Tetricus I, Romano-Gallic Emperor BI Antoninianus. AD 271-274.

Rome mint. [ANTON]INVS AVG PIVS P P TR P X[...], laureate head to right / COS IIII, Vesta standing facing, head to left, sacrificing over altar with patera and holding palladium. Cf. RIC III 238. 2.48gr, 17mm, 6h.

Near Very Fine.

From the private collection of Kenneth Machin (1936-2020).

Struck at the frontiers of the empire, based on an issue minted in Rome under Septimius Severus and Caracalla, AD 200-205. P SEPT GETA CAES PONT, young, bareheaded and draped bust to right / PRI-NC IV-VENTVTIS, Geta, in military dress, standing to left, holding baton and sceptre; trophy to right. For prototype: RIC IV 18 var. (branch instead of baton); RSC 157b. 2.56gr, 18mm, 12h.

Good Very Fine.

Acquired from the vendor's grandfather in the 1990s. Property of an Essex collector.

'Limes Denarii' (misnomer) are more or less faithful bronze copies of silver Denarii, minted on the fringes of the empire out of necessity. Perhaps they may be officially sanctioned issues for use in regions where political unrest made it hazardous to ship large amounts of silver. These low value issues could have served troops on the front and been redeemable for good coinage when they returned to the stable regions. Were they a form of military scrip meant to keep large quantities of precious metal from falling into enemy hands in the event of a defeat?

Local imitation. [I]MP TETRICV[...], radiate bust to right / Blundered legend, female figure standing facing, head to left, holding palm branch with right and cornucopia with left hand. For prototype, cf. RIC V.1 80 (Hilaritas). 2.47gr, 17mm, 8h.

Good Very Fine.

From a London, UK, collection, 1990s.