Obolos 5

Caracalla, 198-217. Dupondius (Orichalcum, 24mm, 5.95 g 12), of surprisingly low weight, Rome, 210. ANTONINVS PIVS AVG Radiate head of Caracalla to right. Rev. PONTIF TR P XIII COS III / S C Virtus, in military dress, on right, standing left, holding parazonium with his right handt hand and leaning on a vertical reversed spear, held in his left; to left, trophy adorned with a helmet, a cuirass, two shields and some spears, with, at its base, a male captive, seated to right, wearing peaked cap and with a cloak over his chest, his lower limbs bare and with his hands tied behind his back. BMC 209. Cohen 480. RIC 456. A lovely example with an exquisite malachit-green patina. Some minor deposits on reverse, otherwise, extremely fine.

The Imperial mint in Rome was normally extremely careful about the quality of the coins, which it produced. Misstrikes are distinctly uncommon from the first through the first half of the third century (they are more common in Republican times); in the first century some coins (especially semisses and quadrantes) were often struck on very much oversized flans, probably to be used as donatives to be thrown to the crowds. Markedly underweight coins are also very rarely found: the flans must have been checked before being struck. Thus, this coin, which is at least 7 grams underweight, is quite a surprise. It is in every way a completely normal coin, well struck from fresh dies, but its flan is exceptionally light. This makes it both a very interesting and very rare mint ‘error.’