PROVINCIA DACIA. Philip I. 244-249 AD. Æ 29mm (16.47 gm, 1h). Dated local era year 2 (247/48 AD). IMP M IVL PHILIPPVS AVG, laureate and draped bust right / PROVINCIA DACIA, AN II in exergue, Dacia standing left, holding sword (logobolon?) and standards of the legions V (with eagle) and XIII (with lion). AMNG I 9; Varbanov 6 var. (obv. legend); Mionnet Supp. II 5. Good VF, jade green patina. Rare variety.
The personification of the province of Dacia holds either a sword, patera or grain ears, according to AMNG. The object on this coin resembles none of those, but rather the curved throwing stick used in hunting small game, the logobolon, but no identification can be certain. This local era for Dacia begins in 246 AD, the year Philip expelled barbarian invaders from the province.
