Freeman & Sear - Gemini I, Session 2

Lot: 396

ROMAN EMPIRE: Septimius Severus. AD 193-211. AV aureus 
(7.15 gm).

ROMAN EMPIRE. Septimius Severus (AD 193-211). Gold 
aureus (7.15 gm). Rome, AD 202. SEVER P AVG P M TR P X 
COS III, laureate, draped, cuirassed bust of Septimius 
right / FELICITAS SAECVLI, facing bust of Julia Domna, 
draped, between profile busts of Caracalla, laureate, 
draped, and cuirassed, on left facing right, and Geta, 
draped, cuirassed, and bare-headed, on right facing 
left. Calicó 2592a (same reverse die). Reverse bust 
variant of BMCRE 380, Cohen 5 (280 Fr.), and RIC 181c 
(R3). Nearly mint state 

The busts of Caracalla and Geta are draped and cuirassed 
on our coin, not draped only as on BMCRE 380 and Cohen 
5. The reverse die of our coin had earlier been used, in 
a less worn state, with Septimius' first obverse legend 
of 202 naming him TR P X but not COS III, and even with 
the obverse legend SEVERVS AVG PART MAX of early 201, 
see Calicó 2590 and 2592 and BMCRE pl. 37, 5. These are 
the famous aurei depicting the whole Severan family. 
Production of the type began in 201, as already 
indicated, but the present coin is its latest version, 
struck in 202, the year the imperial family returned 
from the east to Rome in order to celebrate Septimius' 
decennalia and Caracalla's marriage to Plautilla and to 
distribute a largesse of ten aurei per recipient to the 
people of Rome. It seems very probable that some or all 
of the aurei distributed at this largesse were precisely 
the dynastic types that were struck that year and the 
year before. 
Estimated Value: $ 15,000 


...Sold for $14,000 USD [ approx 10640 EUR, 7420 GBP ] plus 15% buyers fee. 

Gemini I Auction Closed Jan 11-12, 2005. 

Re-used by permission of Freeman & Sear (www.freemanandsear.com) 
     and Harlan J Berk (www.harlanjberk.com).