Featured Nikopolis ad Istrum

Legend errors on coins of Nikopolis occur more often than on imperial coins. Especially interesting it is when a legend error was corrected on the die itself. Here I have an example of a parallel issue for Macrinus and Diadumenian. Accidentally the die cutter has omitted the O of PROC. But he found a way without to destroy the die. He put the missing O beside the PRC!
(1) Nikopolis, Macrinus, HrHJ (2018) 8.23.36.7
(2) Nikopolis, Diadumenian, HrHJ (2018) 8.25.36.7

Best regards

 

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That is hilarious and wonderful! What a great pair.

 

Legend errors on coins of Nikopolis occur more often than on imperial coins. Especially interesting it is when a legend error was corrected on the die itself. Here I have an example of a parallel issue for Macrinus and Diadumenian. Accidentilly the die cutter has omitted the O of PROC. But he found a way without to destroy the die. He put the missing O beside the PRC!


(1) Nikopolis, Macrinus, HrHJ (2018) 8.23.36.7
(2) Nikopolis, Diadumenian, HrHJ (2018) 8.25.36.7

Best regards

 

Another correction of a legend error I found on a coin for Elagabal, HrHJ (2018) 8.26.47.2. The coin is in a bad state and I have posted only the rev.


You can read ROVFO NIKO.. But the N looks like a V with a small upstroke. I think it is a kind of ligate VN and should correct an omitted letter. I think the N was omitted.

Later I found another example of this kind of correction. It is Caracalla, HrHJ (2018) 8.18.8.5.


It is IANOV (from OVLPIANOV) where V again is ligate with the N of NIKOPOL. The I of NIKO is hidden in the die break. I think you can see that first the V has been cutted that then was corrected to a ligate VN.

What do you think?

 

Sharp eye, Jochen!!!

 

Tyche Euposia

Apollo Sauroktonos is a motive found exclusively on coins from Nikopolis ad Istrum. Another motive found predominantly in Nikopolis is Tyche Euposia. She is characterized by the small by Plutos seated on the cornucopiae in her left arm. Plutos is often very small and therefore overlooked, even by Pick. Tyche Euposia is known for Macrinus, Diadumenian and Elagabal. In Markianopolis she is found on coins of Commodus and Caracalla. Here I want to show Diadumenian, Hristova/Hoeft/Jekov (2018) 8.25.38.12. I hope you can see the little Plutos!


I think it would be a good advice to search for the little Plutos on the Tyche coins in your own collection!

Best regards
Jochen

 

Well, since there is some renewed interest in this thread, I went and looked at some of the other coins from Nikopolis that I have added to my collection since this thread was written.


Provincial, Nikopolis ad Istrum, Moesia Inferior, AE16, ΝΙΚΟΠΟΛΙΤΩΝ ΠΡΟC ICT
AE16
Roman Provincial
Nikopolis ad Istrum, Moesia Inferior
Septimius Severus
Augustus: 193 - 211AD
17.0 x 16.0mm 3.10gr
O: AV KAI CE CEVHPO; Laureate head, right.
R: ΝΙΚΟΠΟΛΙΤΩΝ ΠΡΟC ICT; Crescent moon with star.
Nikopolis ad Istrum Mint, Moesia Inferior
BMC 17; AMNG 1436v.

We'll work our way up to my largest coins here.



Provincial, Nikopolis ad Istrum, Moesia Inferior, AE16, NIKOΠΟΛΙΤ ΠΡΟC ICTPO
AE16
Roman Provincial: Nikopolis ad Istrum, Moesia Inferior
Septimius Severus
Augustus: 193 - 211AD
Issued:
16.0mm 2.56gr 2h
O: AV KAI CεΠ CενΗΡΟC; Laureate head, right.
R: NIKOΠΟΛΙΤ ΠΡΟC ICTPO; Grape cluster.
Moushmov 930; AMNG I 1430; Varbanov 2551 var. (obv. and rev. legends)



Provincial, Nikopolis ad Istrum, Moesia Inferior, AE17, NIKOΠΟΛΙΠΡΟC ICT
AE17
Roman Provincial
Nikopolis ad Istrum, Moesia Inferior
Septimius Severus
Augustus: 193 - 211AD
17.0mm 2.59gr
O: AV Λ C CEVHPOC; Laureate head, right.
R: NIKOΠΟΛΙΠΡΟC ICT; Tyche (Fortuna) standing left, wearing kalathos, holding rudder and cornucopia.
Nicopolis ad Istrum Mint, Moesia Inferior
Moushmov 999.

