Some coins get no respect. The previous owner of these four listed them as "Irregular denarii" from an "Irregular" mint. I agree with one. Some people can not accept a coin with 'alternative' spellings or reverse selections as 'official' but we are not dealing with the Rome mint here. Theys are from the Syrian mints usually called Emesa and Laodicea but I would not be surprised to see those names modified before too long if anyone ever publishes an update to RIC IV or BMCRE V. First is the one that really is 'Irregular'. The spelling is not bad but the style is simply wrong. There are several styles from 'Emesa' but this is not one. The coin is as good silver as the regular coins but just a bit on the wild side. The obverse legend shows CEV in place of SEV which is not unknown from Emesa and understandable from a mint full of Greek speakers. They got two of the S's right but the third caused a slip up. Second is a normal Emesa style denarius but the reverse is VENER VICT. The Rome mint never would issue a girly reverse for an Emperor but Emesa did not hold to separation of the sexes on coin types. There are many coins of Julia Domna with boy reverses. This is equal time. The other two are Laodicea variations with Fortuna Reduci. Martin has shown several of these as I recall and I have two other versions with the same spelling swapping the E and D making REDVC RDEVC. The first shows Fortuna standing holding two cornucopiae and has the IMPI---I split on the obverse. The second shows the same RDEVC but with Fortuna as Pietas sacrificing and a more normal IMPII. For the record, these are my old coins. First is Fortuna as Hilaritas with long palm. ...and two Fortuna seated with different obverse arrangements. his is not a full set of these spelling 'errors'. Isn' it odd the same mistake keeps recurring?
Your first coin, the irregular one is so cool. A COS -II imitative! Wow. Your Venus seems to be the same obverse die but a different reverse die to mine. The dual cornucopia piece is very nice. These seems to be more common than many dealers appreciate and thus they demand a very high premium for them. I have several even though there were none in RD. IMP I-I - RDEVC IMP II - REDVC They also occur on IMP VIII (I have 3) by which time they have corrected the legend I am envious of your IMP II Pietas. I only have an IMP VIII The Hilaritas is similar to one of my favourites RDVC How about FORTVN REDVCV This RDEVC broke in its 2x2 this also comes in the puzzling FORT R AVG They also come in IMP VIII REDVC FORTA REDVC is puzzling Martin
Man ... this stuff never gets old, eh? (these two dudes are amazing!!) => Martin & Mentor!! ... it's fun to watch, eh? (keep that 'stuff' up!!)
See, Steve, I told you Martin had more. When he writes a book, buy it! If he does, I hope he will use a couple photos I have that he lacks. I have many barbarous silver Septimius but all but a few copy Rome mint coins. I consider most cool the ones that are solid (not plated) and have a legend variation not used on officials that suggests the cutter knew what the words meant and was not just copying letters.
Any opinions on this one? Portrait style looks like Laodicea, but the reverse legend reads SCVRIIAS P[E]RPCTVS rather than the correct SECVRITAS PERPETVA. It's really fascinating (to me). Early Laodicea? Irregular Eastern Denarius by benhur767 posted Oct 24, 2017 at 3:52 PM
