Sale: Nomos 6, Lot: 192. Estimate CHF175.  Closing Date: Monday, 7 May 2012.  Sold For CHF280. This amount does not include the buyer’s fee.

Philip I. AD 244-249. Antoninianus (Silver, 4.54 g 12), Antioch, 247. IMP M IVL PHILIPPVS AVG Radiate, draped and cuirassed bust of Philip I to right. Rev. P M TR P IIII COS II PP Felicitas standing left, holding long caduceus tipped staff in her right hand and cornucopiae in her left. Cohen 130. RIC 75A. A particularly bold and very well struck example. Good extremely fine.

Antioch began producing antoniniani, more correctly double denarii under Gordian III and actually struck millions of them; these huge issues, along with billon tetradrachms, continued under Philip I. But the simple fact is that the great speed with which these coins were struck resulted in huge numbers of coins that were lightly struck or otherwise imperfect. Perfectly struck examples like this are actually uncommon.