allocated to Emesa) is a set of dies that doesn't quite fit. These have a whold mix of legend errors such as CA for CAE, PER for PERT, AG for AVG etc. Their style is more akin to those of the IMP II series rather than the COS II series but current research does not help directly with their allocation. Among them is one with the obverse legend "IMP CA L SE SEV PER AVG COS II". Up until recently I only had one example with this die. Curtis Clay wrote a thread encompassing this die on another forum listing the following reverse dies known with it. BONA SPES, Spes standing holding flower and lifting skirt BONI EVNTVS (second E in EVENTVS left out), Fides standing left holding basket of fruit and corn ears IMP V IRIB (sic, should be TRIB) POT IIII / CS II, Captive seated under trophy of arms LIBER AVG, Liberalitas standing left MINER VICTRIS (error for VICTRIC), Minerva standing left holding spear and shield VICTOR AVG, Victory advancing left VICI (sic) AVG, Victory advancing left I have had an example of the Spes type for a few years:- I believe that Doug owns the known examples of MINER VICTRIS (ex Barry Murphy collection) and the VICI AVG coins. I have just added a new reverse type to the above list with a new acquisition. MONET AVG, Moneta standing left, holding scales in right hand, cornucopiae in left I am attemtping to study these odd dies in detail but their scarcity makes it quite difficult. Martin
Very nice, Martin! You've been on a roll with these lately. I wish you the best in your study. Here's my only Sept. Sev. Emesa mint denarius, but alas it is a different obverse die and is none of the reverses you mentionned: 194 - 195 A.D., Emesa Mint 3.20g, 18.0mm, 11H Obverse: IMP CAE L SEP SEV PERT AVG COS II, Head of Septimius Severus, laureate, right Reverse: VIRTVTE AVG, Virtus, helmeted, draped, standing left, holding spear in right hand and parazonium in left hand Reference: RIC IV Septimius Severus 431
A most interesting coin! It's almost fitting, considering your study of the series, the type is Moneta.
Good memory. When I first heard Barry's collection was on the market, I bought six coins. I wish I had not been so cheap. The VICI was one of eight Severans I bought one day at a show from Pete Burbules. He never before or after had that many 'special' Severans but I have no idea where he got them.
Thanks all. My studies on these took a set back last year when through a computer failure (and a lack of backups) I lost the information I had been gathering for about two years. I have sarted the slow process of rebuilding it. These are the other obverse dies that I think form part of this sub-series (I won't inflict all the different reverses that I have for each) :- IMP CA L SEP SEV PER AVG COS II IMP CA L SEP SEV PER AVG COS II IMP CA L SE SEV PER AVG COS II IM-P CA L SEP SE-V PER AVG COS II IMP CA L SEP SE_V PER AVG COS II IMP CA L SE SEV PEVR (sic) AVG COS I-I IMP CA L SEP S-EV PER AVG COS - II IMP CA L SE SEV PER AG COS II Martin
Hi @maridvnvm, I have a die duplicate of your FORT REDVC coin with the obverse legend variant IMP CA L SE SEV PER AG COS II This is how I've attributed it: Septimius Severus. AR denarius, Emesa 194–5 CE; 17mm, 3.37g, 6h. cf. BMCRE p. 107, * (obv. legend), RIC 388 var (same)., cf. RSC 159 (same). Obv: IMP CA L SE – SEV PER AG COS II [sic]; head laureate r. Rx: FORT R–EDVC; Fortuna standing l., holding cornucopia and long scepter. Are these the only two of this reverse type known with this obverse legend variant?
