Sale: Triton XII, Lot: 685. Estimate $750.  Closing Date: Monday, 5 January 2009.  Sold For $1100. This amount does not include the buyer’s fee.

Caracalla. AD 198-217. AR Antoninianus (5.48 g, 12h). Rome mint. Struck AD 215. ANTONINVS PIVS AVG GERM, radiate and cuirassed bust right / P M TR P XVIII COS IIII P P, Luna, with fold of drapery floating around and above head, driving a biga of oxen left. RIC IV 256c; RSC 294; BMCRE 121. Superb EF.

Caracalla’s portrait on Antoniniani bears the radiate crown of the sun god Sol. His mother, Julia Domna, was associated with Luna Lucifera, “the light-bearing Moon”, thus the portrayal of Luna Lucifera on the reverse of this coin. The identifiction of the imperial family with the Sun and Moon speaks of the eternal nature of the dynasty.