Roman Silver & Bronze Coins - Imperial

Lot 3346    SESSION 7 (9.30AM THURSDAY 30TH JULY)    Roman Silver & Bronze Coins - Imperial

Estimate $150
Bid at live.noble.com.au
SOLD $120

ELAGABALUS, (A.D. 218-222), silver denarius, Rome mint, issued A.D. 221, (2.97 g), obv. laureate beardless bust of Elagabalus draped to right, divine horn projecting over his forehead, around IMP ANTONINVS PIVS AVG, rev. around P M TR P IIII COS III P P, Elagabalus in Syrian priestly robes standing left holding patera and club (or branch), bull's head at feet, star in right field, (cf.S.7518, RIC -, RSC 201-203 var, Lueckger 14). Lightly toned, nearly extremely fine and a very rare early variant.

Ex Dr V.J.A. Flynn Collection. This is the very rare early variant that was later changed to depict an altar in front of the bull's head. It was apparently first published in the Hess-Leu auction 41 in 1969. C.Clay records only four specimens known. There are no specimens of this type in CoinArchives and the vast majority of known types depict the altar in front of the bull's head.