Third and Finest Known
Struck From Aureus Dies

CNG 96, Lot: 862. Estimate $30000. Sold for $70000. This amount does not include the buyer’s fee.

Uranius Antoninus. Usurper, AD 253-254. AR Denarius (19mm, 2.92 g, 12h). Emesa mint. L IVL ΛVR SVLP VPΛ ΛNTONINVS (sic), laureate, draped, and cuirassed bust right / [FE]CVNDITΛS ΛVG, Fortuna Redux standing left, holding rudder and cornucopia. Cf. RIC IV 3 and pl. 15, 16 (aureus; same rev. die); Baldus 71 = Baldus, Denare, B (same rev. die); Baldus, Denare, E = Leu 48, lot 401 = Lanz 100 (Leo Benz Collection), lot 331 (same dies); RSC –; cf. Calicó 3388/3385a (for obv./rev. dies on aurei). EF, toned. Third and finest known denarius of Uranius Antoninus.

Baldus published the only two other known denarii of Uranius Antoninus. One example (Baldus’ original catalog, number 71), donated to the BN in 1962, was formerly in the collection of Henri Seyrig and first published by Georges le Rider in BSFN 17/4 (April 1962). The second example (Baldus, Denare, E) appeared 27 years later, 1989, in Leu 48.