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Orbis Collectibles

RIC III Marcus Aurelius 1074

DocumentedSupported by at least one credible specialist source.

Record status

Individual type · research required

Issuing entity

Roman Empire

RIC III Marcus Aurelius 1074. Denomination: Sestertius. Authority: Marcus Aurelius. Mint: Rome. The obverse shows bust of Marcus Aurelius, laureate, draped, cuirassed, right, with the legend M ANTONINVS AVG TR P XXVII.

The reverse shows statue of Mercury, wearing petasus and short robe, standing front, head left, on base, holding purse in right hand and caduceus in left hand, within a tetrastyle temple; columns are telamons; the pediment is semicircular and contains, from left to right, tortoise, cock, ram, petasus, winged caduceus, and purse, with the legend IMP VI COS III S C RELIG AVG.

Evidence at a glance

Linked sources
2
Photograph views
5
Catalogue references
1

Counts describe this entry’s documentation, not authenticity, rarity or completeness. Photographs may show one specimen; check each caption and licence.

Historical context

Marcus Aurelius ruled as Roman emperor from 161 to 180 and was a member of the Nerva–Antonine dynasty. The last ruler of the Pax Romana, his reign witnessed significant military conflicts, including the Marcomannic Wars against Germanic peoples such as the Marcomanni and Quadi, alongside the devastation caused across the empire by the Antonine Plague.

Produced at the mint of Rome, this bronze sestertius carries obverse titling reading "M ANTONINVS AVG TR P XXVII". The sestertius formed part of Roman imperial currency, having originally represented a value useful for commerce equivalent to two and a half asses or one quarter of a denarius. The reverse features the inscription "IMP VI COS III S C RELIG AVG" framing a tetrastyle temple with telamon columns. Within the temple stands a statue of Mercury on a base, wearing a petasus and short robe while holding a purse and caduceus, beneath a semicircular pediment containing a tortoise, cock, ram, petasus, winged caduceus, and purse.

Physical characteristics

Material
Bronze
Denomination
Sestertius

Technical characteristics

Mint
Rome
Authority
Marcus Aurelius

Design

Obverse
Bust of Marcus Aurelius, laureate, draped, cuirassed, right
Reverse
Statue of Mercury, wearing petasus and short robe, standing front, head left, on base, holding purse in right hand and caduceus in left hand, within a tetrastyle temple; columns are telamons; the pediment is semicircular and contains, from left to right, tortoise, cock, ram, petasus, winged caduceus, and purse
Obverse legend
M ANTONINVS AVG TR P XXVII
Reverse legend
IMP VI COS III S C RELIG AVG

Identification

Type reference
RIC III Marcus Aurelius 1074
Denomination and metal
Sestertius, Bronze
Obverse legend to match
M ANTONINVS AVG TR P XXVII
Reverse legend to match
IMP VI COS III S C RELIG AVG
Source note
Type description from the American Numismatic Society's Online Coins of the Roman Empire (OCRE); individual specimens differ in die, flan size, weight and wear, and legend breaks may vary.

Documentation checklist

Denomination
Recorded
Issue or mint date
Recorded
Material
Recorded
Weight
Research required
Mint or printer
Recorded
Mint or printer mark
Research required
Catalogue reference
Recorded
Attached photograph (check rights)
Recorded

Recorded means a field is present, not independently verified. Read its wording, supporting source and the entry’s confidence level.

Catalogue references

Varieties

  • RIC III Marcus Aurelius 1075

    Near-identical catalogue variant (same obverse and reverse legends, type and denomination, differing only in minor marks or bust detail); consolidated into this entry.

  • RIC III Marcus Aurelius 1076

    Near-identical catalogue variant (same obverse and reverse legends, type and denomination, differing only in minor marks or bust detail); consolidated into this entry.

Research required

  • Editorial verification required.
  • Weight, diameter and mint marks require specimen-level evidence.
  • Museum specimen photographs are linked by the source; local photographs and reuse rights remain unverified.
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