Obolos 13

Aurelian, 270-275. As (Bronze, 23.5 mm, 7.50 g, 12 h), Serdica, 7th emission, April-November 274. SOL DOMINVS IMPERI ROMANI Draped bust of Sol to right, bearing the features of Aurelian. Rev. AVRELIANVS AVG CONS Aurelian standing left, holding long sceptre in left hand and sacrificing with patera held in right hand over lighted altar to left. BN 1022-3. RIC 319. Extremely rare, and only the second one with the emperor holding scepter on the reverse. Holed to be used as an amulet, otherwise, good very fine.

This unusual, and very important coin of Aurelian is one of the few that lack the emperor's portrait. In his place we have a bust of Sol (with, however, the disguised features of Aurelian), portrayed, as the inscription tells us, as the overlord of the Roman empire. The cult of Sol, patron of the soldiers, was particularly promoted by Aurelian and his successors and he became, until Constantine I, one of the leading gods of the Roman pantheon. The rarity of this coin, the particularly unusual denomination, as well as the unusual iconography related to the import of a new deity might indicate that it was struck for commemorative reasons and possibly ought to be considered as a "medallion".