Roman Silver Denarius 'Severus Alexander' (231-235 CE, RIC IV Severus Alexander 235)
Visible traces of centuries of human history. Authenticity guaranteed for life.
Wear this coin as a pendant.
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- One-of-one. No restock, no replica.
- Authenticated against published typologies.
- Lifetime authenticity guarantee in writing.
- Free insured shipping within the EU. Dispatched in 1 to 3 business days, DHL Express delivery in 2 to 4 business days. 30-day returns.
Shipping, export & payment
Piece details
- Ruler
- Severus Alexander
- Denomination
- Denarius
- Mint
- Rome
- Date struck
- 231-235 CE
- Material
- Silver
- Weight
- 2.76 g
- Diameter
- 19.2 mm
- Reference
- RIC IV Severus Alexander 235
- Rarity
- Common
- Provenance
- See recorded history
- Authenticity
- Lifetime guarantee
Questions about this piece? info@auroraantiqua.com
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- Apple Pay, Google Pay, Shop Pay supported
- Free insured shipping within the EU
- EU 2–4 days · outside the EU a flat €95 incl. export licence, about 3 weeks before dispatch
- Import duties and taxes outside the EU are not included
- Ships in a linen-wrapped wooden box
- 30 days from delivery
- Return at your own shipping
- Refund once the item arrives back with us
- Written lifetime guarantee with every piece
- Full refund if ever shown to be inauthentic
- No expiry · for the original buyer and any inheritor
Roman Silver Denarius 'Severus Alexander' (231-235 CE, RIC IV Severus Alexander 235)
A silver denarius struck under Severus Alexander at Rome in 231-235 CE.
Obverse
Legend: IMP ALEXANDER PIVS AVG
Description: Bust of Severus Alexander, laureate, draped, cuirassed, right
Reverse
Legend: IOVI PROPVGNATORI
Description: Jupiter, standing front, in war-like attitude, left, head right, feet apart, hurling thunderbolt with right hand
Historical context
Severus Alexander reigned from 222 to 235 CE, for much of it under the influence of his mother Julia Mamaea. His denarii are the last Roman imperial silver struck to a sustained standard before the antoninianus replaced the denomination for over a century.
Specifications
- Denomination: Denarius
- Mint: Rome
- Date struck: 231-235 CE
- Reference: RIC IV Severus Alexander 235
- Weight: 2.76 g
- Diameter: 19.2 mm
- Material (catalogue type): Silver; the alloy of this specimen has not been tested
Condition
As photographed. The portrait and the obverse legend are legible; the surfaces carry the wear of circulation. The photographs form part of the description.
Wear it as a pendant
This coin can be paired with our handmade 925 silver chain with bail to wear it as a pendant. The bail is custom-fitted to the coin and fully reversible, the original artifact remains untouched. Add the chain to your order alongside this piece, or leave it in its original form.
Provenance
Private family collection assembled in the 1960s, later inherited by the previous owner (K.V.D., Belgium).
Certificate of Authenticity
A certificate of authenticity is issued by Aurora Antiqua with every piece. The type attribution above follows the cited RIC IV Severus Alexander 235 record.
More coins from the same period.
Roman Silver Denarius 'Severus Alexander' (228-231 CE, RIC IV Severus Alexander 208)
Roman Silver Denarius 'Severus Alexander' (225 CE, RIC IV Severus Alexander 48)
Roman Silver Denarius 'Severus Alexander' (223 CE, RIC IV Severus Alexander 23)
Roman Silver Denarius 'Severus Alexander' (222-228 CE, RIC IV Severus Alexander 182c)
How do I know it's real?
Jakob, who runs Aurora, examines each piece himself before it is listed. He looks at four things:
Metal and surface
The metal and its ageing, the surface patina and any burial deposits.
Wear
Whether the wear is consistent with genuine use.
Manufacture
Whether the manufacturing marks belong to the period.
Style and type
Whether the stylistic details fit known types.
Every piece ships with its certificate of authenticity in the box and a written lifetime authenticity guarantee.
How Aurora compares.
