CNG 85, Lot: 71. Estimate $150. Sold for $390. This amount does not include the buyer’s fee.

Antoninus Pius. AD 138-161. AR Denarius (18mm, 3.07 g, 5h). Posthumous mule with reverse type of Marcus Aurelius. Rome(?) mint. Struck circa AD 164. ANTONINVS AVG PI VS P P TR P COS III, laureate head right / TP P XV[III IMP II CO]S III, Armenia seated left in attitude of mourning, resting arm on bow to right; shield to left, vexillum behind, ARMEN in exergue. Cf. RIC III 85 (Aurelius – for rev. type); cf. RSC 6 (same). Fine, a few scrapes and edge split. Extremely rare mule, and apparently unpublished.

From the R.A. Collection.

Though clearly reading ‘COS III’ at the end of the obverse legend, the reverse type employed on this interesting mule is in fact one from Antoninus Pius’ adopted son Marcus Aurelius–a type utilized 20 years after Pius received that title for the fourth time, and three years after his very death.