422, Lot: 522. Estimate $500. Sold for $700. This amount does not include the buyer’s fee.

Antoninus Pius. AD 138-161. Æ Sestertius (33mm, 28.30 g, 12h). Rome mint. Struck circa AD 141-143. Laureate head right / Moneta standing left, holding pomegranate, scales, and cornucopia. RIC III 611; Banti 241. Near EF, dark green patina, some red. Rare. Banti knew of seven examples.

Ex Freeman & Sear 4 (14 January 1998), lot 341.

The Freeman and Sear catalogue commented on this reverse by saying: “The goddess of the Roman mint here holds what appears to be a small bulging bag, presumably containing coins, in addition to her usual balance. Cohen noted the variety, tentatively identifying the object as a pomegranate, whilst on the very worn BM piece it is merely described as a ‘round object’. The excellent preservation of this specimen would seem to offer a satisfactory solution to the problem.”