The double-antoniniani/aureliani of Tacitus is a denomination made of billon with twice the silver content than the usual post-reform antoniniani/aureliani, marked with either XI for Antioch (or IA for Tripolis) meaning 10 units copper to 1 unit silver instead of the usual XXI (or KA) meaning 20 units copper to 1 unit silver. These coins are quite rare and interesting. One example is this: TACITUS AE22mm 3.85g Double Antoniniani/Aureliani (VF, desert patina) AV: IMP C M CL TACITVS AVG; radiate, cuirassed and draped with paludamentum bust r. REV: CLEMENTIA TEMP; Emperor in military dress stg. r., holding short eagle-tipped sceptre in l. hand, receiving a globe from Jupiter stg. l., holding long sceptre in l. hand. S in middle field. EXE: XI REF: BNC p.437, RIC V-1 211, RIC Online #4093 rare coin, 3 specimens recorded by S. Estiot 2 others known but not recorded, 3rd issue at Antioch mint January-June 276AD.
I've never come across one, but I haven't looked that hard. Yours is quite attractive, but is it possible there's another X in front of the first?
No, you can see by the position of the XI in the center of the exergue and also by the soft deposits that make the patina in front of the first X.
My two. Valentinian has sold a couple of these in the past on his sales pages. I really want an IA one but am not willing to pay extra. There are way too many dealers who would not know the difference.
Well, this is something else I wasn't really aware of...and that is a terrific coin without being scarce and rare. My sole example is a Bronze-silvered Antoninianus with the 'Restitutor Orbis' reverse, and of course, the XXI values....
I'll have to keep my eyes peeled for one of these. Until then, here is one of the common XXI's: TACITUS Antoninianus OBVERSE: IMP C M CL TACITVS AVG, radiate, draped and cuirassed bust right REVERSE: CLEMENTIA TEMP, Tacitus receiving globe from Jupiter, Z in lower centre, XXI in ex. Struck at Antioch, 275-6 AD 3.2g, 22mm RIC 210, Z
Ummm, Tacitus? ... => sure, okay ... Tacitus AE Tetradrachm Egypt, Alexandria Date: 275-276 AD Diameter: 20.9 mm Weight: 9.0 grams Obverse: Laureate, draped and cuirassed bust of Tacitus Reverse: Elpis holding flower and raising skirt Reference: Emmett 3975
That coin is in excellent condition, Seth. My XI from Antioch is one of those sold by Warren after its participation in his paper The Alloy of the 'XI' Coins of Tacitus. You can see a little square behind the bust where the surface was scraped to prepare it for the Rutherford backscattering analysis it was subjected to.
You have all showed marvelous coins. Although his reign was rather short, Tacitus minted many great coins. Zumbly, which entry is your coin from mr. Esty's study?
This is spec. 92.3 from mr. Esty's article, the only Tripolis minted coin from the selection that was studied. According to the results, the silver in the alloy was at 3.06% at core and 19.58% at surface. These Tripolis pieces with IA value mark appear to be even scarcer than the Antioch XI mark. And while we're at Tacitus, this apparently unique variation of officina mark for this Antoninianus - the retrograde Z - is in the process of being added to RIC Temp site. Coin is 4.05g and 22mm, from Israel.
I think that there are a few of us out there who keep our eyes open for these appearing under the radar with dealers. They do not appear that often.
