Hello, I bought this Caracalla denarius from local collector based on the feeling that I had not seen such reverses on his denarii. Obv. ANTONINVS PIVS AVG Rev. PM TRP XIIII COS III PP Weight 2.9 gr. I couldn't find a denarius like this on acsearch.info neither on wildwinds.com. If anyone can tell me more about this denarius, what is his RIC number. I know that this reverse is common for Alexander Severus and Septimius denarii. Post anything you think is relevant. Thanks.
The reverse depicts Annona, standing left, holding corn ears in right hand over modius and cornucopia in left. It's not listed in RIC for TR XIIII. Furthermore, according to RIC, by the time of his 14th tribunician (A.D. 211) he had already been awarded the title Britannicus, and all the obverse inscriptions on his denarii ended in BRIT. Possibly an ancient imitation?
My example from the following year: Rome mint, A.D. 212 Obv: ANTONINVS PIVS AVG BRIT Rev: P M TR P XV COS III P P - Hercules, standing left, holding branch and club with lion skin RIC 192 19mm, 3.8g.
I think that it is a double die match to examples in the Forvm fakes database https://www.forumancientcoins.com/fakes/displayimage.php?pos=-11541 https://www.forumancientcoins.com/fakes/displayimage.php?pos=-7356
Here is my coin from the same year (with Pax on the reverse instead - I do not see a listing in RIC for your reverse with this legend) Imperial Rome Caracalla, r. 198-217 A.D. (211 A.D.) Rome Mint, AR Denarius, 20.28mm x 2.8 grams Obv.: ANTONINVS PIVS AVG BRIT. Laureate bust, right Rev.: P M TR P XIIII COS III P P. Pax, draped, advancing left, holding branch in right hand and sceptre in left hand Ref.: SRCV 6824, RIC IV-1 Caracalla 184, p. 238. Note: My First Ancient Coin That Caracalla is sporting a beard on mine, but he looks youthful on yours, is troubling...
Thanks maridvnvm. My example doesn't look like a modern cast fake to me, there are a lot of cracks all around the edge. But I don't comfortable that it has die match in the fake database.
They have been cast from something and the coin itself doesn't really make sense so I suspect that it is a modern fake.
Something about that obverse seems very off to me. I'm terrible at using the search function on fakes database so I have nothing to back it up. That is just my gut feeling.
Whether or not this coin is cast does not really provide any comfort since many fakes have been made struck from fake dies that were either original engravings or transferred from other coins (sometimes genuine and sometimes from other fakes). I suppose it is always possible that dies could have been mismatched by the official mint or by a counterfeiter in the time of Caracalla but the best guess here seems (to me) to be a modern fake from mechanically reproduced dies. I wish I knew more about the process of making copy dies from coins using modern technology and, especially, using methods that could have been done in Roman times. The number of such coins that combine incorrect obverse and reverse types make me wonder if the process destroys the opposite side of the coin making it easier to mismatch types. A match would then require having two of the same coin to make a set. Did the maker of this coin want to make a rare and more valuable unlisted coin or was the intent just to make a denarius and not pay much attention to details?
I normally don't reply on the fake/genuine topics. However, this coin looks pressed to me. There is a clear rim, both on the obv. and rev., and the field looks rather smooth. That being said, the flow lines in the legend are rather convincing of a worn die.
Of course, but tomorow morning, I can't take a nice picture of the edge with my phone, it's easier in daylight.
The portrait is too young for the TRP number. As others have shown, he was bearded by TRP XIIII. Here is another example of what Caracalla looked like at TRP XIIII. So, something is wrong with the OP coin. Mismatched obverses and reverses are common on ancient fakes. However, it may simply be a modern fake. Looking at the metal (and only in an image, not the coin itself in good light), I'd guess it is a modern fake.
Thanks for the comments, so that I don't always doubt the coin, I exchanged the coin for this Pius denarius today. Obv: ANTONINVS AVG PIVS P P TR P XXIII. Laureate head right. Rev: FELIC SAEC COS IIII. Felicitas standing left, leaning upon column to right and holding caduceus. RIC 298. Weight: 3.2 g.
