Sale: CNG 72, Lot: 1577. Estimate $200.  Closing Date: Wednesday, 14 June 2006.  Sold For $210. This amount does not include the buyer’s fee.

Caracalla. AD 198-217. AR Denarius (2.14 g, 12h). Struck circa AD 214. Laureate head right / Elephant walking right. Cf. RIC IV 199; K. Elks, “Coins of Caracalla with Altered Dies,” NC 1973, pp. 222-223 and pl. 15, 1 (same dies), cf. RSC 208. Good VF, flan crack, minor die wear on reverse.

The dies for this coin type were apparently first prepared in Caracalla’s fourteenth tribunician year, but were not used until into his fifteenth. As such, many of the reverse dies were originally inscribed TR P XIIII and re-engraved to TR P XV (cf. BMCRE p. 439, * note) resulting in a number of coins that appear to have erroneous tribunician dates.