Caracalla AR Drachm

Caracalla Silver Drachm - Caesarea

Hi, I just bought this beautiful Silver Drachm of Caracalla, now I know what the obv titles say, and I know that it is Mount Argaeus on the reverse, but that is about it. I was hoping someone could translate the titles and writing in exergue on the reverse for me, and also possibly tell me any more info on this coin or the type.

I just totally fell in love with the beautiful portrait of the Emperor, it looks as if it could even be Elagabalus, but I don't know if he struck any single drachm coins.

This coin was sold as being from Caesarea Cappadocia, it is ex-CNG as you can see.

 

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What an interesting reverse!

 

Hi Rex, I did not know that they had drachms in the Roman Empire ? Interesting... Here is a Caracalla that I own.

 

Provincial coinage I think you would call it....they struck Drachmai as well as Didrachmai, Tetradrachmai and even Tridrachmai in some cases, usually for use in the region where they were struck, or possibly to pay troops stationed there.... Most of these coins were struck in Greek, and many portrayed Greek Gods and Goddesses on the reverse, along with symbols of the power of Rome... most people know of the Tetradrachmai of Antioch, but Caesarea, Cappadocia struck Drachms and Didrachms for several rulers, the Severans included..... they tended to have Mount Argaeus on the reverse.

Nice young portrait of Caracalla Ripley. IMPERII FELICITAS, I think is the reverse of yours 'The Happiness of the Emperor(s)' Pretty cool.

 

Thanks Rex, There is always more to learn in numismatics. Glad you like it.

 

Thats a pretty sweet addition. I have a similar AE of Severus Alexander, but no where near as cool as yours. Can't really say much about mine or yours though unfortunatly.


Severus Alexander AE26
Caesarea, Cappadocia 225 ad
AV K CEOV ALEXANPOC, laurate head right
MHTPOP KAICAP, Mt Argeus on a garlanded alter. surmounted by wreath, ETD in ex

 

Syd 476c

Cool one Randy, still nice details, looks like the letters/numbers in exergue on yours differ from those on mine.... can you tell if any of the ones in exergue on the reverse of mine are a regnal year? or can you translate any of the Greek titles on the reverse? it says Caesarea and some other stuff right... I can see part of the word for 'Caesar' in Greek? I know your Greek is better than mine....
I found one example of the type I have on wildwinds, apparently that little sliver to the left of the star, is a crescent in the field, very cool! I thought it was just a die break or cud. It is equally small on the example I found on wildwinds... they look similar, very similar.... in fact....
...
I think the one I just bought is the only example shown for Syd. 476c var on wildwinds! Wow. Take a look for yourself and let me know what you think. I will attach a photo of mine, and a photo of the one shown on wildwinds below, mine will be on top.
and wow again, according to info on wildwinds, it sold for $83. and change back then, that is more than I paid, assuming it is the same coin.

here is a link to the photo on wildwinds:
http://www.wildwinds.com/coins/ric/caracalla/Syd_476c.jpg
and here is the page that it is listed on, go down through the Emperors to 'Caracalla' and it is the 6th one down from the top = Syd 476c.
http://www.wildwinds.com/coins/greece/cappadocia/caesarea/i.html


It also says it is year 17, can you see that written anywhere on the reverse?

 

lol I have no clue, sorry; Greek is Greek to me

 

Hi Rex, I think the Greek means this in Latin - Ant Pius Aug. which was another name for Caracalla.

 

Rexesq,

That's an interesting drachm of Caracalla you have here. It would fit perfectly with the very rare drachm of his wife Plautilla that you can see below :


Plautilla, Provincial - Caesaraea drachm
Cappadocia, Caesaraea - Eusebia), AD 205.
ΦΟΥΛΟΥΙ ΠΛΑΥ ΑΥ, draped bust right
ΜΗΤΡΟ ΚΑΙCΑ, Agalma of Mt. Argaeus with star. In ex., CΤΙΓ : regnal year 13 of Sept. Severus, 205 AD
2.69 g, 19mm
Sydenham -; SNG Copenhagen -; Sear 2775v.
Sydenham-Malloy, p. 152, no. 496b
cf. Lanz auction # 117/956
thanks to Curtis Clay for additionnal information

Q

 

Ceasarea had some skillful die cutters. The coins, both silver and bronze, are usually dated with ET (etoyc+year) followed by the regnal year for the main ruler. Caracalla as a boy would be dated by the years for his father, Septimius so ET IZ would be year 17 or 209 AD. My similar drachm is ET E or year 5=198 and shows a much younger boy Caracalla. My coin is less cleaned compared to most you see and has the black color appropriate for a silver coin that age. Ancient silver that are not at least dark gray have been cleaned (perhaps a couple hundred years ago if they have a pretty gray tone).

