432, Lot: 252. Estimate $200. Sold for $450. This amount does not include the buyer’s fee.

C. Servilius Vatia. Restored issue, 82-80 BC. AR Denarius (17mm, 3.86 g, 9h). Rome mint. Laureate head of Apollo right, hair rolled back and falling in two locks down neck; B above lituus to left; mark of value below chin; ROMA below / Battle on horseback between a man wielding shield in right hand and sword in raised left hand and man (M. Servilius Pulex Geminus) galloping left, and piercing with spear the other horseman, and holding shield inscribed M (Marcus); C • SER(VE)IL in exergue. Crawford 370/1b; Sydenham 720; Servilia 7; RBW 1390 (this coin). Good VF, toned, areas of find patina.

From the Andrew McCabe Collection. Ex RBW Collection (Part II, Numismatica Ars Classica 63, 17 May 2012), lot 166 (purchased by RBW from Malcolm Hay, December 1982).

The reverse type celebrates M. Servilius Pulex Geminus, who was elected augur in 211 BC and held that office for about forty years, and was consul in 202 BC. According to Plutarch, he received numerous wounds in twenty-three single combats, being victorious in all (Plutarch, Paulus Aemilius, xxxi).