Al Kowsky Posted June 8 · Member Share Posted June 8 Yesterday the three coins I won from CNG Feature Auction 126 finally arrived 😃. The first coin unpacked is pictured below. ROMAN JUDAEA, Aelia Capitolina (Jerusalem). Caracalla, AD 198-217 (struck AD 215-217). Billon Tetradrachm: 14.81 gm, 27.47 mm, 6 h. Obverse: Laureate, draped, & cuirassed bust seen from behind. Reverse: Eagle with spread wings, head & tail facing left, holding wreath in beak, standing on filleted thyrsus, wine jar between legs. Prieur 1631. Only 1 example cited by Prieur. Very Rare. Coin in hand video: https://cngcoins.com/photos/CNG_Links/video/CNG_126/500.html This coin was misattributed by CNG as Prieur 1630, the only difference between the two coins is the reverse inscription. Most of the coinage from Aelia Capitolina has been crudely engraved & crudely struck. One unusual feature with this coin is the well engraved wine jar on the reverse; compare this coin with another in my collection, seen below. I haven't seen another example of Prieur 1631, & he doesn't picture the example he cites. If any website member knows of another example of Prieur 1631, please share it with me. Website members are welcome to post any tetradrachms from Roman Judaea ☺️. 7 3 6 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Qcumbor Posted June 8 · Supporter Share Posted June 8 That's awesome @Al Kowsky Sadly, I don't have any tetradracm from Aelia Capitolina 😞 Q 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Al Kowsky Posted June 8 · Member Author Share Posted June 8 17 minutes ago, Qcumbor said: That's awesome @Al Kowsky Sadly, I don't have any tetradracm from Aelia Capitolina 😞 Q There aren't many to be had, & even the ugliest ones are expensive ☹️. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
expat Posted June 8 · Supporter Share Posted June 8 A beautiful and rare addition. Gorgeous reverse. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ambr0zie Posted June 8 · Member Share Posted June 8 Always nice to see a new Caracalla tetradrachm, especially with the classic obverse, Caracalla smiling with benevolence, like the nice man that he was. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Factor Posted June 8 · Member Share Posted June 8 Nice coin! I have a similar example, with obverse and style of the reverse of 1626-1628 but reverse legend like 1630. Interestingly Prieur had one in his collection, later sold by CNG. 3 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Al Kowsky Posted June 8 · Member Author Share Posted June 8 (edited) Factor, Nice score 😍. Your coin is clearly an obverse die match to my coin 😮! The reverse inscription has areas of weakness but does appear to have an inscription like Prieur 1630, but the design elements look like Prieur 1628. This may be a new unlisted variety; do you know the weight & diameter of the coin 🤔? Edited June 9 by Al Kowsky 3 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Al Kowsky Posted June 8 · Member Author Share Posted June 8 I found another example in my files of an Aelia Capitolina Tet (top coin), that has the same obverse die as our coins, the reverse is similar to your coin. The top Tet sold in a Heritage auction on Nov. 6, 2020 for $10,500.00 😮! 3 2 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Factor Posted June 9 · Member Share Posted June 9 Exactly what I think, should be new variety not in Prieur. The dimensions are 26.7 mm, 12.57g, 6 h. Also I tend to agree with Yoav Farhi who published a paper in INR some time ago claiming that most tetradrachms we consider struck in Aelia Capitolina could actually be produced in Nysa. Amphora and leafs are symbols of Dionysus whose cult was central in Nysa and barely existed in Aelia. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Al Kowsky Posted June 9 · Member Author Share Posted June 9 (edited) 9 hours ago, Factor said: Exactly what I think, should be new variety not in Prieur. The dimensions are 26.7 mm, 12.57g, 6 h. Also I tend to agree with Yoav Farhi who published a paper in INR some time ago claiming that most tetradrachms we consider struck in Aelia Capitolina could actually be produced in Nysa. Amphora and leafs are symbols of Dionysus whose cult was central in Nysa and barely existed in Aelia. I have also read Yoav Farhi's article "From Aelia Capitolina to Nysa-Scythopolis: Proposed Reattribution of a Group of Provincial Tetradrachms" & found it interesting & controversial. The numismatic community has not warmed up to his ideas, including myself, although some of his ideas may be relevant. Farhi states: "It seems very possible that these tetradrachms (or at least some of them) were struck in Nysa-Scythopolis, the capital city of Decapolis, in which recent archaeological evidence indicates". He is referring to the tetradrachms of Caracalla attributed to Aelia Capitolina. Edited June 9 by Al Kowsky 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Benefactor Ancient Coin Hunter Posted June 9 · Benefactor Benefactor Share Posted June 9 (edited) Great coin @Al Kowsky. To be honest I have never seen one of these nor come across the type. Great addition to the collection. Edited June 9 by Ancient Coin Hunter 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roman Collector Posted June 9 · Patron Share Posted June 9 Coingratulations, @Al Kowsky! