Triton XVI, Lot: 150. Estimate $150. Sold for $300. This amount does not include the buyer’s fee.

TAURIC CHERSONESOS, Chersonesos. Circa AD 47/8-54/5. Æ (27mm, 10.34 g, 6h). Dated CY 78 (AD 54/5). Head of Chersonas right, wearing laurel wreath; HO (date) to left, X, serpent, and XEP to right / Nike advancing left, holding wreath in extended right hand and cradling palm frond in left arm; monogram to left. Anokhin 851 corr. (c not noted on obv.); Anokhin, Khersonesa 222 corr. (same); RPC I 1944 var. (obv. legends); SNG Pushkin 705 var. (same); SNG Stancomb 953 var. (same); Sutzu II –. Near VF, greenish-brown and red patina. Extremely rare, one of only three known.

From the Alex Shubs Collection.

Although Anokhin does not note the X on the obverse above the serpent, it seems to be present on the example he cites, but is mostly off the flan. The letter apparently was added late in this dated year, and retained on the subsequent, undated issues (cf. Anokhin 852 and Sutzu II 58).

This coin was issued while Rome was at war against Mithradates III of the Cimmerian Bosporos, who had been forcibly removed from the throne by the emperor Claudius circa 45 BC, replacing him with Cotys I. During this conflict, the Roman Legion X was stationed at Chersonesos.