281, Lot: 355. Estimate $100. Sold for $95. This amount does not include the buyer’s fee.

Septimius Severus. AD 193-211. Fourrée Denarius (19mm, 3.13 g, 12h). Laodicea mint. Struck AD 195. L SEPT SEVER P-ERT AVG IMP VI, laureate head right / Fortuna standing left, holding rudder and cornucopia. RIC IV -; RSC -. EF.

There are a variety of legends to be found on the denarii of Laodicea from the early part of Septimius’ reign, all of which should be attributed to illiterate or semi-illiterate die engravers working at the mint. The style of the engraving on this coin matches perfectly other official denarii from there, so the fact that it is fourrée coupled with the unusual and otherwise unknown obverse legend, while suggestive that it is imitative, is not in itself conclusive.