Sale: Triton VII, Lot: 816. Estimate $500.  Closing Date: Monday, 12 January 2004.  Sold For $1200. This amount does not include the buyer’s fee.

JUDAEA, Gaza. Macrinus. 217-218 AD. AR Tetradrachm (14.19 gm). Dated COS 1 (217 AD). AVT K M OP CE MAKPINOC CE, laureate head right / DÐHMAPX EX UPATOC T A, eagle standing right, head turned left; sign of Marnas between legs, star in right field. Prieur 1695; Bellinger -. Good VF. Very rare issue of Gaza; only the fourth recorded tetradrachm of Macrinus from that mint, and the finest preserved specimen. ($400)

The first specimen of this variety was published in Spink 94 (14 October 1992), lot 113, with the reverse UPATOC T P [P], ending with pater patriae transliterated into Greek, as on similar coins from other cities in the region. Prieur in his work gave the legend as UPATOC T D, assuming the re-use of a reverse die of Caracalla. This example, the second known of the variety, gives a clearer reading of UPATOC T A (first consulship of Macrinus).