Sale: CNG 69, Lot: 1138. Estimate $300.  Closing Date: Wednesday, 8 June 2005.  Sold For $450. This amount does not include the buyer’s fee.

CILICIA, Tarsus. Hadrian. 117-138 AD. AR Tetradrachm (8.74 gm, 11h). Countermarked under Caracalla, 215-217 AD. Laureate head right / MH-TROPOLEwC, TAR/CEwN in two lines to left, Tyche of Tarsus seated left, holding palm; river-god Cydnus swimming left below; c/m: laureate head of Caracalla right, A-M-K around bottom of bust; all within incuse oval. For coin: Prieur 759; SNG Levante -; SNG France 1405-1406; for c/m: Howgego 843; Prieur 777. VF, toned, roughness on obverse. Extremely rare. ($300)

From the Garth R. Drewry Collection. Ex Coin Galleries 29 (25 November 1969), lot 1102.

The acronym AMK, in the counterstamp, stands for Prwth Megisth Kallisth (First, Greatest, Most Beautiful- with the Greek letter A representing the ordinal number), epithets granted to the city upon Caracalla's arrival there in 215 AD.