Anépigraphe


Reference : AYC #3, RIC 103
Weight: 28.64 grs
Metal: Bronze
Diameter: 35.00 mm
Scarcity: Scarce
Type:

Obverse

Reverse

AGRIPPINA AVG GERMANICI F CAESARIS AVG

Bare head with hairs in long plait behind and laureate bust of Agrippina II (Junior) to the right.

anépigraphe

Carpentum drawn by two mules going to the left.

Photo of a coin sold the 14/10/2015 by Classical Numismatic Group, Electronic Auction 361, lot 902, link to the sale: https://www.acsearch.info/search.html?id=3331526, link to their website: https://www.cngcoins.com/.

The portrait looks older on this coin. Portrait error? This bust closer to that of Agrippina Senior is sometimes visible on some coins, but always with the variant without dot in the legend. Could this be an initial strike where the old portrait was copied? Then come the strikes with dots, corresponding better to the portrait of Agrippina Junior. Small detail, the tip of the bust of this coin is longer and flatter than usual. Here is another copy with these same features: 

Photo of a coin sold the 18/09/2013 by Classical Numismatic Group, Auction 94, lot 1019, link to the sale: https://www.acsearch.info/search.html?id=1683285, link to their website: https://www.cngcoins.com/.

Small funny detail, the Carpentum only has two spokes in its wheel, unlike usually where there are three.

For this type, the RIC 103 mentions in note that there is a variant with erased reverse (classified as uniface) where the obverse legend is AGRIPPINAE. Source: Vienna. For the copies that I was able to observe, I actually noted several coins with the letter E erased but the reverse is not uniface (classified AYC #3 var, RIC 103 note) ). The single-sided coins analyzed have the legend illegible due to wear, except one where it is clearly inscribed: AGRIPPINA (that i classified as AYC #3 var 3, RIC 103 (note) ). RIC description error? Need to verify. The RIC also cites a coin preserved in Berlin without erased reverse but with the E of AGRIPPINAE erased (classified as AYC #3 var 2, RIC 103 (note) ).