Caracalla denarius- sharp portrait on a strange oblong-shaped flan

I recently added this rather unique-looking denarius of Caracalla. It was struck from a seemingly brand new obverse die and has a nice clear portrait, but it is on a strange-looking oblong-shaped flan. Something about this one really caught my eye, so I was very happy to win it, and even happier when I got it in hand.

Here's the seller's photo and then mine (I've been working on my coin photography so any comments/suggestions would be appreciated).


Caracalla, AR Denarius, circa 213-217 A.D., Rome, (22mm.,3.02g.) Laureate head of Caracalla to right/ Rev. VENVS VICTRIX, Venus standing left, holding Victory and spear and leaning on shield set on helmet. RIC 311b.

I'm not sure what it is that struck me about this one, but there's just something about having a sharp, high-relief portrait from a fresh die on a hot mess of a flan. The coin somehow manages to be both beautiful and ugly at the same time.

I assume that this result just comes from the flan preparation (whoever at the mint was responsible for this one would have loved working in the Gallienus era). But for those of you with more expertise about the technical aspects of the preparation and striking, is it possible that something about the way this was struck could have had an effect on its shape? Or was this just poor quality control at the mint?

Here's another photo of the coin in hand, which I think really highlights the shape.


Please share your coins with irregular or oddly-shaped flans, your favorite Caracalla or Venus, or anything else relevant.

 

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Beautiful Caracalla obverse portrait, in an unusual large flan.

 

That's a great-looking Caracalla, Shea19. The portrait is outstanding.

The oblong flan puts me in mind of this Severus Alexander that I bought 30+ years ago:



Severus Alexander Denarius
(222-223 A.D.)
Antioch or Eastern Mint
IMP C M AVR S[EV AL]EXAND AVG, laureate, draped bust right / PIETAS AVG Pietas standing left, holding right hand over altar, incense box in left arm.
RIC IV 292; BMCRE 1057.
(2.75 grams / 19 x 16 mm)

 

Hilarious flan! And fantastic portrait!
I don't have thug Caracalla buuuut I think we could tell early on that this one was bad to the bone

 

Oblong flans are not unusual in the third century. I've wondered if they were made by rolling metal through some sort of roller. Here are some oblong ones of Trebonianus Gallus in my collection:

 

Very cool, @Shea19 !

Mine was so oblong, it took two boxes wide to entomb it!



AR OCTAVIAN


RImp Marc Antony & Octavian AR Quinarius 1.58g Military Mint Gaul 39BCE Concordia r Hands clasped caduceus Cr-529-4b Sear 1575 Syd-1195

 

I don't remember you sharing that beauty! Good artistry for the tiny area to work and beautifuuul toning of a VERY significant moment in history with a disastrous outcome for the Roman people, IMHO.
Here's my Ebay cheap lot dumpster dive find of the type Though, visually challenged, she deserves a better pic...
My flan is also less silly

 

Another 3rd Century oblong flan, this one for Otacilia Severa:

 

I have one with oblong flan. Elagabalus, and Salus on reverse.

 

That flan is awful! It belong here:
https://www.cointalk.com/threads/the-worst-flans-of-the-ancient-world.364492/

 

Thank you. I have it locked up at the bank. I plan to pull my collection, rephoto, attribute them all, etc sometime soon. Working on other life variables at this time.

 

Oh! I was saying that mine needs a reshoot... but I'll happily enjoy other pictures of your mighty Quin.

 

Years ago I owned this guy Claudius II Antoninianus Liberalitus reverse. What I thought the flan was a bit oblong I though the legend kind of followed the shape of the flan especially on the reverse.

 

Nice portrait of Caracalla.
Another Venus reverse:

 

I like the oval flan. I doubt the coin seemed as odd in its day as it does today to people used to the use of collars that insure round coins.
Maximinus II, Rome mint

 

Some oval from different periods

 

Dude, some day we are going to have to meet up and share each other's collection. I also want to see more of @Bing 's cool collection, too. It was a lot of fun going through a couple of his albums, and wish it were easier times for many other of us to meet and see collections in person.

 

I think those Romans were way ahead of us making all those oblong coins. They must had a large National Parks system, and everyone put their coins in to commemorate their visits to the Barbarian National Parks along the borders. Similar to what we do today...





This one is not TOO oblong, but it must have fallen out of the machine before it was done...


RR Servilius 136 BCE Roma Dioscuri galloping Sear 116 Craw 239-1

 

Shea19, That is a very attractive denarius on a freak flan . I bought the coin pictured below at a bargain price because of the strange flan. I was amazed anyone would get this coin slabbed , but oddly the slab shows off the weird protrusion of the flan remarkably well . With all the weird flans posted on this thread it looks like the quality control inspectors must have been taking long breaks .

 

A rather grumpy-looking Caracalla on an antoninianus