17mm Ancient Coin with Elephant

Struck in the waning years of the second century, this silver coin was minted under the rule of Septimius Severus, emperor of the Roman Empire from AD 193 to 211. His laureate profile is a portrait both idealized and human, created to affirm his authority across a vast and restless empire. The reverse carries a more unexpected image; an armored elephant advancing, its heavy frame draped in cuirass. In Severan Rome, such imagery evoked both military spectacle and the promise of imperial generosity, a reminder of processions, public games, and the careful choreography of power.

To hold this coin is to hold a fragment of a story that began nearly two thousand years ago. It may have passed through the hands of a merchant at a bustling forum, a soldier paid for his service, or a citizen purchasing a modest meal. Each mark on its surface speaks of use and survival, of journeys across landscapes and generations. Now set as a pendant, it becomes more than ornament... it is a keeper of time, a tangible bridge to people and places that no longer exist, yet whose presence still lingers in this small circle of silver. 

Obv: Laureate head right.  Rev: Cuirassed elephant advancing right. RIC IV-100, RSC-349

While in some instances these items can be special ordered, they will vary in patina, size, texture, and rarity. Each coin in our collection is one of a kind.