Description
Marcus Aurelius Antoninus, Roman Emperor of the Nerva-Antonine Dynasty 161-180 AD, Æ Sestertius (27.35g, 35mm), Rome mint Dec. 162 – Dec. 163 AD. Obverse: Laureate head of Marcus Aurelius facing to the right, drapery over far-left shoulder, legend surrounds, “IMP CΛES M ΛVREL ΛNTONINVS ΛVG PM”. Reverse: Salus stands to the left, draped in stola and holding sceptre in left arm and feeding serpent rising from altar with right, “S C” to field, “COS III” in exergue, legend surrounds, “SΛLVTI ΛVGVSTOR TR P XVII”. RIC-844. Struck on a broad flan and with a deep, dark patina, some clear smoothing of the fields, typical of large bronzes, otherwise a bold piece with a nice portrait, details Very Fine or a bit better.
The obverse Latin legend reads “Imperātor Mārcus Aurēlius Antōnīnus Augustus, Pontifex Maximus”, naming the emperor’s regnal name as well as his title of “Chief High Priest of the College of Pontiffs”. The reverse Latin legend reads unabridged as “Salūtī Augustōrum, Tribūnīciā Potestās septimum decimum”, with an English translation of “Safety of the Augusti, invested with Tribunician Power for the seventeenth time”.
