51 Gallery
June 2017 Auction 9 Jun 2017
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EMPIRE, SILVER DENARIUS OF CARACALLA, Rome, ca. AD 206-210, 3.253g, 1h. RIC 153. Very rare. Attractively toned. With a delicate reverse representation. Extremely fine. Numismatica Ars Classica 2015 (87) lot 298
This charming reverse depicts the four seasons in the guise of young boys at play, with each season bearing some symbol of its gift to mankind: the spring wears a garland, the summer carries a sickle, the autumn carries a pruning knife, and the winter holds a bare branch. Although a common motif in Roman sculpture and painting, its appearance on coinage is very rare.
This charming reverse depicts the four seasons in the guise of young boys at play, with each season bearing some symbol of its gift to mankind: the spring wears a garland, the summer carries a sickle, the autumn carries a pruning knife, and the winter holds a bare branch. Although a common motif in Roman sculpture and painting, its appearance on coinage is very rare.