| Harlan J. Berk, Ltd. > Buy or Bid Sale 227 | Auction date: 14 May 2024 |
| Lot number: 28 Price realized: This lot is for sale in an upcoming auction - Bid on this lot  | Show similar lots on CoinArchives Find similar lots in upcoming auctions on  |
| Lot description: Antoninus Pius. Denarius; Antoninus Pius; 138-161 AD, Rome, 140-144 AD, Denarius, 2.53g. Cf. BMC-224 note (T.O. Mabbott Coll.). Obv: ANTONINVS AVG PI - VS P P TR P COS III Head laureate r. Rx: PIETA - S AVG Pietas standing l., dropping incense on small lighted altar and holding box at side. Ex Curtis L. Clay Collection; ex Ancient Auction House, eBay, 17 Nov. 2002. On aurei, this PIETAS type is known in two variants, both sharing the same obverse die: Pietas may sacrifice at an ordinary round altar (Strack, pl. II, 97) or at a candelabrum altar (BM pl. 5.18). A similar PIETAS AVG denarius was reported by H. Mattingly in 1940 as being in the T.O. Mabbott Collection (BMC 224 note), but unfortunately without clarifying which of the two altar variants it showed, nor was this denarius included in the sale catalogue of Mabbott's Roman coins in 1969. In any case we now know that the "round altar" variant of this type was struck in silver as well as in gold; perhaps a "candelabrum altar" denarius will also turn up some day.. VF Estimate: 425 USD |  |
