Laureate, draped, and cuirassed bust of Severus Alexander right on obverse. Spes advancing left, holding flower and raising hem of dress on reverse.

Obverse context. Severus Alexander, last of the Severan emperors, ruled from AD 222 to 235 under the strong influence of his mother Julia Mamaea, and was killed alongside her by mutinous troops on the Rhine.

Reverse context. Spes, the personification of Hope, was a long-standing figure in Roman coinage whose archaic flower-and-hem pose was borrowed from a fifth-century BC Greek prototype, here invoked as Spes Publica, the public hope vested in the emperor.

Lightly toned with some reverse die wear.

Golden and iridescent toning with some luster

Lightly toned with some underlying luster

Light iridescent tone with shallow cleaning marks in fields

Lightly toned with a few die breaks. Struck on a broad flan.

Colorful iridescent hues. Struck with fresh dies.

Hint of toning, spot of verdigris and scratch on reverse

Well struck on broad flan with much original luster, a few light scratches

Attractive iridescent tone with traces of deposits

Toned with shallow scratches visible under the tone.

Highly lustrous and brilliant with razor sharp reverse strike.


2/21/24	$110	XF	CNG	▼ −50%
12/13/23	$170	VF	CNG	▲ +25%
12/13/23	$140	XF	CNG	▼ −36%
11/15/23	$475	XF	CNG	▲ +118%
11/1/23	$110	XF	CNG	▼ −50%

Denarius of Severus AlexanderRIC IV 254

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