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<p>[QUOTE=&quot;dougsmit, post: 2953270, member: 19463&quot;]My first new coin of 2018 is something I always found interesting but turns out to be even more especially considering its less than perfect condition.&nbsp; I like coins with more than one portrait.&nbsp; This has three.&nbsp; I like coins with agonistic urns.&nbsp; This has three.&nbsp; I like coins that make me ask <span style="color: #ff0000">questions</span> and this may make it hard to stop with just three.</p><p><br /></p><p>The coin is AE25 from Nicomedia in Bithynia showing Valerian I (left) and Gallienus (right) facing each other and a smaller Valerian II facing right between them.&nbsp; The type is listed in BMC vol.13, page 192 as # 70 but is not illustrated.&nbsp;&nbsp; BMC provides a complete obverse&nbsp; legend as ΑΥΤ ΟΥΑΛΕΡΙΑΝΟC ΓΑΛΛΗΝΟC ΟΥΑΛΕΡΙΑΝΟC of which my coin shows&nbsp; ΑΛΕΡΙΑΝΟC ΓΑΛΛΗΝΟC Ο but I question if there is enough space for all those other letters.&nbsp; <span style="color: #ff0000">I wonder if the BM specimen actually has all the letters to confirm the reading.</span>&nbsp; Sear mentions that several Provincial mints shortened the name Gallienus to Gallenus as this one does.&nbsp; (<span style="color: #ff0000">Why had I not noticed this before?</span> I need to pay more attention.)&nbsp; Under Gallienus is a raised region with some small points around the edge and a voided circle in the center.&nbsp; <span style="color: #ff0000">What is this?</span>&nbsp; Flaw? Countermark? </p><p>[ATTACH=full]721796[/ATTACH] </p><p><br /></p><p>The reverse shows three agonistic urns as awarded a prizes in contests (often athletic).&nbsp; <span style="color: #ff0000"> Is there a code to the number of palms in the urns? What games produced these victories? </span><span style="color: #000000">The city name is off flan at the top.&nbsp; I am confident that this is ΝΙΚΟΜHΔΕΩΝ because the other city, Nicaea, using the three urns type did not use a legend matching the one below.&nbsp; ΤΡΙC ΝΕΩΚΟΡΩΝ refers to the city having the honor of three neocorate temples.&nbsp; Many cities had one temple, two was special, three was the largest number I&#039;ve seen.&nbsp; </span><span style="color: #ff0000">Correct?&nbsp; </span><span style="color: #000000">I feel I should be able to find a better explanation of the matter than this short piece:</span></p><p><span style="color: #000000"><a href="https://en.wikisource.org/wiki/1911_Encyclop%C3%A6dia_Britannica/Neocorate" target="_blank" class="externalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="https://en.wikisource.org/wiki/1911_Encyclop%C3%A6dia_Britannica/Neocorate" rel="nofollow">https://en.wikisource.org/wiki/1911_Encyclopædia_Britannica/Neocorate</a></span></p><p><span style="color: #ff0000">Where is it?</span></p><p><span style="color: #ff0000"><br /></span></p><p><span style="color: #000000">This obverse here is used more frequently from Nicomedia with a reverse showing three temples. </span></p><p><span style="color: #000000"><a href="https://www.cngcoins.com/Coin.aspx?CoinID=231393" target="_blank" class="externalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="https://www.cngcoins.com/Coin.aspx?CoinID=231393" rel="nofollow">https://www.cngcoins.com/Coin.aspx?CoinID=231393</a></span></p><p><span style="color: #000000">&nbsp;The three urns are more frequently seen from the neighboring city Nicaea using an obverse with the three in one straight row.&nbsp; </span></p><p><a href="https://www.cngcoins.com/Coin.aspx?CoinID=184293" target="_blank" class="externalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="https://www.cngcoins.com/Coin.aspx?CoinID=184293" rel="nofollow">https://www.cngcoins.com/Coin.aspx?CoinID=184293</a></p><p><span style="color: #000000">I see enough similarity in the styles of the coins from both cities to believe both used the same mint.&nbsp; </span><span style="color: #ff0000">Where were these coins actually made?</span></p><p><span style="color: #ff0000"><br /></span></p><p><span style="color: #ff0000">Who has triple portrait or neocourate coins to share? </span><span style="color: #000000"> </span></p><p><span style="color: #000000"><br /></span></p><p><span style="color: #000000">I had a lot of questions and good coins should raise questions.</span><span style="color: #ff0000">&nbsp; Who will answer them for me?</span>[/QUOTE]</p><p><br /></p>

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