Resources > Ancient and Medieval Coin Identification Help

A puzzling Septimius Severus denarius. Barb?

(1/1)

maridvnvm:
I have this denarius of Septimius Severus which I find quite a puzzler. I keep looking at it and putting it back down again.

I will describe what I can see even if it doesn't really make much sense!

Obv:- IMP C L SEPTIMIV - S AVG [....], Laureate bust right
Rev:- PACI AI - GOSTI, Securitas seated left, resting left arm on chair, holding globe in right hand

The bust style seems quite good, the lettering seems well executed on the whole even if the legends don't make sense to me. The use of Securitas on a PACI reverse legend seems peculiar. The reverse seems relatively well executed. The silver looks to be lower quality than normal.

Can anyone give me an opinion on this? Is it simply an interesting Barb? It was found by a detectorist in England with some other coins and I do not doubt that it is ancient.

Regards,
Martin

curtislclay:
Yes, clearly "barb", a contemporary imitation. 
Interesting because of the jumbled type and legend, and because struck in silver alloy not bronze.

maridvnvm:
Many thanks for the confirmation Curtis. It simply couldn't be anything other than a Barb but I thought it interesting enough to share with everyone. The bust style is good though the reverse detail is not as good as it should be it is reasonably well executed. The odd obverse egend and mixed up reverse legend and reverse type made it an interesting enough addition.
Regards,
Martin

Navigation

[0] Message Index