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Large Æ for Caracalla from Apollonia, Illyria with 1893 von Schlosser reference...any more recent info out there?


Marsyas Mike

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I recently got a large Roman Provincial Æ from Apollonia, Illyria issued for Caracalla, Hermes on the reverse.  The AΠOΛΛωNIATAN legend establishes location.  It is a big coin, sestertius size, 21.71 grams, 30 mm.  Here it is:

 6268773_ApolloniaIllyria-CaracallaHermesJan2023(0cc).jpg.6b9bda2f292b262c6873ddebfd2d0789.jpg

This is one of the prettiest Provincials in my mostly ugly collection - the portrait of a young Caracalla is very well done, and the flan preparation is so good I suspect it was modified for jewelry - it looks like it was struck in a collar.  It is possible it is a modern fake.  There is no edge seam, but it is very round for an ancient. 

There are other Severan AEs from Apollonia, including this one with a Hermes reverse for Septimius Severus: https://www.acsearch.info/search.html?id=975674.  Wildwinds has a big Geta, different god, but the portrait is in a similar fine style.  But in general, not a lot of coins were issued in Apollonia during the Imperial era.  Here it is:  

My problem is that I cannot find another example anywhere, except in a book from 1893.  Provincials from Apollonia were apparently issued rather infrequently (see Wildwinds).  RPC online does not include Caracalla yet, so that was no help to me.  I enjoy it when forum members use very old references (see recent 18th C. reference Faustina posts by @Roman Collector).  In this case, an old reference is the only clue I have about this coin.  The book is on Google, fully scanned:  Julius von Schlosser, Beschreibung der Altgreichischen Münzen I: Thessalien, Illyrien, Dalmatien und die Inseln des Adriatischen Meeres, Epeiros. (Vienna, 1893). 

https://books.google.com/books?id=9jfDOSHqnzYC&pg=PA38&lpg=PA38&dq=ΑΠΟΛΛΩΝ+IATAN+caracalla&source=bl&ots=tKQhIWHhqg&sig=ACfU…#v=onepage&q=ΑΠΟΛΛΩΝ IATAN caracalla&f=false

As I don't read German, or understand old coin references, I put together these notes:

Julius von Schlosser book - title page and the full page on which I think mine is described:

367294369_ApolloniaIllyria-CaracallaHermesstanding-GermanBooktitle.jpe.81930bc3d748a8f6c03cf89e66d1df46.jpe 

Close-up of my my coin (Nummer 138 - I left in Nummer 137 for the obverse legend), with a column header on top:

1670315990_ApolloniaIllyria-CaracallaHermesstanding-GermanBookcolumns.jpe.fc3b340da083e9706f11469af8d84229.jpe

Description, Apollonia, Caracalla/Hermes (page 38, nummer 138; Englished via Google Translate):

1st column: Nummer (number):  138

2nd column: Metall u. Grösse (metal and size): K30

3rd column:  Gewicht (weight) blank

Description obverse:  AKMAYPH  ANTωNEINOC Dgl. Legende verwischt ("legend blurred"), Berlobeerte Büste des jugendlichen Caracalla, n. r. ("bust of the youthful Caracalla with berries, n. r.").

Description reverse:  AΠOΛΛωN IATAN, Hermes, nackt, mit Beutel, Korykain u. Chlamys, n. l. stehend. ("Hermes, naked, with pouch, Korykain and Chlamys, l. standing.")

I am not sure I am interpreting this - for one thing, there is no weight, and I am not entirely sure what size "K30" means - I hope it means 30mm.  Tafel III plates do not have this coin shown, unfortunately.  The legend does not quite match, but von Schlosser notes Legende verwischt ("legend blurred"), so that doesn't worry me too much:

von Schlosser's legend:  AKMAYPH  ANTωNEINOC

My coin's legend (mostly there, but hard to see in places):  AKMAYP(no H)  ANTωNE(INOC?)

I was wondering if anybody out there has seen another example of this coin, or if my von Schlosser interpretation holds water.  I'd love to fine a more recently-described example.  Also, any opinions about authenticity welcome too - if it's a fake, I'd rather know than not.  As always, any help greatly appreciated.  Feel free to share Apollonia provincials - I'd like to see others.  

 

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Great coin. Appears to be authentic. Under Caracalla large provincial bronzes seem to be common - perhaps because of the relatively limited production of sestertii during his reign. I have several. However production by individual cities is still limited. Many rare types out there with only a handful of examples, but quite pleasing types with more interesting reverse motifs than standard Imperial issues.

Nice find.

 

 

 

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10 hours ago, Roman Collector said:

Well, I've looked in Mionnet Suppl. III, BMC 7, Wiczay, Lindgren II and III, and Sear GIC, and it's not in any of these.

Thank you @Roman Collector for ransacking these sources for me - I do appreciate it.  

Thank you too @shanxiand @Ancient Coin Hunterfor providing your insights.  I feel much more secure about this coin now.  

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I don't think it's a fake. Provincials were often somewhat rounder than their imperial counterparts. Not sure why, though. Many provincials also have that eponymous centration dimple, presumed to assist in making a more round flan. 

I have a couple provincials (smaller than yours) of Commodus which are amazingly round. Gotta fish out some pictures next week. 

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Back in the long ago days when we had only printed references, I would often be able to attribute provincials by finding the same reverse on the coins of different family members, rather than the exact combination of obverse and reverse. You might be able to find a Geta with the exact same reverse die.

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3 hours ago, Edessa said:

Back in the long ago days when we had only printed references, I would often be able to attribute provincials by finding the same reverse on the coins of different family members, rather than the exact combination of obverse and reverse. You might be able to find a Geta with the exact same reverse die.

That's a good idea @Edessa - I did some digging and found the same reverse on a Septimius Severus from Apollonia.  These seem to be the same coin, not a reverse die-match to mine, but still reassuring to see Hermes did make an appearance elsewhere in Apollonia:

866403574_ApolloniaIllyria-Sept.SeverusHermesstanding-auct1pic.jpg.75b06ebcf1b94a96b5b16eae30a837d6.jpg

https://www.acsearch.info/search.html?id=136032

652879121_ApolloniaIllyria-Sept.SeverusHermesstanding-auct2pict.jpg.9c1975c1e7f13327c40096e891386883.jpg

https://www.acsearch.info/search.html?id=975674

 

 

 

 

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