Pertinax, Sestertius, 193
Rome - Very rare - Bronze - NGC - VF 4/5-3/5 - RIC:22
PLEASE NOTE: this collector's item is unique. We therefore cannot guarantee its availability over time and recommend that you do not delay too long in completing your purchase if you are interested.
Head of Pertinax, laureate, right.
Providentia, draped, standing left, holding right hand above head to star and resting left hand on breast.
Extremely rare sestertius of Pertinax, who reigned for only a few weeks at the beginning of 193, succeeding Commodus after his assassination at the end of December 192. As the emperor's co-consul, he was seen as a legitimate successor by the Senate, which chose him as head of the empire. However, he decided to introduce a "donativa", a gift of money to the soldiers, which he failed to carry out in full, giving only half the sum promised. He was assassinated on 28 March 193 for this reason, and this led to a new civil war, notably with Didius Julianus and Pescennius Niger, two usurper emperors whose coins were extremely rare and sought after by collectors. Septimius Severus emerged victorious from these confrontations and was brought to power at the end of 193. Graded NGC VF Strike: 4/5 Surface: 3/5.
IMP CAES P HELV PERTINAX AVG
PROVIDENTIAE DEORVM COS II S C
28.48 gr
Bronze
Bronze (not to be confused with brass, although usage of the two terms varied in times of yore) is an extremely ancient alloy with origins going back to the period around 2,000 BC. Also known...wait for it...as the Bronze Age (who would have guessed?). Back in ancient times, a proportion of 10% tin was added to copper. It was used in particular for luxurious objects such as swords, helmets, hairpins, and even chariot ornaments.
That is by no means insignificant though, as when putting on a bronze helmet you would already find yourself with an extra 3 kilos or so on your head. Add to that your sword and armor…let’s see you advance quickly now!
The heavyweight of alloys one might say*.
The first Western bronze coins probably date back to the end of the 4th century BC and Greece.
Although the coins may be ancient, it is more difficult to date the appearance of a specific word for this alloy. The earliest record is a Venetian manuscript in Greek dating from the 11th century, but it is not impossible that it was in use earlier.
Nowadays, the bronze used in coinage is an alloy of copper (majority) and tin (minority) along with other metals such as zinc, for example, which improves the castability, or nickel, which produces a harder alloy. Its main qualities are undeniably its great resistance to corrosion and mechanical wear as well as...its aesthetic aspect.
The patina of bronze can vary, ranging from verdigris to brown through to black.
*Actually, puns aside, copper and cupronickel have a greater density, for example.
