Restored Issue Under Trajan–Hadrian

CNG 102, Lot: 842. Estimate $1000. Sold for $1100. This amount does not include the buyer’s fee.

Augustus. 27 BC-AD 14. AR Denarius (20mm, 3.74 g, 6h). Restitution issue. Rome mint. Struck under Trajan–Hadrian, circa 98-138 AD. Laureate head right / Gaius and Lucius Caesar standing facing, each resting hand on shield set on ground; behind the shields, two crossed spears; above, on left, a simpulum left, and on right, lituus right. RIC I –; RSC –; BMCRE 536, pl. 13, 18 corr. (misattributed to the reign of Augustus). Good VF, toned, a few light marks and scratches. Very rare.

The style and fabric of this coin suggest that it belongs to an anonymous restitution issue of either Trajan or Hadrian. The restitution issues of Trajan are well known since the coins are marked with Trajanic legends. The fact that this coin retains its original legend without any mention of the issuer suggests that it is not part of the great restitution series of Trajan, but part of an earlier or later anonymous issue. Apart from style, on all known specimens the lituus has a split base and is turned to the right, and the simpulum is large, rather bulbous, and turned to the left, features not seen on the issues of Augustus.