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EGYPT, Alexandria.  Antoninus Pius

year 19, CE 155/6
AE obol, 18.5 mm, 4.26 gm
Obv: ANTωNINOCCEBEVCCV
* [see note]; laureate head right
Rev: Horus falcon standing right
**, wearing skhent; LI - [Θ]***
Ref: Dattari-Savio Pl. 165, 3134 (this coin); Geissen --; Emmett 1774.19, R5
ex Dattari collection (Giovanni Dattari, 1858-1923)

Savio, Adriano. Numi Augg. Alexandrini: Catalogo della Collezione Dattari, 2007, plate 165:

* My interpretation of the obverse legend is clearly not correct but I haven't studied what it should be. Based on the visible portion of the dotted border, extrapolating the circle and taking into account the intrusion of A-Pi's head, I don't think there are letters which are simply off flan. The legend as it appears does not match those reported by Emmett, which in theory should be AVTKTAIΛΑΔPANTωNINOCCEBEVC (for "Imperator Caesar Titus Aelius Hadrianus Antoninus Augustus Pius"). Maybe the last two letters I recorded are AV instead of C (or E) V, and maybe there is at least one letter off flan (T)? There simply isn't enough room for all of the remaining theoretical letters.

** Some sources refer to these crowned birds as hawks (Emmett), others proclaim it a Horus falcon.

*** The last letter of the date is unclear. Unless this is an unpublished date for the type, it is Θ, making it year 19. This falcon-standing-right reverse was issued only in years 8 (LH), 9 (LΘ) and 19 (LIΘ).

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