A genuine silver denarius of Emperor Otho, struck at Rome during his brief reign in AD 69, one of the most famous rulers of the turbulent Year of the Four Emperors.
Obverse: IMP M OTHO CAESAR AVG TR P – Bare head of Otho facing right.
Reverse: SECVRITAS P R – Securitas standing left holding wreath and sceptre.
RIC I² 8 | RSC 17
Weight: 3.57g Diameter: 18.8mm
What makes this example particularly noteworthy is its documented die-study provenance.
The coin was examined by Jyrki Muona, author of The Rome Mint Coins of Marcus Salvius Otho and co-author of The Denarii of Otho: A Stylistic and Compositional Study (RIN 110, 2009).
Following review of the coin, Muona confirmed that two other specimens struck from the exact same obverse and reverse dies are recorded within his research corpus:
• Elsen 59 (1999), Lot 421 • Berk Buy or Bid 87, Lot 715
Muona further noted that both previously recorded specimens are more worn than the present example.
The coin belongs to the Issue 1b SECVRITAS P R series struck during Otho's short reign of January–April AD 69 and forms part of the die-linked network used by modern researchers to reconstruct the chronology of Otho's coinage.
This provides an exceptional level of scholarly context rarely encountered with surviving denarii of this short-lived emperor.
A highly desirable historical silver issue from one of Rome's most dramatic periods, combining strong eye appeal, direct scholarly research and confirmed die-link evidence from one of the leading specialists in Otho's coinage.