Septimius Severus. Sestertius

Septimius Severus; 193-211 AD, Rome, 195 AD, Sestertius, 24.90g. BMC-p. 143, b, citing C-633 (Paris). Obv: L SEPT SEV PERT - AVG IMP VII Bust laureate r., with fold of cloak on front shoulder. Rx: SAECVLI F[ELICITAS] on l. and r., S - C across field, Felicitas standing l., placing r. foot on prow and holding caduceus and cornucopia. Ex Curtis L. Clay Collection; ex Ancient Auction House, eBay, 3 Jan. 2004. This is apparently a mule struck from an earlier obverse die, since when IMP V advanced to IMP VII in this issue, the descriptive reverse legends like SAECVLI FELICITAS were all meant to be replaced by a legend recording the emperor's latest titles, namely DIVI M PII F P M TR P III COS II P P. Only one coin, a sestertius in Paris, was known to combine a descriptive reverse legend with IMP VII on the obverse; our coin seems to be the second known, and is from the same dies as the Paris specimen.. F