Is this odd? A mule of Nerva's reverse on a Trajan fourree denarius

So this fourree denarius of Trajan has been in my collection for a while. Apart from the copper core breaking through, it's in absolute mint state (and I always lamented it being a fourree).

However, I found something odd: I could not find the combination of the obverse and the reverse. So, either my searching skills are poor (which is probably the most likely case), or the AEQVITAS AVGVST reverse is a mule from Nerva.

First, the reverse: AEQVITAS AVGVST is, as far as I could find, only issued during the reign of Nerva: at http://numismatics.org/ocre/results?q=rev_legendCondensed_text:AEQVITASAVGVST, there are three aureii and four denari, so seven coins in total, all minted during the reign of Nerva.

The obverse is probably: IMP TRAIANO AVG GER DAC P M TR P COS VI P P (quite a mouthfull...).

So here's the coin:

Diameter 19mm; weight 2.43g.

 

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It's common for ancient fouree forgeries to have the reverse of one ruler muled to the obverse of another. This fouree of Orbiana, for example, is a mule between an obverse of Orbiana and a reverse of her mother-in-law:



Genuine Orbiana:



Genuine Julia Mamaea:



I think this was deliberate on the part of the forgers because it allowed them to identify their handiwork and avoid taking it as the genuine article if encountered in circulation.

 

Mine is the other way round. Nerva with Trajan reverse. Third photo captures the actual colour of the coin.






Ruler: Nerva
Coin: Silver Fouree Denarius Anct Fake
IMP NERVA CAES AVG P M TR PII COS III PP - Nerva laureatte right
PONT MAX????? COS II - Pax standing left with branch and cornucopia
Wt./Size/Axis: 2.57g / 19mm / -
Notes: Jan 14, 15 - Obverse used in RIC 25 and others, reverse used for Trajan. Obverse has COS III and reverse is COS II

Great fun to speculate on these ancient fakes and the shennanigans that used to go on in the mints.

 

I'll pile on with another fourree mule .


Roman Republic fourree mule denarius
L. Antestius Gragulus, 136 BCE, and C. Renius, 138 BCE
ancient forgery, 3.18 gm
Obv: Roma helmeted head right, * below chin, GRAG behind
Rev: Juno Caprotina in a biga of goats, C・RENI below, ROMA in exergue
Ref: Obverse S.115, Cr.238/1, Syd.451, RSC Antestia 9; Reverse S.108, Cr.231/1, Syd.432, RSc Renia 1

I agree, so I wrote a short fictional story about how my coin may have come to be .

 

Fun to speculate on Fourrees


RR fourée mule anon Q Fabius Labeo denarius 18mm 2.9g after 124 BC Roma X Jupiter Quadriga tbolt scepter Cr 159 obv Cr 273-1 rev

 

Some forgers evidently mixed up dies quite often. This plated denarius combines an obverse of C. Egnatius Cn. F. Cn. N. Maxsumus and a reverse of L. Papius . Phil Davis had a coin from the same reverse die in his collection combined with an obverse of Thorius Balbus, which can be seen as NE4 here.

 

Thanks all! I definitely learned something new (and, finally, a unique coin in my collection ). @TIF I enjoyed your story!