For the past few years I have been buying mostly mid grade sestertii and only picking up a few stray small bronzes here and there when the price seemed too good to pass up. But all good things come to an end and of late I have been once again selling more than buying.
I still try to keep an eye out though and this green As of Severus Alexander caught my eye. The sellers 'pics' were not the best (outdoors and hand held) and I was hoping it might be better "in hand" (it isn't).
But I still rather like it and the Asses of the 3rd century are so very hard to find. It seems like despite the fact that Sear and RIC list plenty of varieties of 'Severan' asses you just don't see many being offered anywhere.
So the seller was/is in Romania which does not inspire a great deal of confidence on my part. But I did buy a 31 gram Republican "As" off this same fellow once when his feedback was around 20 ! I paid all of $20 (shipping included) for it and it arrived safe and sound and appears quite genuine. So this time I 'coughed' $46 and took another chance. Once again the coin showed up rather promptly with a friendly hand written hello note.
The portrait seems a bit weak (I was hoping for better .... looks a bit like Elagabalus too) and there is some pitting. But the reverse is a low end VF and the edges have the look of an As made from recycled bronze (impurities in the alloy tend to give them a coarseness).
One thing does trouble me though ...... the weight
12.38 grams seems a bit on the heavy side for an as. I have seen some rather under sized sestertii but not that small. David Sear dates the issue to AD225 so it is really too early for the drop off which occurs mid century. I would like too say I am 100% sure about this one but .......
I am feeling some small doubts
Opinions ? I am 100% sure of one thing,it isn't a casting ..... but is it real ?
AE As Severus Alexander
Rv P M TR P IIII COS P P S C
Fides Militum with two standards
25-6mm 12.38 grams
Sear 8070 RIC 430
Posted 06/23/2014 10:29 pm
