John Melville Jones' Dictionary of Ancient Roman Coins states that a hybrid (or mule) "is used to describe a coin which combines obverse and reverse types in an abnormal way. This may be simply the result of confusion within a mint, as when coins have two obverses or two reverses (for example Marcus Aurelius paired with Lucius Verus), or when coins of Hadrian which appear abnormal can be explained as the products of an eastern mint which used combinations unknown at Rome. A high proportion of hybrids, however, are plated, and this suggests that they are the work of counterfeiters using stolen dies."
John Melville Jones doesn't mean that these are modern fakes when he describes them as the product of counterfeiters. He is talking about ancient counterfeiters, possibly mint worker, doing some side work. Much about the ancient counterfeits is debated. Were the coins done at some type of official direction, were they made to make up for shortages in the coin supply, who made them, etc.? All of these are questions currently under debate.
In the case of Severus Alexander, there are a variety of Hybrids / Mules / Variants that exist. I use these words together as there is debate over which term is correct for a particular coin. Let's first look at a great ancient counterfeit:
Find anything unusual with this coin. The obverse looks fine, IMP CM AVR SEV ALEXAND AVG. Look at the reverse, PM TR P XVIII COSIII PP. Severus Alexander only made it to Tribunician Power XIIII in 235 AD. He never made it to XVIII. This reverse is actually RSC 282 for his cousin Caracalla. It is a great example of a plated denarius. Did someone at the mint make a mistake and pick up an old die? Did someone steal a couple of dies and start making them at home? Was this a political message? Who knows? Great to think about though!!
Here are two great non plated denarius. See if you can find the problem.
These coins are noted as RSC 470, RIC 271. Obverse looks fine but check out the reverse again. PONTIF MAX TR P II COS II P P. Looking at my Reference Page you see that he was bestowed the tribunician power designated as PMTRPII in 223 but didn't receive the 2nd Consulship (COS II) until 226 AD. In 226 he should have been PMTRPV and COS II. If this is the case then why do we see this combination on these coins? As both RSC and RIC point out, this reverse is probably from a die for Elagabalus. His tribunician power of PMTRPII lined up with 2nd Consulship (COS II). This coin is therefore a hybrid. BMC page 86 explains this coin as a mistake in the mint assuming that the emperor would again assume the consulship and therefore does not believe it is a hybrid. Either hybrid or not, it makes for interesting coins.
This is one of the great things about the coinage of Severus Alexander. There is such a variety of it available. Hybrids / Mules / Variants can be widely found. They will provide scholars with an interesting area to continue research into why they exist and who made them and for what reason. Next time you are searching through coins at a dealer or on line, keep an eye out for a hybrid.
Also see: Doug Smith Page on a Mule.
