Triton XXII, Lot: 846. Estimate $1000. Sold for $3500. This amount does not include the buyer’s fee.

L. Papius. 79 BC. AR Serrate Denarius (18mm, 3.89 g, 6h). Rome mint. Head of Juno Sospita right, wearing goat-skin headdress; spearhead to left / Griffin springing right; deformed foot below; L • PAPI in exergue. Crawford 384/1 (symbols 93); Sydenham 773; Papia 1; BMCRR Rome 3069; RBW 1412-3 var. (symbols). Superb EF, light iridescent toning. Interesting reverse symbol.

From the Alan J. Harlan Collection, purchased from Edward J. Waddell.

The deformed foot was also employed as a secondary symbol on a denarius of P. Furius Crassipes, circa 84 BC. In that case it was a punning reference to his cognomen, which means “thick footed” in Latin. Its meaning here is unknown.