Diocletian, 284-305. Sestertius (Bronze, 23 mm, 6.99 g, 7 h), Rome, circa 286-287. IMP DIOCLETIANVS AVG Laureate and draped bust of Diocletian to right, seen from behind. Rev. IOVI CONSERVAT AVGG Jupiter standing front, head to left, holding thunderbolt in his right hand and long scepter in his left. Cohen 226 corr. (bust type). Hunter -. RIC -, cf. 199 (IOVI CONSERVATORI AVGG). Triton X (2007), 752 (same dies). Voetter, Kupferprägung, p. 276, -, cf. 5 (IOVI CONSERVATORI AVGG). Very rare, the final emission of Roman sestertii. An unusually attractive example with a lovely green patina and an excellent early portrait. Slightly rough and with minor deposits and traces of corrosion, otherwise, good very fine.



Although these pieces are sometimes classified as asses, they are almost certainly the last sestertii in Roman history. Introduced in the Republican period as a silver denomination, the sestertius had, since the reforms of Augustus, become the dominant large aes coin of everyday circulation in the Roman monetary system. Following the rapid currency debasement of the 3rd century, sestertii were struck only sporadically after Gallienus; only Aurelian and Severina produced one final substantial issue. All subsequent sestertii are very rare, especially in such exceptional condition as the present specimen, with its magnificent early portrait of Diocletian.