Commodus, 177-192. Sestertius (Bronze, 30 mm, 9.00 g), a contemporary cast imitation ('limes-falsum'). Irregular mint, after 183. [M COMMODVS ANTONINVS AVG PIVS] Laureate head of Commodus to right. Rev. [TEMPORVM / FELICITAS] The four seasons, represented as four boys at play. Cf. Cohen 729 and RIC 382 (for prototype). A very interesting 'limes-falsum' of an extremely rare type. Fine.


Find spots indicate that so-called Limes-falsa - crude cast copies of Roman bronze coinage - were probably produced as emergency money at military sites along the northern frontier, perhaps when supplies of officially struck coins were temporarily interrupted. Their workmanship is usually poor, and they were likely meant less as counterfeits than as a stopgap until regular coin arrived again.