★ Struck from a retrograde reverse die ★

MESOPOTAMIA. Carrhae. Macrinus, 217-218. 'Tetradrachm' (Bronze, 27 mm, 13.71 g, 6 h), a contemporary imitation. AYT K M ΟΠ CЄ MAKPINOC CЄ Laureate, draped and cuirassed bust of Macrinus to right, seen from behind. Rev. ΔHMAPX ЄΞ YΠATOC Π T Eagle standing facing, wings spread and head to left with wreath in beak; above his right wing, star; between legs, crescent. Cf. Prieur 823-828 (for obverse) and 833-838 (for reverse, but not retrograde). Beautifully struck and with very attractive earthen highlights on a dark olive green patina. Faint cleaning scratches and with a minor die break on the obverse, otherwise, extremely fine.

This is a very attractive contemporary imitation of a tetradrachm of Macrinus from Carrhae, struck in bronze rather than billon and mismatching the laurel portrait of the bull head issue (Prieur 823-828) with the crescent reverse (Prieur 833-838). What is most curious about this coin, however, is that the die cutter completely mirrored the reverse: not only does the eagle face in the wrong direction, the legend is retrograde, too!