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GROUP J

The coins of Group J form a link between Classes I and III. The obverses of this group are distinguished by a circular eye truncated at the top by the eyebrow, and a round pupil superimposed on a horizontal line. On some coins, the horizontal line through the pupil may not be readily visible, particularly when viewing photographs. The noses are very similar to those of Class IV, but rather than having a clearly defined bead, they simply swell at the tip. The back of the neck is an extension of one of those hairs, as it was on Group H, and in this case, it is the lowest hair. This is maintained for the rest of Series Y with a single exception: where the back of the neck is formed from the second hair from the bottom, on Coin 81 (Group M). The truncation of the neck is again a solid line as in the earlier coins of Class I, and this feature is continued for the rest of Class III. The reverses are very similar to those of the previous group, with a few small but important differences in both the drivers' and the ponies' heads. The drivers' heads have acquired a lower "eyelid," although in the last coin of this group, it appears to be absent; the face of the pony changes from the form of the last group, where there is a bead for an eye and a comma-shaped cheek section, to the style of the following group, where the eye is omitted and the cheek section is enlarged with a notch at the top, thus representing the eye by a negative space.

The chronology is as follows:

Group

J

Coins

(64, 65), 66, 67 .

Chronology of Group J Coins

The obverse of Coin 64 follows the general description of the group; the small line appearing between the third and fourth curls of the head is due to a die break, and is not present on all of the coins.

The reverse is similar to the second variety of Coin 60, except that the lash of the inner emblem does not terminate in a bead in front of the pony's forehead, and there is a lower eyelid on the driver that connects to the top of the beads at the back of the head.

The obverse of Coin 65 is the same as the previous coin.

The reverse is similar to the first variety of Coin 60, but the lower eyelid of the driver, introduced in the previous coin, is now connected to the front of the face, forming a crutch shape.

The obverse of Coin 66 is the same as the two previous coins.

The reverse resembles Coin 64, except that the curve of the driver's eyelid echoes the curve of the front of the face, and the pony's cheek section is now notched as described at the beginning of this section.

The obverse of Coin 67 is an oddity; this is the only coin in Classes III and I that has whisks. The configuration of these whisks is unique to the entire Coriosolite series. Starting at the front of the head, the first whisk rises from between the forelock and the first curl in an "S" shape. Behind the top section, and touching it, is an outlined crescent that points downward; behind this, and also touching it, is an opposed crescent of the same form. This crescent connects to just beneath the curl of another whisk, which curves slightly downward and then turns up at a right angle before curving downward again, where a solid curl descends from it. The whisk then continues for a short length and terminates in an upward-curving crescent or leaf-shape.

Opposed to this crescent, and touching it, is another whisk of identical form, complete with curl, that is opposed to yet another whisk of the same form, their junction being slightly greater than a right angle. Opposed to the last crescent is another; this time, the curl is connected to the crescent rather than being placed further down the whisk, which, being only three beads long, gives the appearance of a scimitar-bladed knife with a single quillon.

Outside the central opposed crescents at the back of the head are two whisks, opposed and connected, each terminating in a solid curl. The lower of these whisks is of flattened "S" shape, the upper slightly irregular. The front of the neck is in form of a curl. The mouth ornament is open at the top, the higher branch terminating at the bead of the base of the nose, the lower branch terminating with a single bead for a mouth.

This elaborate arrangement of whisks may have been inspired by the whisks of Group A and B which are also opposed: all of the whisks in the other groups are repeated.

The reverse of Coin 67 also contains some novelties: generally, it resembles the previous coin, but the beaded line of the driver's head is replaced with a solid line connecting the curl to the arm. The curl of the driver's body does not terminate in the leaf-base shape, but is of even width and connects to the lowest segment of the driver's body, which is semi-circular. The pony's face is given two beads for a mouth, lending a human aspect to the face. The curl-and-leaf ornaments are similar to those on Coin 61, except that a line extends upwards from the inner ornament and then travels backward, where it becomes the diadem of the head above the pony. A further line travels from the outer ornament in a serpentine manner, to become the lower part of the face of the small head, ending at the nose bead.

Coins such as this seem to be deliberate novelties, and not a change in direction of the design evolution, although some of these features may be continued in varying forms. The reason for undertaking such radical design changes is difficult to assess: they may simply be indicative of boredom and the need to try something different, or perhaps they are showpieces designed to impress a contemporary; alternatively, they may be some way votive, or have some other religious significance which would make it sacrilegious to repeat the design.

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