Interesting Overstrike

402, Lot: 476. Estimate $75. Sold for $220. This amount does not include the buyer’s fee.

Divus Augustus. Died AD 14. Æ As (28mm, 10.96 g, 12h). Contemporary imitation of a Rome issue struck under Tiberius, circa AD 22/23-30. Radiate head left / Altar, with closed, double-panelled door; acroteria above to left and right. Cf. RIC I 81 (Tiberius, for official). Fine, brown surfaces with touches of green, cleaning marks and scratches. Overstruck on an Æ As of Gaius (Caligula), cf. RIC I 38.

A fascinating coin, which seems to contradict the dating assigned to this Divus Augustus As type, which is assigned by the authors of RIC to the reign of Tiberius, with a striking period of circa AD 22/23-30. The reverse of this coin, though, clearly shows the legend ...GERMANICVS P... and the top of Gaius’ head to the left. As this is the undertype, beneath the altar, one is left to speculate that perhaps this Divus Augustus As type was actually struck during Gaius’ reign or later. More likely, the coin is an imitation of the early reign of Claudius, as indicated by the exaggerated acroteria on the altar and the odd style of the portrait.