This next AE17 is pretty busted up, but surprisingly legible. For $1, I did not care too much how it looked.



Provincial, Nikopolis ad Istrum, Moesia Inferior, AE17, NIKOΠΟΛΙΤ ΠΡΟC ICTP
AE17
Roman Provincial: Nikopolis ad Istrum, Moesia Inferior
Septimius Severus
Augustus: 193 - 211AD
17.0mm 2.28gr 9h
O: AV Λ Cε CενΗΡΟC; Laureate head, right.
R: NIKOΠΟΛΙΤ ΠΡΟC ICTP; Coiled serpent.
Moushmov 949

This is a favorite of mine. Sharp lettering, black patina.



Provincial, Nikopolis ad Istrum, Moesia Inferior, AE18, ΝΙΚΟΠΟΛΙΤΩΝ ΠΡΟC ICTP
AE18
Roman Provincial
Nikopolis ad Istrum, Moesia Inferior
Septimius Severus
Augustus: 193 - 211AD
O: AV KAI CE CEVHROC; Laureate head, right.
R: ΝΙΚΟΠΟΛΙΤΩΝ ΠΡΟC ICTP; Apollo standing left, holding patera, laurel branch held low in left hand behind.
Hristova/Jekov 8.14.7.6; AMNG 1 1357.



Provincial, Nikopolis ad Istrum, Moesia Inferior, AE18, NIKOΠΟΛΙΤ ΠΡΟC ICTP
AE18
Roman Provincial: Nikopolis ad Istrum, Moesia Inferior
Septimius Severus
Augustus: 193 - 211AD
18.0mm 2.92gr 12h
O: AVK CενΗΡΟC; Laureate head, right.
R: NIKOΠΟΛΙΤ ΠΡΟC ICTP; Hygieia standing right, feeding serpent from patera.
gVF
Varbanov 2322



Provincial, Nikopolis ad Istrum, Moesia Inferior, AE19, NIKOΠΟΛΙ ΠΡΟC IC
AE19
Roman Provincial: Nikopolis ad Istrum, Moesia Inferior
Septimius Severus
Augustus: 193 - 211AD
Issued: ?
18.5mm 3.70gr 7h
O: Aν ΚΑΙ Cε CενΗΡΟC; Laureate head, right. Dotted border.
R: NIKOΠΟΛΙ ΠΡΟC IC; Athena standing left, right hand resting on shield, left hand holding spear. Dotted border.
Rare
Single specimen in Vienna hoard.
Varbanov 2249; Moushmov 910; AMNG I 1365.

This is a great pickup from Warren. My photography is bad. The obverse and reverse are the same color and attractive.


Provincial, Nikopolis ad Istrum, Moesia Inferior, AE19, NIKOΠΟΛΙΤΩΝ ΠΡΟC I
AE19
Roman Provincial Nikopolis ad Istrum, Moesia Inferior
Septimius Severus
Augustus: 193 - 211AD
Issued: 200AD
19.0 x 17.0mm 3.00gr 7h
O: AVK Λ CεVHPOC; Laureate bust, right.
R: NIKOΠΟΛΙΤΩΝ ΠΡΟC I; Eagle standing left, head right, wreath in beak.
AMNG I 1411 var.; Hristova & Jekov 8.14.1.30-34, closest to 31.
Rarity: R2
Ex. Glen Schinke, CICF, 3/31/1995

Here is a less common type. I was happy to get this coin because it was also the first time I had seen an example of the type.


