436, Lot: 679. Estimate $300. Sold for $801. This amount does not include the buyer’s fee.

Philip II. AD 247-249. AR Antoninianus (22.5mm, 4.43 g, 1h). Ludi Saeculares (Secular Games) issue, commemorating the 1000th anniversary of Rome. Antioch mint. AD 247-248. IMP M IVL PHILIPPVS AVG, radiate, draped, and cuirassed bust right / AETERNITAS AVGG, elephant adorned with saddle-cloth walking left, guided by mahout, holding goad and wand. RIC IV 246 var. (AVG on rev.); Bland Study 67; RSC 5 var. (same). EF, lightly toned, with some residual luster. Rare with AVGG reverse. Bland knows of only eight examples.

From the William Whetstone Collection.

RIC has elephant walking right. Both RIC and RSC list the reverse as AVG but RIC then points back to Philip I reverse on #58 which has the AVGG reverse. Neither mentions that the right facing bust is from the front.