The Usurper Pacatian

Sale: Triton XII, Lot: 736. Estimate $5000.  Closing Date: Monday, 5 January 2009.  Sold For $5000. This amount does not include the buyer’s fee.

Pacatian. Usurper, circa AD 248-249. AR Antoninianus (4.71 g, 8h). Viminacium mint. 1st emission. IMP TI CL MAR PACATIANVS AVG, radiate, draped, and cuirassed bust right / CONCORDIA MILITVM, Concordia seated left, holding patera in right hand, cradling double cornucopia in left arm. RIC IV 1a; Szaivert, Beginn 2; RSC 2; Hunter -. Near VF, toned, find deposits, minor roughness. Very rare.

From the White Mountain Collection. Ex Franz Trau Collection (Gilhofer & Ranschburg and Hess, 22 May 1935), lot 2773.

Very little is known of the usurper Tiberius Claudius Marinus Pacatianus, who seized power in Upper Moesia in AD 248. Most of our information about Pacatian comes from his coinage. Viminacium is the most probable site for his mint, and a comparison with the local aes coinage shows remarkable similarity of style. Seven different reverses were used on the antoniniani of Pacatian -- Concordia, Felicitas, Fides, Fortuna, Pax, Roma and Victory -- all common themes in the third century. Such a variety of reverse types would suggest a large issue of coins, though today all coins of Pacatian are very rare, with only about 100 specimens of all varieties known.