Pacatian - Rare Usurper

Sale: CNG 81, Lot: 1113. Estimate $5000.  Closing Date: Wednesday, 20 May 2009.  Sold For $6500. This amount does not include the buyer’s fee.

Pacatian. Usurper, circa AD 248-249. AR Antoninianus (4.53 g, 8h). Viminacium mint. 1st emission. Radiate, draped, and cuirassed bust right / Pax standing left, holding olive branch and scepter. RIC IV 5a; Szaivert, Beginn 4; RSC 6a; Hunter -. VF, toned, minor cleaning scratches beneath tone. Very rare.

From the Gordon S. Parry Collection. Ex Sternberg XXVI (16 November 1992), lot 403; Münzen und Medaillen AG FPL 321 (March 1971), no. 36.

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.