Provincial, Nikopolis ad Istrum, Moesia Inferior, AE25, νΠ ΑνΡ ΓΑΛΛΟΥ
AE25
Roman Provincial: Nikopolis ad Istrum, Moesia Inferior
Septimius Severus
Augustus: 193 - 211AD
Consular Legate: Aurelius Gallus
Issued:
25.5 x 24.0mm 8.82gr 0h
O: Aν K Λ Cε [CενΗΡΟC Π]; Laureate head, right.
R: νΠ ΑνΡ ΓΑΛΛΟΥ ΝΙΚΟΠΟΛΙΤ; Eagle standing left on garlanded altar, head right, wreath in beak, standards surmounted by wreaths on either side.
Exergue: ΠΡΟCIC
Moushmov 981 var (rev. legend)

For sure, not my most attractive coin. But decent detail and I paid $10 for it. Overall, I'm pretty happy.


Provincial, Nikopolis ad Istrum, Moesia Inferior, AE26, ΓΑΛΛΟΥ ΝΙΚΟΠ
AE26
Roman Provincial
Moesia Inferior, Nikopolis ad Istrum
Magistrate: Aurelius Gallus
Septimius Severus
Augustus: 193 - 211AD
25.5 x 25.0mm 8.30gr 8h
O: [AνΤ ΚΑΙ Λ CεΠΤ] CενΗΡΟC Π [εΡ]; Laureate, draped bust, right.
R: [νΠ ΑνΡ] ΓΑΛΛΟΥ ΝΙΚΟΠ [ΟΛΙΤ]; Eagle standing left on thunderbolt, head right, wreath in beak.
Exergue: [ΠΡΟC] [IεTP]
Nikopolis ad Istrum Mint
Varbanov 2636, var. (eagle left on thunderbolt, head right, wreath in beak); Moushmov 980 var. (-); AMNG I 1330 var. (-).

Well, I have one more coin that I can't upload because I just received the error message about TOO MANY PICTURES! Lol

I'll just post this link to my Septimius Severus page. Provincials are listed first by town, province then diameter size if no denomination is known. Thanks for looking.

 

Dear nicholasz219!

Thank you for showing your Nikopolis coins. May I add some information?

(1) HrHJ (2018) short for Hristova/Hoeft/Jekov, Coinage of Nicopolis, 2018. Because the reference numbers sometimes had changed due to the vast amount of added new coins it is recommended to attach the year of edition to the reference. 2018 is the most recent edition.
(2) For the legends I use out of sheer laziness a kind of transcription

Coin #1 (Eagle) = Coin #11

Coin #2 (crescent with star):
Sorry, I can't see enough details.

Coin #3 (grapes):
obv. AV KAI C - CEVHROC
HrHJ (2018) 8.14.8.28

Coin #4 (Tyche):
HrHJ (2018) 8.14.38.25

Coin #5 (coiled snake):
obv. AV KAI CE - CEVHROC
HrHJ (2018) 8.14.22.14

Coin #6 (Apollo):
HrHJ (2018) 8.14.7.7

Coin #7 (Hygieia):
HrHJ (2018) 8.14.21.7

Coin #8 (Athena):
HrHJ (2018) 8.14.4.12

Coin #9 (Eagle on wreath):
Eagle with closed wings stg. l. on wreath(!), head with wreath in beak turned r.
HrHJ (2018) 8.14.1.50

Coin #10 (Eagle on altar):
obv. AV K L CE - CEVHROC P (HR ligate)
rev. VP AVR GALLOV NIKOPOLI - PROC IC
HrHJ (2018) 8.14.47.7

Coin #11 (Eagle):
obv. AV K L CE - CEVHROC P (HR ligate)
rev. VP AVR GALLOV NIKOPO / PROC IC
HrHJ (2018) 8.14.1.33

Best regards
Jochen

 

Thanks @Jochen! I’ll have to update my notes when I get home. This is very helpful. I just need to buy your book and be done with it honestly.

