This is a recent acquisition from a former dealer's collection at a local coin club auction.
It's very worn, and almost all of the legends and inscriptions are gone. It was bought as an "unidentified ancient Roman", but I recognised it from the only part of the inscription still visible: "...BERALITA...". I'm pretty sure it's a match for
this one from CoinArchives:
The reverse scene shows a classic example of a Roman propaganda type. The Emperor himself, seated to right on top of a high platform, watches on as Liberalitas, the goddess/personification of Generosity, pours some of the imperial wealth from a cornucopia into the arms of a citizen waiting below, whose toga is held out in front of him like a net to catch the goodies.
The message is clear: "The Emperor is wealthy and powerful, but look how generously he gives away part of his fortune to you commoners. You've never had it so good."
The coin itself was most likely made specifically to be given away, formally distributed at a ceremony called the
Congiarum, which probably would have resembled the scene pictured here reasonably well.
I have no idea how much a coin of this type is supposed to be worth in this extremely worn condition.
Don't say "infinitely" when you mean "very"; otherwise, you'll have no word left when you want to talk about something really infinite. - C. S. Lewis
Posted 09/22/2007 09:17 am
