Pescennius Niger - VIRTVTI AVG (MA25120)

Pescennius Niger, 193-194. Denarius (Silver, 17 mm, 2.24g), Caesaraea in Cappadocia. IMP CAES C PESC NIGER IVST AVG Laureate head of Pescennius Niger to right. Rev. VIRTVTI AVG Virtus standing front, head to left, placing her right hand on shield set on the ground and holding spear in her left. BMC 317. Cohen 80. RIC 92b. Fine harsley cleaned

Second known. A variant of the two VIRTVTI AVG types of Niger in the standard catalogues, one of which shows Mars posed as on our coin, but in military dress not nude, and resting his shield on the ground rather than carrying it on his left arm (RIC-92, BMC pl. 14.7); while the other shows Mars naked and carrying his shield on his left arm as on our coin, but advancing right with his spear pointed diagonally ahead of him rather than standing left with his spear resting vertically on the ground (RIC-93, illustrated in R. Ratto, 8 February 1928, lot 3282). However, a coin like ours may have been known to T.V. Buttrey, who in 1992 included an obverse legend like ours with error NIGR in his list of Niger's obverse legends, and stated, without giving details, that he knew six reverse types of Niger with legend VIRTVTI AVG (Numismatic Chronicle 152, 1992, The President's Address, pp. viii and xii). Text thanks to Harlan Berk!