120, Lot: 113. Estimate $100. Sold for $117. This amount does not include the buyer’s fee.

ANONYMOUS ISSUES. Time of Domitian, 81-96 AD. Æ Tessera (16mm, 2.01 g). Two horseshoes within serpent-headed torque / TRI-VMP, IO-IO across field, olive-branch. BMCRE pg. 412, note 7; R. Göbl, Antike Numismatik, pl. 9, 101; Cohen pp. 267, 1. VF, brown surfaces, lightly porous.

This enigmatic type belongs to a class of pseudo-currency some of which may have been intended to circulate as low-value denominations (mostly quadrantes), whilst others doubtless served non-numismatic functions, such as tickets or gambling counters. The precise meaning of the types and legends is unclear, though there seems to be some association with a military triumph. The connection with Domitian appears to be established by a coin with similar reverse bearing a bust of Minerva on obverse and the inscription IMP DOMIT AVG GERM (cf. Cohen 300, no authority cited).

From the Tony Hardy Collection.