I’m reading this and boy is it at once exciting and frustrating…
Pedroni, Luigi, and Guido Devoto. “TESSERE DA UNA COLLEZIONE PRIVATA.” Archeologia Classica 47 (1995): 161–201. http://www.jstor.org/stable/44367457.
This object has no listed provenience. It is made of bone. Is it even ancient? I know of no close parallels. If it were sitting in the BM I’d put together a proposal to get it carbon dated, but I’ve no way of tracking the object.
The object is noteworthy because of its connection to the moneyer of RRC 344, Titurius Sabinus, and how he signed his name on some of his denarii. (see image below). BUT the TA only appears on a limited number of sub types and by no means the majority of all the moneyer’s coin types. Also the TA is an abbreviation for Tatius, a label for the ‘portrait head’ on the obverse.
It is a very odd object. Most ancient tessera are designed to be read horizontally, not vertically like this one. This object is also larger than most and the carving of the head is most unusual, clearly meant to echo the head on the coin.
With out more data, I feel I must regard it as a fantasy piece, not something from antiquity. Other tesserae are found in large numbers and follow standard types (nummularia: those used to seal bags of money, called gladitorial in the past; lusoria: those used as game pieces or in divination or both).
Liv Mariah Yarrow 