Very Rare Commemorative Sestertius

275, Lot: 153. Estimate $200. Sold for $1500. This amount does not include the buyer’s fee.

Anonymous issues. Time of Gallienus, circa AD 268. Æ Sestertius (25mm, 10.17 g, 6h). Rome mint. GENIV-S PR, laureat head of the Genius of the Roman People right, wearing mural crown / Large S C; INT above, VRB below; all within wreath. RIC V 1 (Interregnum); Yonge B.2 (dies BB/bb); MIR 36 702i; Cohen 333. VF, green patina, some roughness. Very rare.

Property of Princeton Economics acquired by Martin Armstrong.

The reassignment of this peculiar issue to the end of the reign of Gallienus as opposed to the traditional placement during the interregnum between the death of Aurelian and the elevation of Tacitus has been convincingly argued by David Yonge. He bases his determination on flan manufacture, portrait style, and a comparative analysis of mid-third century Roman monetary denominations, and suggests that this issue was probably a commemorative issue in anticipation of Gallienus' entry into Rome after his victories over the Herulians and Goths at Naissus.