SYRIA, Seleucis and Pieria. Antioch. Elagabalus, 218-222. Tetradrachm (Billon, 32 mm, 20.12 g, 12 h), 219. AYT K M A ANTWNЄINOC CЄB Laureate head of Elagabalus to right, with slight drapery on his left shoulder. Rev. ΔHMAPΧ ЄΞ YΠATOC TO B / Δ - Є Eagle with spread wings standing facing, head to left and holding wreath in beak; between the eagle's legs, star. McAlee 758. Prieur 249. RPC VI online 7949. Struck on an exceptionally oversized and overweight flan. Somewhat corroded and with minor deposits, otherwise, nearly very fine.


This piece was struck on an exceptionally large heavy flan measuring 32 mm and weighing more than 20 g; the usual range is 11 to 14 g. Such an outlier is highly unusual and may perhaps represent some form of trial piece, a possibility also suggested by the unusual alloy and its apparent metallic impurities.