Septimius Severus, 193-211. Denarius (Silver, 19 mm, 3.45 g, 12 h), Rome, 203. SEVERVS PIVS AVG Laureate head of Septimius Severus to right. Rev. INDVLGENTIA•AVGG / IN CARTH Dea Caelestis, holding drum in her right hand and scepter with her left, seated facing on lion leaping to right, with crag to left from which water flows. BMC 334. Cohen -. RIC 267a. An excellent example of this rare variety. Extremely fine.


This type, with Dea Caelestis holding a drum rather than a thunderbolt, is an early variety of the popular IN CARTH series. Its rarity indicates that this was a short-lived emission, probably because the mint realized that the drum is an attribute of Cybele rather than Dea Caelestis and therefore decided to change the type to avoid confusion.