Watch List notes:

Septimius Severus, 193-211. Aureus (Gold, 19 mm, 6,91 g, 5 h), Imitative, perhaps Indian. IMPER AEL SEPTI SEVER PERT III Laureate head of Septimius Severus to right. Rev. P M I PT II P VIII COS NI AV II Victory advancing left, holding wreath in outstretched right hand and trophy over left shoulder with left. Unpublished in the standard references, but see Roma XX, 2020, 624 = Roma XV, 2018, 587 and Heritage 3075, 2019, 32062 for two additional examples struck from the same dies. Of excellent style and struck from finely engraved dies, but with legends incorrectly copied. Good extremely fine.

While the style of the engraving of this coin is quite good, the blundered legends give it away as imitative. It is also just slightly underweight as are the two additional examples previously sold by the Roma and Heritage, which are both struck from the same dies as this one. The style of the engraving is very different than what is typically seen on Indian imitations, but such exemplary workmanship is also not unknown. While this coin is certainly an ancient copy or imitation, exactly where it originated is at present a matter of conjecture.