RPC IV.4, 2804

 

Image of specimen #1

 

Coin type
Volume IV.4
Number 2804
Province Egypt
Region Egypt
City Alexandria
Reign Marcus Aurelius
Person (obv.) Lucius Verus (Augustus)
Issue Year Ɛ = 5
Dating AD 164/5
Obverse inscription Λ ΑΥΡΗΛΙΟϹ ΟΥΗΡΟϹ ϹΕΒ
Obverse design laureate head of Lucius Verus with traces of drapery, left
Reverse inscription L Ε
Reverse design Tyche-Euthenia standing, left, holding ears of corn and rudder; before, forepart of sailing ship; below which, Thalassa (the Sea) reclining right, head, left; behind, stern of ship, below which, Nilus reclining, holding reed
Metal copper-based alloy
Average diameter 35 mm
Axis 12
Reference Förschner 718
Specimens 2 (1 in the core collections)
Die-links 1–2: same pair of dies. 1–2: same obv. die as 2782/1, 9, 2785/1–2, 2803/1–2.
Note https://rpc.ashmus.ox.ac.uk/coin/121356 is unusual. The flan is large and heavy and exceptionally the edges of both dies are visible. The question is whether this is a modern forgery replicated from a genuine coin, or whether it is more like a 'proof' strike of a complicated type being reintroduced. The type is cetainly genuine. The obverse and reverse dies are both known from other examples. The type with the female reclining with head reverted and holding nothing is copied from issues under Pius, but is known from another die used for Marcus: https://rpc.ashmus.ox.ac.uk/type/73850 and https://rpc.ashmus.ox.ac.uk/type/coin/358338 (but there with Nilus holding a rudder). See the note on https://rpc.ashmus.ox.ac.uk/type/23962.
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Specimens of this coin type

Number Number Museum Bibliography
1 1     ✸ NY: 1944.100.61773
2 2     Frankfurt Förschner 718