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Elagabalus

AR denarius, Rome mint. Struck CE 221-222. 3.55 gm

Obv:  IMP ANTONINVS PIVS AVG; laureate and draped bust right, with “horn” on forehead

Rev:  SACERD DEI SOLIS ELAGAB; Elagabalus standing right, holding club and sacrificing from patera over lighted altar; star to right; faint star in left field.

Ref:  RIC IV 131; Thirion 302; RSC 246

 

The seller's attribution was  RIC 134var (Horn), RSC 249a, apparently because of the star in both fields.  I am not a RIC jockey and don't know which is correct.  I haven't found any images of RIC 134 in the usual online archives.  I suspect the left field star on this coin was just an engraver's mistake which was partly rectified by grinding down the left field.  It looks like Elagabalus's neck suffered from that metal removal; very little of the neck remains.

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