Septimius Severus Denarius “triumphal Victory” — Certificate Of Authenticity

A silver denarius of Septimius Severus, attributed to the eastern mint of Laodicea ad Mare and placed within the AD 198–202 window, whose collecting interest lies in the clarity of its official message— the emperor celebrated as Imperator XI and Parthicus Maximus, and, on the reverse, Victory advancing with wreath and palm—an iconographic and titulature combination rigorously documented as RIC 504 / BMCRE 657 / Cohen 100, with a concordance of legends and attributes that can be readily verified in numismatic literature and sale-archive records.

Careful observation under ×10 magnification and raking light: the specimen presents a well-controlled silver flan, a crisp rim and regular peripheral beading, and nuanced grey toning with fine traces of circulation compatible with ancient use; the obverse retains comfortable readability of the laureate portrait—curled hair, structured beard, and perceptible ties of the wreath—while the reverse shows a well-grounded Victory in motion, the right hand extending the wreath and the left shoulder bearing the palm, ensuring a stable and immediately satisfying identification.

Authority / period: Septimius Severus (AD 193–211).

Mint: Laodicea ad Mare (eastern issue).

Denomination / metal: Denarius, silver (AR).

Date: approx. AD 198–202 (RIC 504 type, Laodicea mint).

Diameter / weight: 18–19 mm; 3.42 g (as stated), consistent with comparable specimens recorded for this type.

Obverse (type and legend): L SEPT SEV AVG IMP XI PART MAX, laureate head right, the titulature stating the eleventh imperial acclamation and the dignity Parthicus Maximus.

Reverse (type and legend): COS III P P, Victory advancing left, holding wreath and palm (reverse formula classically associated with the RIC 504 type).

References: Cohen 100; BMCRE 657; RIC 504.

Internal reference: SKU 003146.

The denarii of Laodicea ad Mare form a particularly appreciated chapter of Severan production, as they disseminate—throughout the imperial East—a highly legible language of authority in which IMP XI PART MAX foregrounds military recognition and an ideology of victory, while Victory on the reverse, with wreath and palm, materializes the reward of triumph and legitimation through success, in an iconographic vocabulary immediately understood by contemporaries.

In collecting practice, these eastern issues are also sought after for their distinctive engraving personality and style, often studied as a set apart from strictly Roman strikes, adding a mint-and-strike provenance dimension to the historical interest of the type.

In a classic silver module, this specimen brings together three qualities consistently sought in Severan cabinets: an expressive imperial portrait, a historically situated titulature (acclamations and epithets), and a reverse of strong symbolic immediacy—advancing Victory being among the most directly “speaking” images in Roman numismatics—making the coin readily integrable into a thematic collection on campaigns, honors, or the ideology of power.

The provenance is European, from an established numismatic dealer, and the acquisition was made via a specialized international transaction, conducted within a recognized numismatic network and validated to the highest standards of the art and heritage market; the attribution rests on concordance of legends and iconographic arrangement with RIC 504 / BMCRE 657 / Cohen 100, as consistently cited in reference works and sale comparanda.

Each specimen is examined, described, and accompanied by a certificate of authenticity consistent with the standards of the art and heritage market, this notice being deliberately limited to a truth verifiable by observation and consultable references, so as to provide the collector with confidence grounded in controllable elements.