The Wonderful World of Ancient Coin Collecting
Coinage of the Roman Empire


Obverse
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Reverse
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Coin Details

  

Set Details
Coin Description:
Grade: NGC Ch VF Strike: 4/5 Surface: 4/5
Grade Comment: lt. smoothing
Owner: RAM-VT
 
Set Category: Ancients
Set Name: The Wonderful World of Ancient Coin Collecting
Slot Name: Coinage of the Roman Empire
Research: Currently not available

Owner's Description

Roman Provincial Coinage Issue from Nikopolis ad Istrum - Magistrate Pollenius Auspex Septimius Severus AE29 Grade: Ch. VF: Strike 4/5: Surface 4/5 Census - NGC does not provide census info on ancient coins :>( Obv.: AV KAI CE? CEVEHPOC P, laureate, draped, cuirassed bust right Rev.: ??? ??? ?VC????C ??????? ???C, Herakles standing right with club, lion skin and bow (I don't understand the problem with the Greek letters - when I hit save they show up as I put them in. When I leave the edit screen they are gone??????????) This coin was issued by the magistrate Pollenius Auspex who evidently held office for only a short time at the beginning of Septimius' reign, before being transferred to Britain, where he was Governor from c200 to 205 AD after the defeat of Clodius Albinus. As a result of this short reign everything I have been able to find out about this coin implies it is either rare or very rare. Auspex rates a mention by Cassius Dio: "This Auspex was the cleverest man imaginable for jokes and chit-chat, for despising all mankind, gratifying his friends, and taking vengeance on an enemy. Many bitter and witty sayings of his are reported, addressed to various persons, many even to Severus himself. Here is one of the latter kind. When the emperor was enrolled in the family of Marcus, Auspex said: "I congratulate you, Caesar, upon finding a father," implying that up to that time he had been fatherless by reason of his obscure birth." My cost was $160

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