Troas, Alexandria, COL ALEX AVG

[Xeno]

Hello, everyone. I am currently attempting to attribute this coin I just bought from a Savoca auction. It was sold to me as "Troas. Alexandreia. Caracalla AD 198-217." This one has me a little bit stumped as the obverse legend appears to fit with Caracalla, but I am only finding this reverse in relation to Elgabalus. Obverse as far as I can tell reads: (AV) M AV ANTONINVS (?). Reverse reads: COL ALEX(AND?) AVG.

Coin is 26mm, 7.86g.

Looking forward to any insights anyone has I am relatively new to attribution.

Edited December 3, 2023 by Xeno

[shanxi]

You can find an obverse with AV M AV ANTONINVS PIVS for Elagabal:

https://rpc.ashmus.ox.ac.uk/coins/6/30363

and also the reverse:

https://rpc.ashmus.ox.ac.uk/coins/6/3963

But I haven't found one that combines both. I'm also not sure about the obverse legend. Isn't there a C or G before the M?

 

 

Edited December 4, 2023 by shanxi

[Xeno]

4 hours ago, shanxi said:

You can find an obverse with AV M AV ANTONINVS PIVS for Elagabal:

https://rpc.ashmus.ox.ac.uk/coins/6/30363

and also the reverse:

https://rpc.ashmus.ox.ac.uk/coins/6/3963

But I haven't found one that combines both. I'm also not sure about the obverse legend. Isn't there a C or G before the M?

 

 

Thank you for your help, you are right, before the AV at the beginning of the legend it really does look like a C or G or possibly a V and looks like there are 2 letters before it.  I will continue to do more research.

The second example you posted is the closest match I have found on the obverse and reverse but not quite a perfect match on the legend I think.

Also every single coin I am looking at of these types is an Elgabalus, not seeing anything about Caracalla related to this obverse or reverse I am guessing that was a misattribution from the seller.

 

Edited December 4, 2023 by Xeno

[DLTcoins]

Both Elagabalus and Caracalla are popular nicknames. In reality, both emperors were named Marcus Aurelius Antoninus. On provincials in particular, it can be difficult to distinguish the two. According to Ann Johnston (1982), 'Caracalla or Elagabalus?', ANS Museum Notes 27, pp. 97-147, the reverse legend COL ALEX AVG is used for both emperors but only for a "mature" Caracalla. To my eye, the portrait looks youthful. I don't see any evidence of the beard I would expect on a "mature" Caracalla. I think it must be Elagabalus. A "young" or "early mature" Caracalla would read COL AVG TROAD, according to the author.

Edited December 14, 2023 by DLTcoins

[Xeno]

On 12/13/2023 at 11:32 PM, DLTcoins said:

Both Elagabalus and Caracalla are popular nicknames. In reality, both emperors were named Marcus Aurelius Antoninus. On provincials in particular, it can be difficult to distinguish the two. According to Ann Johnston (1982), 'Caracalla or Elagabalus?', ANS Museum Notes 27, pp. 97-147, the reverse legend COL ALEX AVG is used for both emperors but only for a "mature" Caracalla. To my eye, the portrait looks youthful. I don't see any evidence of the beard I would expect on a "mature" Caracalla. I think it must be Elagabalus. A "young" or "early mature" Caracalla would read COL AVG TROAD, according to the author.

Thank you for the great insight @DLTcoins