Very Rare KARVS

177, Lot: 203. Estimate $75. Sold for $310. This amount does not include the buyer’s fee.

Carus. AD 282-283. Antoninianus (23mm, 2.77 g, 6h). Ticinum mint, 4th officina. 1st emission, 2nd phase, October AD 282. IMP C M AVR KARVS P F AVG, Radiate, draped, and cuirassed bust right / VIRT-V-S AVG, Virtus standing right, holding spear and shield. RIC V 91 var. (obv. legend); Pink VI/2, p. 26; Venèra 267 (same rev. die). VF, some silvering remaining, light roughness, light cleaning marks. Very rare with KARVS.

This coin is from the earliest issue of coins of Carus at Ticinum, the mint closest to Carus at the time of his accession. The first emission consists of two phases, the first without, and the second with, mintmark. Coins with both spellings of Carus' name, KARVS and CARVS, are known for each phase, which proves that they were on coins issued concurrently, not consecutively (it was originally thought that the "Greek" name was on earlier issues, and the "Latin" name was used after corrected dies were made). The reason for the “Greek” version of his name occurring on the coins is unknown, but it is possibly the result of an eastern celator brought to the mint who mistakenly engraved the name in this form.