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Numismatic Auction 64  24 January 2017
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Lot 99

Estimate: 750 USD
Lot unsold
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Bithynia, Prusa ad Olympum. Caracalla. A.D. 198-217. AE 24 (24.31 mm, 6.02 g, 2 h). AVT K M AVP ANTΩNEINOC CEB, laureate head right / ΠPO-UCAEΩN-N, Ajax the Telamonian falling upon his sword left; pile of stones before, shield below. Rec Gen 102 var.; SNG von Aulock 873 var. ; Cornell 100 var. VF/aVF, some roughness. Very Rare. Ex Dmitry Markov. Ajax was regarded as the second greatest warrior in Greek mythology after Achilles. When upon Achilles death Ajax failed to win his armor he went mad and committed suicide by falling on his sword.rnrnPrior to this coin there were two reverse varieties of this type known. (BMC lists three minor obverse legend variations but we have not been able to confirm them and they are not illustrated.) The "common" type has an oval shield which is listed in Rec Gen, SNG von Aulock, and BMC. The other type has a round shield, we cannot find that variety listed in any reference. this coin seems to have both, a round and oval shield beneath. It is not an over strike. The oval shields are at a 45 degree angle (or close), this shield is at a different angle. The pile of rocks to the left is also different which would make this a newly discovered die.
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