Watch List notes:

TIME OF TIBERIUS. AE Tessera (Erotic Spintra) (4.57 gms).
cf.Simonetta Riva-Obv. Scene 9, Rev. Scene 6D; Buttrey-Obv. 11/XV. Erotic scene, man kneeling between the legs of his companion, who with slightly erect torso lies on her back against a cushion atop a low couch, curtains hanging from table and above the scene, slight linear border around; Reverse: Roman numeral "XV" (for fifteen) within dotted border, wreath around. Well rounded. A pleasing cocoa brown obverse with minor verdigris and slight orange highlights. The reverse has a slightly higher proportion of verdigris or deposits but it has a nice strike.

These small bronze tokens were created, according to their obverse designs and scholarly research, for use as payment in brothels. Some theories also present the notion that they were used as gaming tokens. Their use in brothels seems supported by the ancient roman historian Suetonius (most famous for his biography on the twelve Caesars), who states that bringing a coin or other object with the effigy of the Roman Emperor into a brothel was an act of treason punishable by law. These licentious tokens seem a good work-around to using common coinage when visiting an erotic establishment. The obverse design mirrors that of the Erotic Frescoes found on the wall of the brothel in Pompeii. Well struck and choice for type, with excellent detail.

EXTREMELY FINE.

Estimate: $5000.00- $7000.00