Topcat7 Posted August 15, 2023 · Member Share Posted August 15, 2023 (edited) I have this (worn) bronze coin AE19mm., 3.36gm. that I believe to be a Septimus Severus / Altar, but I cannot find a reference to this coin. Can anyone assist me please? Edited August 15, 2023 by Topcat7 6 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dougsmit Posted August 15, 2023 · Member Share Posted August 15, 2023 Septimius is my best guess, too. The reverse should be easy with that large B ant lower right but I am missing it. 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Severus Alexander Posted August 16, 2023 · Supporter Share Posted August 16, 2023 I think it might be a cista rather than an altar. Sometimes they're depicted nearly closed, along the lines of this: https://www.acsearch.info/search.html?id=1048271 Any evidence of a serpent? 9 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hotwheelsearl Posted August 16, 2023 · Member Share Posted August 16, 2023 58 minutes ago, dougsmit said: Septimius is my best guess, too. The reverse should be easy with that large B ant lower right but I am missing it. I feel like that large B might be a denomination mark vice part of the legend. I wonder if that would make it any easier to ID. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hotwheelsearl Posted August 16, 2023 · Member Share Posted August 16, 2023 5 minutes ago, Severus Alexander said: I think it might be a cista rather than an altar. Sometimes they're depicted nearly closed, along the lines of this: https://www.acsearch.info/search.html?id=1048271 Any evidence of a serpent? I don’t see a serpent on the pics, but it certainly matches a Cista not an altar. Altar would tend to be flat on the top, have an object on top, or have flames. I don’t see any here, so I’ll go with a cista mystica 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CPK Posted August 16, 2023 · Supporter Share Posted August 16, 2023 Cista is what I thought of too, but usually those are depicted as open or half-open. Interesting puzzle! 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Benefactor DonnaML Posted August 16, 2023 · Benefactor Benefactor Share Posted August 16, 2023 Clearly a fire hydrant. 5 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CPK Posted August 16, 2023 · Supporter Share Posted August 16, 2023 7 minutes ago, DonnaML said: Clearly a fire hydrant. Ah, a rare issue by Marcus Crassus in honor of his fire brigades...😉 1 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Severus Alexander Posted August 16, 2023 · Supporter Share Posted August 16, 2023 Hypothesis: linked are two coins from Erythrai, struck for Geta, SNG Copenhagen 773. But it's not unusual to see the same types struck for Septimius. Arrows indicate where the serpent is perhaps visible on @Topcat7's coin. The apparent "B" at the end of the legend is perhaps a wonky/corroded N, maybe with interference from the serpent design. The size, weight, fabric appears to be correct. Whaddya think? 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shanxi Posted August 16, 2023 · Supporter Share Posted August 16, 2023 (edited) 9 hours ago, Severus Alexander said: The apparent "B" at the end of the legend is perhaps a wonky/corroded N Perhaps not. Not if the coin is from Pergamon with the common inscription ΠΕΡΓΑΜΗΝΩΝ Β. You have marked a Γ with a red arrow on the left and the letters on the right before the B may be ΗΝΩΝ. The only problem is that there are a lot of Cistas with Septimius obverse, but I have not found a closed one. Therefors it's just another possibility. e.g. The lid is more open on this one https://www.corpus-nummorum.eu/coins/23350 This is closer to the OP coin . The lid is nearly closed, and the portrait style is very similar to the OP coin. Just look at the "three-dot hairstyle" above the forehead or the pointed chin. https://www.acsearch.info/search.html?id=10156113 Edited August 16, 2023 by shanxi 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dougsmit Posted August 16, 2023 · Member Share Posted August 16, 2023 5 hours ago, shanxi said: Pergamon with the common inscription ΠΕΡΓΑΜΗΝΩΝ Β. You have marked a Γ with a red arrow on the left and the letters on the right before the B may be ΗΝΩΝ I see this as as good an ID as we could hope to have on a coin with so little detail. Good work! 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Topcat7 Posted August 16, 2023 · Member Author Share Posted August 16, 2023 @shanxi very clever of you, and to all other contributors. Your contributions are most welcome. As Doug stated 1 hour ago, dougsmit said: I see this as as good an ID as we could hope to have on a coin with so little detail. Good work! I agree. Thank you, all, again. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Topcat7 Posted August 17, 2023 · Member Author Share Posted August 17, 2023 (edited) Possible location of serpent?? Edited August 17, 2023 by Topcat7 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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