Ave!

Antoninus Pius, Denarius, Modius reverse, Curious!

AR/Æ (?); 19mm/2.3gm     Rome Mint c. 139 AD

Con/ Slightly off-center on the reverse, otherwise, about Very Fine; toned. See seller's note below.

Obv/ ANTONINVS AVG PIVS PP; bare head right.

Rev/ TR POT COS II; Modius with two grain ears & poppy.

Ref/ RIC Vol III, 44 = Scarce; RSC 834.

Seller's Note/ So, what makes this a curious coin? First off, no Photoshop hocus-pocus in the photos. That's exactly the way it appears in hand, tiny green spots and all. Perhaps it was in contact with an Æ issue during its time in the ground? Not sure.

Maybe a "limes" denarius? These are thought to be coins minted either officially or pseudo-officially on the fringes of the empire out of necessity. Perhaps they were used to pay soldiers on the extreme frontiers of the Roman territories or maybe to bolster the economy of regions far from the normal means of monetary distribution. Whatever the reason, many of these coins exist.