Extremely Rare with FELIX

CNG 85, Lot: 960. Estimate $500. Sold for $1100. This amount does not include the buyer’s fee.

Elagabalus. AD 218-222. AR Denarius (19mm, 3.60 g, 12h). Antioch mint. Struck AD 218-219. ANTONINVS PIVS FELIX AVG, laureate head right / CON-COR-DIA, MILIT in exergue, two vexilla flanking two signa. RIC IV 187 var. (FEL not FELIX); Thirion 345a var. (bust type); RSC 15d var. (same). Choice EF, attractively toned. Extremely rare, possibly unique.

While the full title FELIX is more commonly found on issues with FELICITAS TEMP reverse type, only two examples are cited for this issue with CONCORDIA MILIT: a coin that was in the G.R. Arnold collection (per RSC), and Kress 144, lot 659 (per Thirion). It is unknown whether these two citations are to the same coin, as the Arnold piece was not in either of the sales of his collection, and is not otherwise published. In any event, both of those coins have a laureate, draped, and cuirassed bust on the obverse, which is the standard type used with the FELICITAS TEMP issue, though an example with only a laureate head has recently come to light: Gorny & Mosch 138, lot 2261 (from a different die than the present coin).