Rare Commodus Sestertius

I can say September has been my best month to acquire some new ancients this year. And they all have something special about them.

First to share is a Commodus Sestertius featuring a rare reverse type.

I only found one other example & Curtis confirmed its rarity.


Commodus (177 - 192 A.D.)
Æ Sestertius
O: L AEL AVREL COMM AVG P FEL, Laureate head right.
R: SAL GEN HVM COS VI PP SC Salus standing left, holding serpent-entwined scepter and extending hand to raise person kneeling right.
Rome Mint 191 A.D.
24.44g
33mm
RIC III 600; MIR 18, 829-6/30; Banti 370

Pending Wildwinds Publishing

 

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Very cool! I love how similar that reverse looks to the much later Reparatio coins.


My sole Commodus sestertius is of a rather young Commodus. Nothing too special on the reverse.

 

The type is also found in silver but mine is very ordinary. Perhaps there is a reason for the issue being less common?
https://www.acsearch.info/search.ht...de=1&fr=1&it=1&es=1&ot=1&currency=usd&order=1

 

Nice coin, Doug. It would be interesting if there was more info regarding this reverse type & why it's scarce.

 

Great coin @Mat

 

MIR cites BMCRE 682 as their exemplar for the coin.


I think yours may be a double die match to the British Museum specimen.

 

Looks like a DM to me. I wonder what happened on the BM specimen - the head of the snake and part of the staff are missing.
Did ancient coins have grease-filled dies???

 

Thanks for finding/posting it. I updated my forvm gallery with that.

And agree, looks like a die match for both sides. Heck, even the wear almost matches.

 

Great capture, @Mat ! Nice looking Sestertius.