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Research Coins: Electronic Auction

 
92, Lot: 39. Estimate $100.
Sold for $97. This amount does not include the buyer’s fee.

ARMENIA. Uncertain mint. 1st Century AD. Æ 23mm (13.52 gm). Armenian tiara; D and star on either side / Horse standing right. AC 244; Saryan, NumCirc May 1991, pg. 112. Fine, black-green patina with trace of lighter green undertones.

Other than the clear Armenian references in the devices, there is no clue to the origin of these enigmatic pieces. The meaningless legends and the mixture of Greek and Latin letters (on the last of the listed pieces the R in place of P is absolutely clear) suggests a date sometime in the 1st century AD or even later, with perhaps some relationship in terms of function to the tessera of Ephesos with similar nonsensical legends. In other words, they are not coins in the true sense of the word, but instead are some kind of token.