324, Lot: 410. Estimate $100. Sold for $900. This amount does not include the buyer’s fee.

Pescennius Niger. AD 193-194. AR Denarius (19mm, 2.23 g, 7h). Antioch mint. [I]MP CAES C PES-CEN NIGR(sic) IVS AV, laureate head right / FORTVNA-E REDV, Fortuna seated left, holding branch and cornucopia. RIC IV 21 var. (obv. and rev. legends); RSC 22 var. (same). Near VF, toned, large scrape across the portrait. Possibly an unpublished combination of legends.

Following the death of Pertinax in AD 193, and the “sale” of the Roman throne by the Praetorian Guard to Didius Julianus, the governor of Syria, Pescennius Niger, was hailed emperor by the legions under his command. Septimius Severus, who had been proclaimed emperor by the Danubian legions at about the same time, first secured his power by subduing Rome, then marched to encounter Niger. In the ensuing battles, Severus proved to be the stronger adversary and Niger was overtaken as he attempted escape to Parthia. He was executed and his head was sent to Severus, who then ruthlessly slaughtered the rest of Niger's family.