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<p>[QUOTE=&quot;Ocatarinetabellatchitchix, post: 3440550, member: 99554&quot;]I love those overstruck coins. Have a few very worn specimen in my modest collection. Lately I was doing some research about&nbsp; <b>Regalianus</b> the usurper and his wife <b>Dryantilla</b>. Didn’t know that the number of coins discovered, is at the moment, 133 of which 61 depicting the “emperor” and 72 for the “ empress”. In my opinion, one of the funniest part in coin’s collecting is to attribuate them, digging deep to find the history behind our precious acquisitions. But it is a bigger challenge to find what is hidden under an overstrike example. I read a very interesting paper by C.Gazdac and W.Melchart and would like to share with CT members the <b>Detective Work </b>done to try to identify what was beneath the 3 next coins. Hope you enjoy.</p><p><br /></p><p>&nbsp; 1)[ATTACH=full]913423[/ATTACH]</p><p><br /></p><p>This is an Antoninianus of Regalianus from Carnuntum dated from 260 AD. </p><p>IMP CPE REGALIANVS AVG</p><p>LIB[er]ALITAS AVGG</p><p>We all agree with the poor quality design on both sides of this example. What’s fascinating is that the reverse shows that this type was struck on a former denarius. We can still notice the visible letters NIN at 9 o’clock. We can also see what was the top of a laureate head. The position of the previous legend allow the identification of the original issuer as being Elagabalus period 218-222: IMP ANTONINVS(PIVS) AVG.</p><p>Maybe like this one :</p><p>[ATTACH=full]913426[/ATTACH] </p><p><br /></p><p>&nbsp;&nbsp; 2) Antoninianus of Dryantilla from Carnuntum.</p><p>&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; [su]LP DRYAN[ti]LLA AVG</p><p>&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; AE[qui]TA[s aug]</p><p>Again a very crude style. The reverse reveals that this coin was actually struck on a former denarious of Septimius Severus. Why? Because we can still distinguish Septimius laureate head an a part of the first legend : [severu]S-PIV[s aug]. On the Dryantilla’s obverse—the Septimius Severus previous reverse, 3 letters are visible :TVN. It may suggest two types of reverse that would fit with SEVERVS PIVS AVG obverse legend ;</p><p>FORTVNA REDUX or FORTUNAE REDVCI like this example below.</p><p><br /></p><p>[ATTACH=full]913428[/ATTACH] </p><p><br /></p><p>[ATTACH=full]913429[/ATTACH] </p><p><br /></p><p>&nbsp;&nbsp; 3) Another antoninianus of Dryantilla. This one is a real challenge. No letters referring&nbsp; </p><p>&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; to the lady is visible and on the reverse side, no letters referring to this coin’s type </p><p>&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; can be read. But we can identify Juno standing left, holding paters and scepter. This </p><p>&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; type is a Junoni Reginae.</p><p><br /></p><p>[ATTACH=full]913434[/ATTACH] </p><p><br /></p><p>But we have enough clues left to solve the mystery. This coin was struck on a denarius of Severus Alexander. Look at the obverse where a part of the legend is still readable :</p><p>[im]P ALEXANDER PIVS AVG. We can also see the upper part of the laureate head of the emperor to right. Now from the former reverse are still visible these letters : P M TR P...S</p><p>III P P. From the reverse image minted for Severus denarius, we can easily notice the legs of Sol, standing left with left hand holding globe. That’s true that the tribunician power is not visible at all, but with the 3rd Consulship and the legend on the obverse, this denarius was minted between 231 AD and 232 AD. Here is a specimen from AC Search :</p><p><br /></p><p>[ATTACH=full]913439[/ATTACH] </p><p>&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; So congratulation for the nice Detective’s work accomplished by the authors of this paper. And if you feel like it, show us your <b>Overstrike coins !</b>[/QUOTE]</p><p><br /></p>

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