295, Lot: 489. Estimate $100. Sold for $70. This amount does not include the buyer’s fee.

Tacitus. AD 275-276. Antoninianus (22mm, 3.88 g, 1h). Rome mint, 6th officina. 1st emission, November AD 275. Radiate, draped, and cuirassed bust right / Mars standing left, holding branch, shield, and spear; Z. RIC -; BN 1549. VF, partially silvered, cleaning scratches. Rare.

This coin is from Tacitus' rare first issue at Rome, the mint city closest to his location at the time of his accession. No coins of this issue were known until the discovery of the Venèra hoard, which contained five examples. Since that time, only a few more have come to light, but enough to establish the makeup of the entire emission, with all officinae represented, A-Z.