RPC IV.4, 3434

 

Image of specimen #2

 

Coin type
Volume IV.4
Number 3434
Province Egypt
Region Egypt
City Alexandria
Reign Commodus
Person (obv.) Commodus (Augustus)
Issue Year ΚΔ = 24
Dating AD 183/4
Obverse inscription Μ ΑΥΡ ΚΟΜ ΑΝΤω ϹΕ ΕΥϹΕΒ
Obverse design laureate head of Commodus, right
Reverse inscription ΠΡΟΝΟΙΑ ΘΕωΝ
Reverse design emperor (Commodus), head covered, wearing toga, standing, left, holding patera over altar; to left, male figure holding torch; to right, two male figures, one on right holding torch; to left and right, trees, latticed barrier around base of tree on left
Metal debased silver
Average diameter 25 mm
Reference DS 9564?
Specimens 2 (0 in the core collections)
Die-links 1–2: same pair of dies. 1–2: same obv. die as 3437/2, 4.
Note The reverse appears not to be dated.  Presumably year 24 as that is the only year in which this obverse die is known to have been used. The reverse type is attested for years 24 and 25. It copied a design on medallions of AD 183 with the equivalent inscription in Latin, PROVIDENTIAE DEORVM: Gnecchi II, no. 123 (pl. 86, 5–6); Künker 326, 7 October 2019, lot 1472; Roma Numis­matics XXV, 22 Sept. 2022, lot 1040. Some of the details vary from the imperial design: an altar has replaced a tripod, the torches are not clearly defined, and the barrier around the tree on the right is not visible. For the nature of the scene see Ch. 4 under 'Imperial religious rituals'.
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Specimens of this coin type

Number Number Museum Bibliography
1 1     DS 9564
2 2     ✸ Elsen 127, 5 Dec. 2015, lot 537