Watch List notes:

Hostilian as Augustus. 251 AD. Antoninianus, 4.74g (4h). Rome, . Obv: IMP C MES QVINTVS AVG Bust radiate, draped, cuirassed right. Rx: PIETA - S AVGG Mercury standing left holding purse and caduceus. RIC 188 (R2). Cohen 22 (20 Fr.). Purchased from Fred Knobloch, 13 September 1965. A rare antoninianus of Hostilian as Augustus, represented by only one specimen in the Dorchester hoard. RIC 188 seems to describe our exact coin, but needs correction: RIC cites Cohen 22 (= 1st ed. 16), which actually has the longer obverse legend IMP CAE C VAL MES QVINTVS AVG, not IMP C MESS QVINTVS AVG as on our piece. See Wildwinds (Herakles Numismatics, May 2000) for an actual coin like the one described by Cohen, with the long obverse legend. At least three other specimens are known with the short obverse legend, like ours: (1) in Dorchester hoard, Num. Chron. 1939, p. 27, doubtless now in BM; (2) in Wildwinds, Tom Cederlind, July 2001; (3) in CoinArchives Pro, Grün 57, 2011, lot 163.