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 Replies: 8 / Views: 2,254 |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
4981 Posts |
hi all, I recently picked up this strange caracalla provincial from anchialus thrace. hadn't seen one quite like it, but couldn't find a fake match for it. here are the sellers pics..   looks like a decent green patina with some big scratches on the obverse, minor scratches on the reverse. some brown deposits here and there. here are my pics..   bare coin on the scratches around the head, deposits that are hard to tell from bare patches around the letters...mostly. my first thought when I saw it in hand was that it was painted! strange looking coin. seller has it attributed as vabanov 306, here's the wildwinds version, not quite the same...different apollo (reverse)...  any thoughts on what this is, why it looks the way it does, or anything else, would be appreciated. |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
5155 Posts |
Jeeze Chris, looks good to me. I am unfamiliar with the coin but the patina looks nice. If there is no reverse match you can find, maybe it's a mule. Interesting though.
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Moderator
 United States
23731 Posts |
Nice coin Chris. All the reference books on Provincials are way out of date, I wish someone would right a new one.
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Pillar of the Community
 United States
3098 Posts |
Moushmov Online does have a reference to an Anchialus bronze of Caracalla that has Hermes naked holding a purse and cornucopiae. It's Moushmov #2864. http://www.wildwinds.com/moushmov/anchialus.htmlHowever your coin doesn't appear to have a purse in the right hand, but more of a branch (?). Paul Bulgerin
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Pillar of the Community
United States
3098 Posts |
Hermes, in that issue, is naked with a mantel on his shoulder, but on closer examination the figure on the back of your coin looks as if he may (?) be clothed?
Paul Bulgerin
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Pillar of the Community
 United States
4981 Posts |
thanks all, thanks for the tip paulb...I'm not sure myself..i think he is nude. could be hermes instead of Apollo? I would guess it's a laurel branch.
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Pillar of the Community
United Kingdom
946 Posts |
You're right about it likely being Apollo, that is Ivan Varbanov's guess in his book: Varbanov II, 416: Obverse: laureate, draped and cuirassed bust right. Reverse: " Naked youth (Apollo?) advancing left, (seen from behind) holding bouquet in left hand and right hand on head." Rated Rare (R7), 20 - 50 examples known. So as not to offend our "Minor" members I have affixed a Fig leaf to the naked youth.  Would've added the full Greek legends, but CCF posts cannot deal with Greek Unicode. Edited by Masis
04/08/2014 11:49 am
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Pillar of the Community
United Kingdom
3626 Posts |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
4981 Posts |
thanks so much masis, I really appreciate it.  i think I have the legends figured out...pretty sure. hey that figleaf you did there looks nice on the green patina. lol!  Edited by chrsmat71
04/08/2014 12:53 pm
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Replies: 8 / Views: 2,254 |
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Posted 04/07/2014 11:05 pm
