115 AD., Rome mint for Syria, Trajan, orichalcum As, RIC 647.

Trajan, Rome mint for Syria, 115 AD.,
orichalcum As (23-24 mm / 7,19 g),
Obv.: IMP CAES NER TRAIANO OPTIMO AVG GERM , radiate and draped bust right; before, between bust and legend, square countermark: laurel branch (Howgego 378).
Rev.: [DAC PARTHICO P M TR POT XX COS VI P P] , large S • C surrounded by oak wreath and legend.
RIC III 647 ; Cohen 122 ; BMC 1093 ; McAlee 509 ; for countermark: Howgego 177, 378 (69 pcs) .
the countermark was applied before 132-135 AD.

This unusual issue struck at the end of 115 is typically attributed to an eastern mint, usually Antioch. The issue consisted of the as and semis, both with radiate busts, and both struck on orichalcum flans. Metallurgical tests have shown that the orichalcum used is indistinguishable from the orichalcum used for Roman sestertii and dupondii and quite different from the orichalcum used for some provincial issues. This fact, along with the style of the portraiture and legend, and the die axis of 6:00 versus the normal 12:00 die axis for the Antioch mint, suggests that this issue was minted at Rome and shipped to Syria. See the two articles by Metcalf in ANSMN 20 (1975) and 22 (1977), and Carradice and Cowell's article in Num. Chron. (1987).