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<p>[QUOTE=&quot;Roman Collector, post: 3828936, member: 75937&quot;]Notice how there is a raised dot as well as a depressed pit in the middle of the obverse. The raised dot was a feature of the die and results from the point of the compass used to draw the circular border of the obverse design. As such, it is geometrically in the center of the design and, being a feature of the die itself, it would be present on all coins minted with this particular die. Typically, all traces of the compass dot would have been removed during the process of engraving the obverse portrait. However, on issues with conjugate busts, such as this one, the geometric center of the coin design remained unengraved, leaving the compass mark visible.</p><p><br /></p><p>In contrast to the raised compass dot, there is an impressed pit, often called a “centration dimple” in the numismatic literature, which was a feature of the flan and not the die. This almost certainly resulted from lathe-turning of the flan to prepare it for striking. The best explanation about this technique of flan preparation can be found <a href="http://www.classicalcoins.com/flans1.html" target="_blank" class="externalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="http://www.classicalcoins.com/flans1.html" rel="nofollow">here</a> at Classical Coins’ website.</p><p><br /></p><p>Prior to lathe-turning, the flans themselves were cast of molten bronze. Jere M. Wickens, in his essay, &quot;<a href="http://www2.lawrence.edu/dept/art/BUERGER/ESSAYS/PRODUCTION.HTML" target="_blank" class="externalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="http://www2.lawrence.edu/dept/art/BUERGER/ESSAYS/PRODUCTION.HTML" rel="nofollow">The Production of Ancient Coins</a>,&quot; written for <a href="http://www2.lawrence.edu/dept/art/BUERGER/INTRO/CONTENTS.HTML" target="_blank" class="externalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="http://www2.lawrence.edu/dept/art/BUERGER/INTRO/CONTENTS.HTML" rel="nofollow"><i>Bearers of Meaning: The Otillia Buerger Collection of Ancient and Byzantine Coins at Lawrence University</i></a>, notes that flans &quot;were cast en chapelet, that is, using open or closed moulds in which a number of mould hollows were connected by channels.&quot; This resulted in a “runner” or sprue between the cast flans, which would be removed before striking. Sometimes, the process of breaking off the sprue removed a chunk from the flan’s edge, leaving what is known as a “flan chip.” Evidence of casting sprue removal can be best seen at the 3:00 and 10:00 positions on the coin’s reverse.</p><p><br /></p><p>Lastly, it shows evidence of a die-shift during striking, resulting in a ghost-like doubling of the obverse portraits.</p><p><br /></p><p><img src="https://www.cointalk.com/attachments/gordian-and-tranquillina-tomis-nemesis-jpg.644083/" class="bbCodeImage wysiwygImage" alt="" unselectable="on" /></p><p>Gordian III, with Tranquillina. A.D. 238-244.</p><p>Roman provincial AE 4.5 assaria; 28.92 mm, 15.89 g, 7:00</p><p>Moesia Inferior, Tomis, A.D. 241-244; Magistrate Pontianus</p><p>Obv: AVT K M ANTΩNIOC ΓΟΡΔΙΑΝΟC // [C]ABINIA (TP)AN / KVΛΛINA, confronted laureate, draped and cuirassed bust of Gordian right and diademed, draped bust of Tranquillina left</p><p>Rev: MHTPO ΠONTOV TOMEΩC, Nemesis standing facing, head left, holding arshin (rod) and sling, wheel at feet; Δ - &lt; (denomination) in fields</p><p>Refs: AMNG I 3537; Varbanov 5701; Moushmov 2279; Cf. SNG Cop 305.</p><p><br /></p><p><b>Next: Tomis</b>[/QUOTE]</p><p><br /></p>

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