705. Hostilian. As Caesar, AD 250-251. Æ Sestertius (29mm, 20.89 g, 12h). Rome mint, 5th officina. 5th emission of Trajan Decius, AD 251. Bareheaded and draped bust right / Apollo seated left, holding branch and leaning arm on lyre. RIC IV 215 (Decius); Banti 3. Near EF, dark green-brown patina, some red, reverse double struck. Choice portrait. ($2000) From the Douglas O. Rosenberg Collection, purchased from Victor England, 3 January 1989.
706. Valerian I. AD 253-260. Æ Sestertius (29mm, 20.23 g, 12h). Rome mint. 2nd emission, AD 255-256. Laureate and cuirassed bust right / Victory standing left, resting hand on shield set on ground and holding palm frond. RIC V 180; MIR 36, 77h; Banti 26. Good VF, brown patina. Excellent portrait. ($1000) From the Douglas O. Rosenberg Collection, purchased from Freeman & Sear, 15 April 1994. Ex Numismatic Fine Arts XII (23 March 1983), lot 413; Vinchon (23 April 1976), lot 162.
Spectacular Postumus Sestertius
707. Postumus. Romano-Gallic Emperor, AD 260-269. Æ Double Sestertius (32mm, 15.86 g, 6h). Treveri (Trier) mint. 3rd bronze emission, AD 261. IMP C M CASS LAT POSTVMVS P F AVG, radiate, draped, and cuirassed bust right / LAETITIA, AVG in exergue, galley right, with four rowers and a steersman. RIC V 143 (Lugdunum); Mairat 190-3; Bastien, Postume 87; Banti 29. Superb EF, brown patina. One of the finest known large bronzes of Postumus. ($5000) Ex Roma VII (22 March 2014), lot 1223 (hammer £16,000).
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