{"product_id":"981359-philippe-otacillie-as","title":"Philip I \u0026 Otacilia, Dupondius\/As, 244-249, Rome, Unique?, Bronze, VF(30-35)","description":"\u003cp id=\"head\"\u003eBust of Philip the Arab, laureate, draped, cuirassed, right\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp id=\"reverse\"\u003eBust of Otacilia Severa, diademed, draped, right\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp id=\"comment\"\u003eThis coin, which could be an As or a Dupondius, appears to be a unique example and the first known example in sales with these types.   In fact, we haven't found any other examples of a bronze coin with the imperial couple portrayed on either side in sales of recent years, and no examples are recorded in the RIC Online.\nAlthough it seems that the authors of the RIC were aware of the existence of a similar type with RIC IV Philip I 196A, it should be noted that the legend on our example around Philip's portrait differs slightly, with an “IMP” that is not seen in the RIC reference. \n\nWe do not exclude the possibility of a contemporary or later forgery, made by counterfeiters who copied two obverses to combine them, as there is a straight die break on and before the portrait of Philip. However, the extremely rare coins seen and mentioned below seem to indicate the existence of very limited issues with a strong dynastic typology.\n\nIndeed, there are extremely rare cases of an association of the imperial couple, with or without Philip II, their son and heir to the imperial throne. Note a type of an Antoninianus, which has never been referenced in the RIC and was recently seen in the Leu Numismatik sale, Auction 13, 05\/27\/2023, lot 340. \nThis dynastic association has also been documented by a few bronze medallions illustrated by Francesco Gnecchi: Gnecchi II, Pl. 108-110.  H. Cohen mentions a few coins in his book that belong to these dynastic types: the existence of a “medium bronze” coin with the legends \"M. IVL. PHILIPPVS AVG.\" and a reverse with the bust of Otacilia on a crescent = Cohen V, p.134, 3 (RIC 196B). In no. 4, he mentions an identical obverse, but a reverse with the portrait of Otacilia without the crescent (RIC 196A). Finally, in no. 2, for a silver coin (antoninianus?), he notes the same combination of the two portraits, but with the legend “IMP. M. IVL. PHILIPPVS AVG.” and a radiate bust of Philip. \nGiven that extremely rare medallions were issued, as well as very limited dynastic coin issues in bronze, silver, and gold, we can therefore assume that this coin is official through the existence of a dynastic bronze issue with a slightly different legend on the obverse than the rare coins that have been observed and referenced in sales and reference books.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp id=\"headCaption\"\u003eIMP M IVL PHILIPPVS AVG\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp id=\"reverseCaption\"\u003eMARCIA OTACIL SEVERA AVG\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp id=\"weight\"\u003e13.77 gr\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"cdma","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":53312417792332,"sku":"981359","price":300.0,"currency_code":"EUR","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0637\/1655\/7029\/files\/981359A.jpg?v=1757427638","url":"https:\/\/www.numiscorner.com\/products\/981359-philippe-otacillie-as","provider":"Numiscorner.com","version":"1.0","type":"link"}