RPC I, 3916

 

Image of specimen #17

 

Coin type
Volume I
Number 3916
Province Cyprus
Region Cyprus
City Uncertain mint(s) on Cyprus
Reign Uncertain
Issue under Augustus?
Obverse inscription
Obverse design capricorn, right; above, star
Reverse inscription
Reverse design scorpion; star in field, right
Metal copper-based alloy
Average diameter 17 mm
Axis 9, 12
Reference BMC Commagene 4–6, FITA 143, Amandry 6, Parks 7
Specimens 24 (18 in the core collections)
Note Previously attributed to Commagene (BMC Galatia, p. xlviii and p. 112), these coins were given by Hill to Cyprus (NC 1917, p. 24) where they occur frequently. A date under Augustus, due to the type of the capricorn, is possible, though by no means certain. Attributed by Nicolaou, op. cit. to Commagene (AD 38-72): see nos. 587-90 and p. 117, where it is said that these coins are found sporadically, not in large quantities, on the island (but there are 24 specimens in Nicosia Museum). If the reverse of this coin is orientated with star above (to match obverse) it has a die-axis of 12, which is the same as other Cypriot coins of Augustus: see I. A. Carradice, ‘The Coinage of Roman Cyprus’, in (ed) V. Tatton-Brown, Cyprus and the East Mediterranean in the Iron Age (London, 1989), pp. 182-87.

Specimens of this coin type

Number Number Museum Bibliography
1 1     P: M 1335
2 2     P: 1413
3 3     L BMC 4
4 4     L BMC 5
5 5     L BMC 6
6 6     L: G 0884
7 7     O
8 8     NY: 1952.142.247
9 9     NY: 1944.100.62149
10 10     NY: 1951.116.323
11 11     NY: 1951.116.324
12 12     NY: 1951.116.326
13 13     NY: 1944.100.62148
14 14     NY: 1951.116.325
15 15     Bern
16 16     Turin: Lavy 2671
17 17     ✸ J. Clark coll.
18 18     B: 18238685
19 19     B: 18238686
20 20     B: 18238687
21 21     T. Mullally coll. (ex Owl Ltd J. Barton, Numismatic Bestiary, lot 114)
22 22     NY: 1944.100.62150
23 23     CGT coll. = Roma Numismatics EA 8, 1 June 2014, lot 377
24 24     CNG MBS 81, 20 May 2009, lot 803 (ex Forestier, 8 June 2007, lot 51; Münzen und Medaillen GmbH 17, 4 Oct. 2005, lot 987; (Münzen und Medaillen AG 76, M. Laffaille coll., 19 Sept. 1991, lot 546)