498 | Roman Empire

Automatically generated translation

CARUS. Antoninian. (Ae. 3.69g / 22mm). 282 AD Lugdunum. (RIC does not quote). Ob: Radiated and draped bust of Caro on the right, around legend: IMP CM AVR CARVS PF AVG. Rev: Salus standing on the right feeding a patera snake in his hands, in field D, around legend: SALVS AVG. Extremely Fine. Extraordinarily rare, another copy of similar quality sold on 09/15/2017 by the Paul-Francis Jacquer house for € 700, to get an idea of the rarity of this piece, the French auction house offered it as a unique piece.

The reign of Caro and therefore of his sons, Carino and Numeriano, was really brief and with a common denominator: the military campaigns. Perhaps this is the reason why, as far as currency is concerned, we are in a period of continuity and where there are no great news if we ignore the mints of Lugdunum and Siscia of some double Antoninians. On an aesthetic level, if there is a change to take into account: the portraits on the obverse are more sober, less varied than in previous times and the realism, as can be seen in Caro's baldness, surpasses the idealization of his predecessors .