Object Description
A Roman provincial coin minted for Philip II, mounted within a stunning crystal pendant mount. The coin was struck around AD 247-249 at Nisibis, a large eastern fortress on the frontier of the Roman Empire in Mesopotamia. The obverse features a cuirassed bust of Philip II, facing left, and wearing a radiate crown, surrounded by the legend: AYTOK K M IOVΛI ΦIΛIΠΠOC CEB. The unabbreviated legend would read: AYTOK[ΡΑΤΟΡ] – K[ΑΙΣΑΡ] – M[ΑΡΚΟΣ] – IOYΛ[ΙΟΣ] – ΦΙΛΙΠΠΟΥ – CEB[ΑΣΤΟΣ], which translates as “Emperor and Caesar, Marcus Julius Philip, Augustus”. The reverse shows Tyche of Antioch in typical fashion, seated and wearing draped robes. Above her head a ram, representing Aries, leaps to the right. Below her there is the upper half of a swimming figure, who is the personification of the river Orontes or Euphrates. The whole scene sits within a tetrastyle shrine. The legend reads: IOY CЄΠ KOΛΩ NЄCIBI MHT. This translates as JUL[IA] SEP[TIMIA] COLO[NIA] NISIBI[S] MET[ROPOLIS]. The family name of ‘Julia’ refers to Philip I.
The coin is encased in a custom-made stainless steel bezel to the obverse, decorated with high quality faceted crystal. On the reverse there is a silver mount, hallmarked at the top, to stabilise the coin within its frame. The steel suspension loop is also branded with a recessed TP, in collaboration with Tresor Paris, the Hatton Garden jewellers.
CHAIN NOT INCLUDED, FOR DISPLAY PURPOSES ONLY. AVAILABLE BY ENQUIRY.
Date: Coin: AD 247-249
Pendant: modern