Sale: Nomos 10, Lot: 105. Estimate CHF1200.  Closing Date: Sunday, 17 May 2015.  Sold For CHF2000. This amount does not include the buyer’s fee.

Pescennius Niger, 193-194. Denarius (Silver, 17mm, 3.60 g 6), Antioch. IMP CAES C PESC NIGER IVST AVG Laureate head of Pescennius Niger to right. Rev. MINER VICT Minerva standing left, helmeted, wearing aegis and holding Victory in her right hand and long spear in her left. BMC p. 73� = Cohen 53 = RIC 59 var. As Gorny & Mosch 142, 2684. With this obverse legend (lacking COS II), very rare. Very well struck and with a fine portrait. About extremely fine.

The coinage of Pescennius Niger is today quite rare, but it must have originally been struck in vast numbers. New die varieties (i.e. unpublished ones) constantly appear, bearing variant legends, types and portraits. In fact, after his defeat by Septimius Severus his coinage must have been very efficiently sought out, recalled and destroyed by the central government. Pieces as attractive as this one are very rare.