Unlisted Severus Alexander and Julia Mamaea Provincial?

Unless this is some other emperor than Severus Alexander (and who would it be?), I think this is undescribed in the numismatic literature. Some of the legend is off the flan, which I have reconstructed from similar coins from Marcianopolis under Severus Alexander. The reconstructed legend is in brackets.

Moesia Inferior, Marcianopolis
AE Pentassarion
10.1 g; 25.7 mm
Obv: ΑVΓ ΚΜ Α[VΡ CΕVΗ ΑΛΕΞΑΝΔΡΟC ΚΑΙ] ΙΟVΛΙΑ ΜΑΜΑΙΑ, confronted busts.
Rev: ΗΓ Ȣ [ΤΕΡΕΒΕΝΤΙΝΟV ΜΑΡ]ΚΙΑΝΟΠΟΛΙΤ-ΩΝ, Dikaiosyne standing l., holding scales and cornucopiae, E (5) in field, r.

Not listed in: AMNG, Moushmov, BMC Greek, Sear Greek Imp, SNG Cop, SNG von Aulock

Does anyone have an attribution or reference for this coin?

 

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Looks like AMNG 1057 var?

 

The Marcianopolis SevAlex-Mamaea/Dikaiosyne bronzes in CNG's archives cite Varbanov. I didn't look through all of them to see if there is an exact match but assume you did. I think JA has Varbanov, so maybe he can check for you.

I don't know which magistrate issued your coin.

Edited to add: An example in CNG's archives describes the reverse figure as Nemesis rather than Dikaiosyne.

 

I don't have access to Varbanov, unfortunately.

 

Thanks, but that's a listing for Maesa, and this is clearly Mamaea.

 

It's not Nemesis. On these issues, Nemesis has a staff, not a cornucopiae, and there is a wheel at her feet. It's Dikaiosyne/Aequitas, I'm almost positive.

 

Since I don't know the difference between Nemesis and Dikaiosyne/Aequitas, I'd guess you're right

Although... there is a coin in CNG's archives showing a very similar figure (scales and cornucopia, although with a wheel at her feet) and they call her Nemesis. They could be wrong though. http://www.cngcoins.com/Coin.aspx?CoinID=287840

 

There is no Severus Alexander/Julia Mamaea issue with Dikaiosyne/Aequitas under any magistrate listed in AMNG.

Tip of the hat to Pishpash who led me to the reverse type on the Maesa issue, though:

This reverse type IS, however, listed as a Severus Alexander/Julia Maesa issue by AMNG, both #2055 or 2056 (the difference is on the obverse legend of the Maesa coin, which doesn't apply to my Mamaea coin).

Might this be a mule of a reverse issued for Maesa on an obverse issued for Mamaea???

Here's the listing in AMNG for Severus Alexander with MAESA

 

I like these provincial issues. I do not have one of Sev Alex., but I like this one of GIII:

GORDIAN III
AE26
OBVERSE: ΑΥΤ Κ Μ ΑΝΤ ΓΟΡ∆ΙΑΝΟC ΑΥΓ ΤΡΑΝΚΥΛ/ΛΙΝΑ, confronted busts of Gordian III and Tranquillina
REVERSE: ΟΥΛΠΙΑΝΩΝ ΓΧΙΑΛΕ/ΩΝ, Tyche or Homonoia standing left wearing modius, patera in right, cornucopia in left
Struck at Hadrianopoli, 238-244 AD
12.44g, 26mm
AMNG II 675

 

Actually, it can't be a mule of the reverse type with Maesa because the reverse inscription in AMNG 1055 and 1056 is clearly different from my coin, from a different magistrate. My coin's inscription clearly has a tied omicron-upsilon (looks like one of those Jesus fishes but with the nose pointing down) and apparently a tied eta-gamma, too.





Note the tied omega-nu at the end of the inscription, too.

This would match an inscription used by Um. Terevintinus:

 

What was the hole on the reverse for?

 

Bellybutton

 

The dimple on the flans of these coins is called a "centration dimple" and how they get there is a matter of some controversy. Some feel that they result from some sort of rotary grinder to smooth the flan prior to striking the coins. There are concentric ridges on many of these coins, indicating something was rotating on the flan--or that the flan was rotating on something. Some feel that the flans were turned on a lathe or similar apparatus. Some feel that the dimples are marks made from tongs used to remove the flan from the furnace prior to striking.

One of the members of this forum, Doug Smith, has an article about these:

http://www.forumancientcoins.com/dougsmith/pit.html

 

It is a dimple. Something to do with a lathe I believe.

 

Ummm yah, I kinda have one (it has a few hits, bumps and a bit o' wear => but it's still pretty fricken cool, yes?)

Cilicia Ninica-Claudiopolis AE37 (w c/m)
222-235 AD
Severus Alexander with Julia Maesa (Victory c/s)



... at least it's one of the Julias, right?

 

While it would do no good for the coin in question due to the letters it is missing, sometimes we have help in ID from the magistrate names on the reverse left as listed on this convenient web site. When you have legends, coins are easier to ID but the list is particularly helpful separating Caracalla and Elagabalus with the same names on coins.
http://akropoliscoins.com/page8.html

 

That's a great resource! Thanks for posting.

 

Hirstova and Jelov's 2006 book "Marcianopolis" has this reverse design, including the scale and cornucopia, as 6.33.354.2 (four pieces illustrated) but with magistrate Ivlius Festus and a very similar design, lacking the cornucopia, for your magistrate, expanded there to Umbrius Terebentinus (225-229) 6.33.35.7 (1 piece illustrated). I did not find it with the former design and latter legend. So, I don't think it is listed in that book.

 

Thanks for this info!