Triton XV, Lot: 1972. Estimate $750. Sold for $1600. This amount does not include the buyer’s fee.

ROMAN. Provincial. Lot of thirty (30) Tyrian Æ denominations from the time of Elagabalus. All coins in the name of Elagabalus unless otherwise noted. Includes the following reverse types:1) Astarte standing facing, placing hand on trophy and being crowned by Nike on column; Marsyas and murex shell flanking Astarte (4) // 2) Similar, but palm tree in place of Marsyas (5) 3) Similar, but dating to after being stripped of colonial status; with or without murex shell (9) // 4) Astarte within hexastyle temple; altar before, with murex shell and palm or murex shell alone (6) // 5 Similar, but dating to after being stripped of colonial status (5, including one Julia Maesa 6) Dionysus standing before trophy; murex shell in field (1). Fine to Near VF, some countermarked. An interesting study group dating to around the time of Tyre’s disgrace. LOT SOLD AS IS, NO RETURNS. Thirty (30) coins in lot.

Under Elagabalus, Tyre suffered the loss of its colonial status, presumably due to its support of Macrinus. Interestingly, not a great deal changed in terms of production, save for the omission of the titles (though Latin was retained) and the removal of Marsyas, the proud symbol of its colonial status.