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sulla80 Posted June 9 · Supporter Share Posted June 9 (edited) 21 hours ago, Al Kowsky said: Yesterday the three coins I won from CNG Feature Auction 126 finally arrived 😃. The first coin unpacked is pictured below. ROMAN JUDAEA, Aelia Capitolina (Jerusalem). Caracalla, AD 198-217 (struck AD 215-217). Billon Tetradrachm: 14.81 gm, 27.47 mm, 6 h. Obverse: Laureate, draped, & cuirassed bust seen from behind. Reverse: Eagle with spread wings, head & tail facing left, holding wreath in beak, standing on filleted thyrsus, wine jar between legs. Prieur 1631. Only 1 example cited by Prieur. Very Rare. Coin in hand video: https://cngcoins.com/photos/CNG_Links/video/CNG_126/500.html This coin was misattributed by CNG as Prieur 1630, the only difference between the two coins is the reverse inscription. Most of the coinage from Aelia Capitolina has been crudely engraved & crudely struck. One unusual feature with this coin is the well engraved wine jar on the reverse; compare this coin with another in my collection, seen below. I haven't seen another example of Prieur 1631, & he doesn't picture the example he cites. If any website member knows of another example of Prieur 1631, please share it with me. Website members are welcome to post any tetradrachms from Roman Judaea ☺️. A good eye @Al Kowsky - I find this whole series bewildering to differentiate - are legend differences the only key to the different types? 1626 CE. AVT KAI ANT ωNЄINOC C E / ΔHMAPX EΞ YΠATOCTO Δ 1627 CE. reverse loses the TO : ΔHMAPX EΞ YΠATOC Δ 1628 CE. same as 1626 for me...ΔHMAPX EΞ YΠATOCTO Δ? 1629 CE. same as 1626 for me...ΔHMAPX EΞ YΠATOCTO Δ? 1630 CE. same as 1626 but better jar style andloses another O (or adds a T to 1627)-: ΔHMAPX EΞ YΠATOCT Δ 1631 CE. same as 1630 (better style jar) and loses another T ...ΔHMAPX EΞ YΠATOC Δ 1632 CE. same as 1630 (better style jar) and adding vine & some bunches of grapes and the T is back ...ΔHMAPX EΞ YΠATOCT Δ ....subtle differences - I have trouble calling all of these different "types" I'll add in a Caracalla from Damascus (ram's head in place of wine jar aka kantharos ) Coelesyria, Damascus, Caracalla, AD 198-217, AR Tetradrachm Struck: circa AD 215-217 Size: 24-28mm, 11.62g Obv: AVT KAI ANTωNINOC CЄ, laureate head right of Caracalla Rev: ΔHMAPX ЄΞ VΠATOCTOΔ, eagle standing facing, head and tail left, with wings spread, holding wreath in beak; between legs, ram's head left Ref: Prieur 1205, same obverse die as coin from Prieur collection, rare with drapery on bust, only three noted by Prieur, and nine in CoinArchives. For a die study see: Nurpetlian, J. (2014). Damascene Tetradrachms of Caracalla. American Journal of Numismatics (1989-), 26, 187-198. This coin appears to be Plate 51 number 19. Edited June 9 by Sulla80 3 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Al Kowsky Posted June 9 · Member Author Share Posted June 9 3 hours ago, Sulla80 said: A good eye @Al Kowsky - I find this whole series bewildering to differentiate - are legend differences the only key to the different types? 1626 CE. AVT KAI ANT ωNЄINOC C E / ΔHMAPX EΞ YΠATOCTO Δ 1627 CE. reverse loses the TO : ΔHMAPX EΞ YΠATOC Δ 1628 CE. same as 1626 for me...ΔHMAPX EΞ YΠATOCTO Δ? 1629 CE. same as 1626 for me...ΔHMAPX EΞ YΠATOCTO Δ? 1630 CE. same as 1626 but better jar style andloses another O (or adds a T to 1627)-: ΔHMAPX EΞ YΠATOCT Δ 1631 CE. same as 1630 (better style jar) and loses another T ...ΔHMAPX EΞ YΠATOC Δ 1632 CE. same as 1630 (better style jar) and adding vine & some bunches of grapes and the T is back ...ΔHMAPX EΞ YΠATOCT Δ ....subtle differences - I have trouble calling all of these different "types" I'll add in a Caracalla from Damascus (ram's head in place of wine jar aka kantharos ) Coelesyria, Damascus, Caracalla, AD 198-217, AR Tetradrachm Struck: circa AD 215-217 Size: 24-28mm, 11.62g Obv: AVT KAI ANTωNINOC CЄ, laureate head right of Caracalla Rev: ΔHMAPX ЄΞ VΠATOCTOΔ, eagle standing facing, head and tail left, with wings spread, holding wreath in beak; between legs, ram's head left Ref: Prieur 1205, same obverse die as coin from Prieur collection, rare with drapery on bust, only three noted by Prieur, and nine in CoinArchives. For a die study see: Nurpetlian, J. (2014). Damascene Tetradrachms of Caracalla. American Journal of Numismatics (1989-), 26, 187-198. This coin appears to be Plate 51 number 19. Sulla80, You are certainly right about the challenging confusion about the vast amount of Roman provincial coinage 😏. In regards to tetradrachms, the pioneers who contributed worthy research like; Butcher, Bellinger, Kraay, Sear, & Meshorer were later followed by authors like McAlee, & Prieur, but all of their contributions combined amount to just one drop of water in the ocean of what needs to be done 🥺. McAlee has authored two supplements to his ground breaking book, & if Prieur hadn't passed on at such an early age, I'm sure he would have done the same with his ground breaking book. Hopefully other scholars will take the challenge of furthering our knowledge on the subject in the future. Archeology is the key activity in advancing the cause, & unfortunately all the turmoil that is going on in the Mideast is preventing this ☹️. I like your handsome Tet of Caracalla from the Damascus mint 😍. Pictured below is one from my collection. 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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