Greek numerals were unlike the ones we use today in that they had a different letter code for 1 than they used of 10 or 100 and, therefore, needed no zeros to hold spaces. I was 10, K was 20, M was 40 and is commonly seen on the reverse of Byzantine 40 nummi coins. P is 100 so PIA and AIP were equally 111 while PA or AP would be 101 since order made no difference and a zero need not be represented.

My Septimius with the less usual Nike reverse is dated ER and there is dispute whether the R was supposed to be A or B (1 or 2). The ET quickly replaced the plain E as the abbreviation for 'year'. Want more on the topic:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Greek_numerals

 

Wow Doug, your similar drachm is amazing.... I LOVE the draped and cuirassed bust! Mine is just of his head, but I love the facial features of the young prince on my year 17 example. The other coins you post are beautiful as well. I like the Nike alot. I think I prefer it to the Mt. Argaeus reverse.
I have seen some of Hadrian and Nero listed as being from Caesarea with the Nike reverse and like it alot.... I am watching a couple more with Mt Argaeus on the reverse, one is of Sept Severus and mislabelled by the seller as a denarius, so maybe the heavy pocket collectors of rare Caesarea drachmai wont notice .... from the pic of the obv that is used in the description from the seller, it does look alot like an early denarius, So I would love to add that one to my collection if I can have it at a reasonable price.... I think both of them have a figure atop the mountain rather than a star. I'd love to get a didrachm of Julia Domna, or any of the other Severans..... or of Nero or Hadrian if he struck any. I like the heavier silver coins.... a Tridrachm would be super cool.

Question for doug: That thing that looks like an upside down heart, or a pair of buttcheeks in the center, halfway to the top of Mt Argaeus, closer to the top on some of ours.... is that a cave or what? it can be seen quite clearly on my example, as well as some of yours.... do you know?

I like how these particular Caracalla ones have a crescent moon in the field, even if it is vague and hard to see on the examples I have seen.... yours and mine are the only examples of that style of caracalla I have seen, even though they are a bit different, and from 10 years apart.... I love that yours has a draped and cuirassed bust, and he does look quite young and boyish, great bust.

I am also just amazed at the fact that the one I bought ends up being the only example shown for the type in the Caesarea section of coins on wildwinds, AND that the price it sold for on CNG however long ago, is actually MORE than I paid the other day..... how cool is that? I think I got a really good deal.

 

I suspect you got a really good deal. ...and I am a cheapskate. There are some coins that would be hard to replace at any price. You can't just call CNG and say, "Got another?" When that coin is of fine style and well preserved it will sell easily but only for what two bidders are willing to pay. My explanation for the price going down is that the first sale was made in the presence of a second bidder who wanted it while the later sale found no one present that was interested. Whether that means you got it for a great price or that the earlier buyer seriously overpaid, I do not know. Another possibility is that someone bought it from CNG and later sold it to a lesser dealer (perhaps his estate sold everything as a lot). That lesser dealer would not have the customer base to match CNG (they know who the rich guys are) so it became just another coin. I suggest you not sell it but keep an eye open for others. That will tell you whether you got the deal or the other guy got gypped. My opinion: I'd buy it for at least $84. ​

I have never seen anything written about the components that make up the mountain design.​

 

I like the sound of your first possibility. Well, I am glad to hear that you would pay a couple bucks more than I did.... that is a good sign for me.
And yes, I don't plan on selling it, it's going right in the middle of my collection, a keystone piece if you will.... the beautiful bust, great mountain.... all make it a beauty of a coin.... I only wish I could get a didrachm of the type, I like the heavier silver.... but am very happy with this one, and the price I paid.... I didnt even know much about Caesarea Drachmai when I bought it, I just knew I liked the look of the coin, it was from the Severan period and very appealing to my eye, so I figured what it was worth to me in beauty and history alone, and entered my 'Max Bid' from there.... I think my 'Max Bid' was actually around or over $100.... so I am quite pleased.
Thanks for the info and comments doug, I always respect your opinions on here. As for the mountain designs.... hard to tell, it does look like a cave a little more than halfway up on alot of examples....

 

Guess I should post my SS. Here he is...with "Winged Victory" *Nike" on the reverse.

 

Nice Septimius Severus coin Ripley Cool Victory carrying a trophy reverse, however that is a Denarius and not a Drachm, and I think it is from the Rome Mint, but I am not good with telling Sept Severus coin mints apart.

 

I see Rex. I should have read the heading more carefully.

 

Hey no worries mate, still a cool coin, and relevant. Is it from the Rome mint? Do you know? I know alot about the coins of Caracalla and Elagabalus, but not very much about the founder of the Severan Dynasty, Septimius Severus himself.

 

It is a Rome mint denarius with the reverse legend ARAB ADIAB.. naming the enemies the Arabs and Adiabenians over whom the Victory was celebrated. Compare to these from acsearch and you will note that the type is often on a small flan losing a lot of legend:
http://www.acsearch.info/search.html?search=similar%3A220337&view_mode=1#0

 

deleted duplicate, sorry