About the temple on the reverse
The temple on the obverse has four columns and a four acroterion frontispiece (the acroterion being an ornamental statue placed on a pedestal, at the ends of a frontispiece or atop of it). The frontispiece itself is the crowning structure of the building, having three sides and being bordered by a cornice. It is very possible that the engraver represented the very Tomitan temple of Dionysos and not just any temple.
About the denomination
On this coin we see the denomination value as the letter Δ, placed on the temple roof. Letter Δ being the fourth of the alphabet, the coin is worth 4, so it is a four assaria coin. Denomination assarion was used for the name of bronze coins issued by several towns on the western and northern border of the Black Sea (Tomis, Callatis, Chersones, Tyras, Olbia and plenty more). Here at Tomis were struck coins of 1 assarion, 2, 3, 4 and 5 assaria, bearing as digits Α, Β, Γ, Δ and Ε.
It has to be noticed that denomination values appear on very few ancient coins. Consequently, a common metal coin is usually reffered to by letters AE (AE standing for Latin aes, generic term used for copper based alloys) followed by the diameter. Therefore this coin is an AE 26, but also a 4 assaria.
About the legends of the coin
The legend surrounding the temple - MHTPOΠ - shows that the city was a metropolis, capital city of the Pontic City Confederation; probably a good translation for MHTPOΠ ΠONTOY TOMEΩC would be Tomis, Metropolis of Pontus.
The legend attending the head of the emperor Geta is AV·K·Π·CEΠTI·ΓETAC·, standing for the Greek translation of the Latin IMP(erator) P(ublius) SEPTI(mius) GETA. The word imperator was translated by autocrator (autokrates in Greek meaning governing by one's self), IMP being replaced by AV. Letter K following AV is most probably short for Kaisar, Caesar.
About the dimples on the coin
On the obverse as well as on the reverse some tiny dimples can be seen (also clearly visible on several provincial Roman coins present on our site). The dimple on the portrait of Geta leaves the impression that the emperor was wearing an earring! The signification of these dimples is not completely clear, the most common opinion being that they served a certain purpose during minting. So, they would be some sort of centering holes.
About emperor Geta
Geta (Publius Septimius Severus Geta) was emperor of Rome between 211 and 212, ruling along his brother Caracalla (Marcus Aurelius Antoninus). His father the emperor Septimius Severus granted him in 198 the title of Caesar and in 209 the title of Augustus. Geta was murdered by Caracalla, leaving the later as only standing emperor.