Macrinus Fides Militum Denarius

Related — This coin as CNG e-Auction 614, lot 749, 29 July 2026 - the auction photograph. A strong bearded portrait with the cuirass clear at the truncation, and even light toning across both faces; on the reverse Fides stands with a standard in each hand and her foot on the helmet, the whole figure on the flan. This is the coin John compared side by side against a higher-graded slabbed example at Heritage and preferred on sight - the only eye-based comparison made during the week, and the one that decided the bid.
Image source & licence
Image: Classical Numismatic Group, LLC (cngcoins.com), from the auction listing. To be replaced by the owner’s own photographs when the coin arrives.

Attribution: Italy. Rome. Macrinus. AD 217–218 (the whole reign: April 217 – June 218). AR. denarius.

Obverse: Laureate and cuirassed bust of Macrinus right

Reverse: Fides standing right, her foot on a helmet, holding a signum (military standard) in each hand

Weight: 3.32 g (tag) (3.32 g from CNG's cataloguing; in hand (arrival confirmed by John 2026-09-05) but NOT YET RE-WEIGHED — John weighs it the weekend of 6-7 September 2026. Normal for a Severan denarius of this date, which runs about 2.8-3.6 g on an already-debased standard.) · 20.5 mm · axis 0° Reference: RIC IV 22A

The Coin