 

Some extremely rare coins of Nikopolis

Commodus, AD 177-192
struck 184/185 (Curtis Clay)
AE 29, 15.01g, 29.46mm, 210°
struck under hegemon Claudius Attalus
obv. AVT KAI M AV[R] - KOMODOC
bust, cuirassed, laureate, r.
rev. HGE KL ATTALOV N - IKOPOL / PROC I
Zeus, wearing himation, std. l., holding sceptre in l. hand and patera in r.
hand; l. before him the eagle
ref. a) not in AMNG
b) Varbanov (engl.) 4302 corr. (this coin!, listed in error under Nikopolis ad Nestum and as AE23)
c) not in RPC online
d) Hristova/Hoeft/Jekov (2018) No. 8.10.1.1 (this coin!)
extremely rare (only 2 specimens known, Curtis Clay has the other one), VF, not published in major works


Claudius Attalus is known from coins of Pautalia. He is mentioned by Cassius Dio. He was killed by Elagabal because he was fallen in disgrace with Elagabal's favourite Comazon, prefect of the Praetorian Guard.

 

Septimius Severus, AD 193--211
AE 16, 3.26g, 15.64mm, 180°
obv. AV KAI CEP - CEVHROC
Bust, draped and cuirassed, laureate, r.
rev. NIKOPOLIT - PROC ICT
Cock advancing r., stepping on snake which is erecting in front of him
ref. a) AMNG I/1, 1416, pl. XX, 7 (1 ex., Bukarest)
b) not in Varbanov
c) Hristova/Hoeft/Jekov (2018) No. 8.14.10.36 (this coin)
extremely rare (R9), EF, dark green patina

Pick writes: "An unusual type!" The rev is known from a coin of Caracalla HrHJ (2018) No. 8.18.10.23, extremely rare too (R9). The meaning of the reverse is unknown. Please mention, that it is not an eagle fighting the snake but a cock! This motive is known only from one other type of Apollonia Pontika.

 

Septimius Severus, AD 193-211
AE 27, 10.37g
struck under governor Ovinius Tertullus
obv. AV.K.L.CEP. - CEVHROC.P
Bust, draped and cuirassed, seen from behind, laureate, r.
rev. VPA.OOV.TERT - VLLOV.NIKOP. / PROC ICT
Tetrastyle temple on simple base, dot in pediment, acroterias on corners; in central intercolumnare statue of Dionysos stg. l. with kantharos and thyrsos, panther at his feet
ref. a) not in AMNG
b) not in Varbanov (engl.)
c) Hristova/Hoeft/Jekov (2018) No. 8.14.46.5 (same dies)
extremely rare (R9), VF, dark green patina
There is a similar type of Tertullus for Caracalla, but with statue of Zeus within.

 

Oh wow, I love it! (and want it ).

 

Caracalla, AD 198-217
AE 28, 12.47g, 27.69mm, 210°
struck under governor Flavius Ulpianus
obv. AV.K.M.AVR. - ANTWNINOC
Bust, draped and cuirassed with scale armour, seen from rear, laureate, r.
rev. V FL OVLPIAN - NIKOPOLIT / PROC IC
Portal with 2 projecting side wings; thereupon a similar structured building whose central part has 3 gate openings and a pediment with shield and spear; the side wings seem to be open halls with 4 pillars each and pitched roof; through the open gate of the lower building the front of a tetrastyle temple is visible.
ref. a) AMNG I/1, 1585, pl. III, 20 (for Severus)
b) Varbanov (engl.) 3145
c) Hristova/Hoeft/Jekov (2018) No. 8.18.46.8 (plate coin)
extremely rare (R9), F/about VF, green somewhat patchy patina
Pedigree:
ex Gorny&Mosch (attributed to Severus in error. So I got this coin amazingly cheap!)


Pick: Nature and purpose of this building found on coins of Severus and Caracalla I don't know. It is hardly identical with the building on coins of Macrinus (pl. III, 21)

 

The rarest coin of Nikopolis ad Istrum!

