Septimius Severus, 193-211. Sestertius (Orichalcum, 32 mm, 21.45 g, 12 h), Rome, 196. L SPT SEV PE-RT AVG IMP VIII Laureate and cuirassed bust of Septimius Severus to right, seen from behind. Rev. P M TR [P V COS II P P] / S - C Victory advancing left, holding a wreath in her right hand and palm over her left shoulder in her left. BMC 591. Cohen 420. RIC 725. A highly interesting overstrike. Areas of weakness and with a scratch on the obverse, otherwise, good fine.


On the reverse of this piece, the legend ADVENTVI AVG appears on the right, although it is incompatible with the Victory type. The coin is an overstrike, more precisely a so-called 'Kraay overstrike,' in which mint workers used two different reverse dies alternately and in rapid succession with the same anvil die, accidentally striking the reverse twice in succession with different types. The undertype is the ADVENTVI AVG FELICISSIMO type of 196, showing the emperor on horseback being led to the right by Virtus (RIC 719); the horse’s tail is still visible to the right of Victory. The Victory type must therefore likewise date to 196, making it RIC 725.