341, Lot: 62. Estimate $100. Sold for $170. This amount does not include the buyer’s fee.

SYRIA, Coele-Syria. Damascus. Philip II. AD 247-249. Æ (25mm, 7.84 g, 1h). Laureate, draped and cuirassed bust left / Ram standing right. De Saulcy 10-11 (Philip I) and 1 (Philip II); Rosenberger –; BMC 23 (Philip I); SNG Copenhagen 425 (Philip I). VF, earthen green patina, a few cleaning scratches on reverse.

From the J.S. Wagner Collection.

A glance at the references above reveals how frequently this type is given to Philip I. As at Antioch to the north, the profiles on the portraits of father and son are nearly identical and the wear commonly encountered on bronze issues of both mints can make misidentification easy. But on better preserved specimens such as the current coin and previous lot, it is clear that the portrait is beardless. As such, the denominations at Damascus under Philip I fit the imperial hierarchy, with the senior emperor and empress being depicted on the larger coins and the junior emperor on the smaller.

Interestingly, Rosenberger attributes his coin no. 36 to Philip I, while giving no. 50 to Philip II. Both share the same obverse die as the current coin.