8179
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             Item Sold At Auction #37
  -----------------------------------
   Lot Number: 64184
   Estimate: $75.00
   Final Sale Price: $48.40
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   Denomination: Semis
   Grade: Good Fine black patina
   Reference: RIC II 650; BMCRE 1093; Cohen -

  Trajan. 98-117 AD. Æ Semis (4.36 gm). Struck 116-117 AD. IMP CAES NER TRAIANO OPTIMO
  AVG GERM, radiate and draped bust of Trajan right / DAC PARTHICO P M TR POT XX COS VI
  P P, S • C within laurel wreath. RIC II 650; BMCRE 1093; Cohen -. Near VF, black
  patina. Estimate $75.



  This unusual issue struck at the end of 115 is typically attributed to an eastern
  mint, usually Antioch. The issue consisted of both the as and semis, both with
  radiate busts, and both struck on orichalcum flans. Metallurgical tests have shown
  that the orichalcum used is indistinguishable from the orichalcum used for Roman
  sestertii and dupondii and quite different from the orichalcum used for some
  provincial issues. This fact, along with the style of the portraiture and legend, and
  the die axis of 6:00 versus the normal 12:00 die axis for the Antioch mint, suggests
  that this issue was minted at Rome and shipped to Syria. Anyone interested in this
  series should read the two articles by Metcalf in ANSMN 20 (1975) and 22 (1977), and
  Carradice and Cowell's article in NumChron (1987).


Online auction 37 closed September 10, 2001.



Used by permission of CNG, www.historicalcoins.com