Classical Numismatic Group, LLC
Electronic Auction 534 15 Mar 2023
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CILICIA, Coropissus. Commodus. AD 177-192. Æ (23mm, 7.88 g, 7h). Bareheaded, draped, and cuirassed bust right / Zeus standing facing, head left, holding patera and bunch of grapes in right hand, long scepter in left; at feet left, eagle. SNG BN –; RPC IV.3 Online 5798 corr. (rev. description); SNG Levante 589 corr. (same); SNG Copenhagen Supp. 570 corr. (same). Brown patina with earthen highlights. Near VF. Very rare.
The bunch of grapes is not described in any of the references. Zeus standing holding a patera and scepter, eagle at his feet is a fairly common motif at this city but the addition of grapes is unique to this coin. At first, I thought the reverse had been re-engraved; the grapes added to an already existing die, but there are at least two dies known. The Levante and Copenhagen reverse dies are different, so the grapes must have been an intentional design.
The bunch of grapes is not described in any of the references. Zeus standing holding a patera and scepter, eagle at his feet is a fairly common motif at this city but the addition of grapes is unique to this coin. At first, I thought the reverse had been re-engraved; the grapes added to an already existing die, but there are at least two dies known. The Levante and Copenhagen reverse dies are different, so the grapes must have been an intentional design.