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<p>[QUOTE=&quot;Mikey Zee, post: 2888744, member: 72818&quot;]The reasons coins &#039;jump off the screen&#039; for any of us are as varied as the interests that drive our collecting habits. Since I have a fondness for large coins with multiple portraits, this Billon Tet encouraged a closer look. Generally listed as struck from a &#039;unknown Syrian mint&#039;, this Provincial coin appears to be of &#039;fine artistry&#039; with life-like/expressive portraits of the Emperors Nero and the Deified Claudius. And you&#039;ll note that the &#039;retrograde&#039; legends----read right to left--- are written in <b>Latin not Greek</b>!! I noticed that this variety is often listed as struck in &quot;Seleucis and Pieria or Antioch (?)&quot;. Others include that question mark and suggest mints further north and south, a vast geographical area stretching from the Levant (Decapolis) to modern day Turkey. This is best summarized by the following:</p><p><br /></p><p>&quot;The mint location for this large series of tetradrachms with Latin legends has long puzzled numismatists, with speculation ranging from Caesarea in Cappadocia to Tyre in Phoenicia. The style and fabric conform to the major Syrian mint of Antioch, but Latin legends are usually found only on bronzes struck in the city. Prieur tentatively assigns the issue to a &#039;second mint&#039; of Antioch.&quot;</p><p><br /></p><p>Regrettably, the coin is struck a bit off-center and missing a large segment of the legend. Regardless, I love the overall toned appearance, the artistry of the dual portraits and the unsolved mystery<img src="styles/default/xenforo/clear.png" class="mceSmilieSprite mceSmilie8" alt=":D" unselectable="on" unselectable="on" />.</p><p><br /></p><p>SYRIA. Seleucis and Pieria. Antioch? Nero, with Divus Claudius (54-68). Tetradrachm. Obv: NERO CLAVD DIVI CLAVDI CAESAR AVG GER. Laureate head of Nero right star to left. Rev: DIVOS CLAVD AVG GERMANIC PATER AVG. Laureate head of Divus Claudius right. McAlee 270 Prieur 48. Condition: Good very fine. Weight: 14.13 g. Diameter: 26 mm.</p><p><br /></p><p>[ATTACH=full]693751[/ATTACH][/QUOTE]</p><p><br /></p>

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