I've come to a point where I have not been able to attribute one of my own. What I know: - Obv Legend: AVT K M AVP ANTΩNEINOC (pretty common) - Reverse depicts Nike advancing left with wreath. What I think: - I think we're looking at an older, bearded Geta. The bust seems too light hearted to be the scowling, bitter man, that was Caracalla. - Due to style, I'm leaning toward a Serdica or Nikopolis mint. Larger than normal image size; in the event anyone needs the resolution to zoom in. 17.61g 30.2mm *I randomly came across this in my collection and have no recollection of purchasing it. haha -Michael
Thanks; so reverse legend is probably OVΛΠIAC ΠAVTAΛIAC? I can see the "IAC" in "OVΛΠIAC." Still looking for a similar example.
Yes, OVΛΠIAC ΠAVTAΛIAC, meaning "of Ulpia Pautalia". It suggests that the city was founded by Trajan, a members of the important Roman gens Ulpia. Or by Hadrian, whose grandmother was a member of that gens, at the same time honoring his adoptive father Trajan. A row of important Ulpians may be seen in the Wikipedia article, the last being the rare usurpator Ulpius Cornelius Laelianus.
That is specifically Ruzicka p. 150, 579-581; Moushmov 4244. I have photographed the listing in Ruzicka for you. It notes three different reverse dies, distinguished by the breaks in the inscription. He notes two obverse dies, one with a beard (580) and one without a beard (579 and 581). Your obverse is 580; your reverse is 581. It reads 581 (29 mm; 14.97 g). AVT K M AVP | ANTΩNEINOC, laureate head (beardless), r. OVΛΠIAC | Π | A | VTAΛIAC, Nike advancing left, with outspread wings, holding wreath with ribbons in the raised right hand and shouldering a palm branch with the left arm. It cites one example in the Berlin museum and 2 in the Sofia museum and notes it is Moushmov p. 239, no. 4244.
I have found that eating crow every so often is not such a bad thing -- I do it quite often -- it helps build character and improves one's disposition!
