Sale: Nomos 1, Lot: 155. Estimate CHF10000.  Closing Date: Tuesday, 5 May 2009.  Sold For CHF10000. This amount does not include the buyer’s fee.

Septimius Severus. 193-211. Sestertius (Orichalcum, 26.32 g 6), Rome, 194. L SEPT SEV PERT AVG IMP III Laureate head of Septimius Severus to right Rev. VIRT AVG TR P II COS II P P / S C Virtus standing left, holding spear in his left hand and Victory in his right. BMC 511. Cohen 756. Hill 73. RIC 673. Rare. A wonderful coin with a superb portrait and a very attractive dark green patina. Extremely fine.

From the collections of a Gentleman and of Dr. E. P. Nicolas, Kampmann, 9 March 1982, 580.

This coin bears one of the most attractive of all the early portraits of Septimius Severus, produced shortly after he became emperor. Dr. E. P. Nicolas was a well-known French collector of Roman coins, who was renowned for his very good taste. His collection was sold in a number of sales, mostly anonymous (as was his immense collection of Republican silver that appeared as Leu 17, 3 May 1977), but the bulk of his imperial coins appeared in Kampmann’s 1982 named sale, which took place shortly after he died. This sale was famous for the great quality of many of the pieces, and for the often bargain prices at which they sold! The Nicolas pedigree is a very much appreciated one for Roman bronzes.