Macrinus, AD 217-218
AE 28, 11.12g, 27.87mm, 195°
struck under governor Marcus Claudius Agrippa
obv. AVT K OPPEL C - EVH MA[KRINOC]
Bust, draped and cuirassed, seen from behind, laureate, r.
rev. VP AGRIP[PA NIKOP]OLITWN PROC I / CTRW
Nude youth (mountain-god Haimos), slight drapery over r. shoulder and knees, wearing boots, std. r.(!) on rocks, looking back, l. hand on head, r. arm with spear resting on tree behind
in r. field AIMOC
ref. a) AMNG I/1, 1700, pl. III, 24 (1 ex., Bassarabescu)
b) not in Varbanov (engl.):
cf.#3390: different obv. legend, spear not mentioned, pic of rev. from Moushmov
c) Hristova/Hoeft/Jekov (2018) No. 8.23.43.4 (plate coin)
unique (R10), F+, actually the coin is not so green, but so some details are clearer, e.g. the spear
pedigree:
ex dianacoins, Ebay, 2009
ex coll. Steve Cady, Tantalus Coins, #34158, 2012


This is the only coin where Haimos is sitting r. One of the rarest types of Nikopolis at all. This type was listed and depicted in AMNG I/1. Nicolae Bassarabescu, a Romanian collector, was in AD 1890 the director of the journal "Poporul" in Bukaresti. But the coin vanished in the course of time. It is now the first time that this type appears in the public after more than 100 years. Enjoy!

My Nikopolis Gallery https://www.forumancientcoins.com/gallery/thumbnails.php?album=3006&page=1

 

The most spectacular coin of Nikopolis

Septimius Severus, AD 193-211
AE 28, 12.83g, 27.58mm, 225°
struck under governor Ovinius Tertullus
obv. AV.K.L.C. - CEVHROC P
laureate head r.
rev. VPA OOVIN TERTVLLOV NIKOPOLIT PROC I
Youthful unbearded Herakles, nude, stg. facing, head r., resting with r. hand
on his club, holding in l. hand his bow and lion's skin over l. arm
ref. a) not in AMNG:
obv. AMNG I/1, 1275
rev. AMNG I/1, 1276 var. (has NIKOPOLI)
b) not in Varbanov (engl.)
c) Hristova/Hoeft/Jekov (2018) No. 8.14.14.2 (plate coin)
rare, EF+, superb green patina (the photo reproduces the colour accurately!)



Here Herakles seems to be prepared for starting his labors. One of my most beautiful Provincial coins!

 

Wow... that one is a beauty!

 

An unusual Apollo Sauroktonos for Commodus

Commodus, AD 177-192
AE 22, 6.83g, 22.15mm, 105°
obv.: [M ANTW]NEIN - OC KOMOD[OC]
Bust, cuirassed, laureate, r.
rev.: NEIK[OPOLI - PR]OC ICTR
Apollo Sauroktonos, nude, with crossed legs stg. r., resting with l. hand on tree stump, on which lizard is creeping upwards, and holding in r. hand twig; l. behind him bow and quiver
ref. a) not in AMNG
b) not in Varbanov (engl.)
c) not in Hristova-Hoeft-Jekov (2013).
rev. not listed
obv. e.g. No. 8.10.1.9 (same die)
d) cf. Gorny&Mosch, Auktion 212, Lot 2321 corr.
extremely rare, F-F+, partially corroded, nice lizard, despite its corrosion a nice example for the art of die cutting in Nikopolis in the time of Commodus!



The Gorny&Mosch coin I have found on acsearch.com:
AE 22(?), 8.48g
obv.: [M] ANTWNEIN - OC KOMOD[OC]
rev.: NEIKOPOLI - [PROC IC]TR



Sadly the rev. of this coin has been heavily tooled: The TR of ICTR was altered to N! The figure was tooled and then misinterpreted as female figure/Artemis in short chiton. The lizard has not been recognized. Instead of that they have written "before her small tree(?)". But I'm happy to have found this coin, because now I was able to complete the rev. legend.

Best regards

 

That lizard tail makes this one very special to me. Usually we get side views that follow the tree. All are great coins!

 

Thanks Doug (from whom I have learned so much!

Jochen