CERTIFICATE OF AUTHENTICITY

Emperor:

Trajan

Denomination:

AR Tetradrachm

Composition:

Silver

Date:

98-99 AD: B, on the reverse legend = second consultate

Obverse:

AYTOKP KAIC NEP TPAIANOC CEB ΓEPM, Laureate head right, wearing aegis

Reverse:

ΔΗΜΑΡΧ ΕΞ ΥΠΑΤΒ, Eagle seen from the front, head left, wreath in beak, and wings spread, standing on thunderbolt with circular grip and large straight fillets attached

Reference:

Prieur 1489A (Tyre; this coin cited and illustrated); McAlee 429; RPC III 3515/3 (this coin); Wruck 140; cf. Butcher p. 82, 4 (no aegis, eagle head right); cf. BMC Galatia p. 185, 288 (same); cf. SGICV 1077

Size:

26.18mm, 14.2g, 6h

Province:

Syria, Seleucis and Pieria, Antiochia ad Orontem

Grade:

gVF, fine style, well struck, nicely toned, graffiti in reverse field

Rarity:

Exceedingly rare

Rarity Details:

only one known to Prier, and four specimens cited by the authors of RPC, including this coin; only two specimens in acsearch.info auction records (including this coin)

Pedigreed:

Provenance:

Pedigreed: Prieur Plate Coin; published in Roman Provincial Coinage volume III; from the Michel Prieur Collection, ex Classical Numismatic Group eAuction 449 (31 July 2019), Lot 317

Information:

Prieur Plate coin and published in RPC. This coin is published in two standard references: Amandry, M., A. Burnett & J. Mairat. Roman Provincial Coinage III, From Nerva to Hadrian (AD 96–138). (London & Paris, 2015); and Prieur, M. & K. Prieur. The Syro-Phoenician Tetradrachms and their fractions from 57 BC to AD 258. (Lancaster, PA, 2000)

I, Peter A. Piliouras of Ancient Coin Traders irrevocably guarantee for life to the Purchaser that this ancient coin is authentic. If this coin is deemed not to be authentic by a professional certification service, then I will refund to the Purchaser the full cost of acquiring the coin (including shipping) together with the certification fees.