A side-by-side look at how an Aurora piece is sold, versus the two most common alternatives.
| Aurora | Auction houses | eBay | Other platforms | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lifetime authenticity guarantee | ✓ | depends | ✗ | rarely |
| Documented provenance | ✓ | sometimes | rarely | sometimes |
| Returns | 30 days | no returns | no returns | no returns |
| Free insured EU shipping | ✓ | add-on | add-on | add-on |
| Coin capsule (slab) included | ✓ | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ |
| Written certificate, signed | ✓ | depends | ✗ | depends |
| Customer service answered personally by the owner | ✓ | days | varies | varies |
What it feels like to hold something this old.
★★★★★This is one of my favorite stores on Etsy, anywhere for that matter. This ring is spectacular, an exceptional example of the type in use during the Roman Empire and an amazing piece of history. The packaging the ring was delivered in was beautiful and appropriate to the piece and speaks to the care and attention to detail that owner invests in his work. The inventory at Aurora Antiqua is second-to-none and the customer service from the store owner is just world class. My highest recommendation!
Verified buyer · Etsy
★★★★★Jakob is amazing! He was communicative about shipping and sent the certificate of authentication. The piece is absolutely beautiful and I could tell he spent time, energy, and love refurbishing the ring. I bought this for my mom for Christmas and she is going to love it as much as me.
Verified buyer · Etsy
★★★★★I bought this piece for my son and had this shop restore it. It looks perfect! And fits great! The restoration is thorough while still preserving the antique look. And I received my piece in about 2 weeks (from Brussels to Texas). Thankful for the frequent communication also. Highly recommend this shop!
Verified buyer · Etsy
★★★★★This ring is so stunning & unique! I love wearing a piece of history! Jakob is lovely & very communicative. I highly recommend this shop if you’re looking for a gorgeous piece of history!
Verified buyer · Etsy
★★★★★Transaction exceeded my expectations. Excellent customer service, fast shipping and beautiful ring.
Verified buyer · Etsy
Questions, honestly answered.
Is this coin really ancient?
Yes. Jakob, who runs Aurora, examines each piece himself before it is listed. The proposed date and the evidence for the individual attribution are given in the listing. The date and reference stated on the certificate are binding: if a piece is ever shown not to be of the period stated, we refund the full purchase price. Forever, no expiry.
What is the RIC reference?
RIC stands for Roman Imperial Coinage, a reference series for Roman Imperial coin types. Where a listing cites RIC, use it to compare the proposed attribution with the photographed coin. A reference does not authenticate an individual specimen by itself.
How is it authenticated?
Jakob, who runs Aurora, examines each piece himself before it is listed. He looks at the metal and its surface, wear, manufacture, style and type. The certificate of authenticity ships in the box, backed by our lifetime authenticity guarantee.
Can I wear it as a pendant?
Yes. Most of our coins can be paired with a custom-fitted reversible silver bail and chain that holds the coin securely without piercing or altering it. The artefact stays untouched and you can switch it back at any time. Select the pendant option on this page, then use Add to cart.
Can I have it slab graded?
Aurora coins ship raw (not encapsulated) so you can examine them firsthand. If you wish to submit to NGC Ancients or another grading service, we recommend doing so within 30 days of receipt; we’ll provide the original Aurora certificate as supporting provenance. Grading is at your discretion and cost.
What’s the return process?
30 days from delivery. The coin must return in its original capsule and packaging. Return shipping is at the buyer’s cost; we send a tracked, insured label and quote it first. Full refund within 3 business days of arrival back to us.
How is it shipped?
Fully insured, tracked, signature on delivery, in a sealed coin capsule (collector slab) with the signed certificate. EU dispatch within 1–3 business days. EU delivery: 2–4 business days after dispatch. Outside the EU, a flat €95 per order covers the official export licence, which adds about 3 weeks before dispatch; transit itself is 2–5 business days by insured express courier. Import duties and taxes outside the EU are not included. We confirm your personal timeline by email within 24 hours of ordering.
Where do Aurora coins come from?
The provenance line in each listing gives the piece's history as far as it is recorded. Some pieces have a longer chain of earlier owners; for others the record begins with a recent sale. Read the information for the individual piece and ask us about its records before buying.
What does the lifetime guarantee cover?
A written promise that if the coin is ever shown to be inauthentic or not of the stated issue (wrong emperor, wrong mint, wrong period, modern forgery), we refund the full purchase price. No expiry. The guarantee applies to the original buyer and any subsequent inheritor of the coin.
Stay in the loop.
First look at new pieces, before they go on the public catalogue.
Custom bail. Coin untouched.
A custom-fitted, reversible silver bail and 925 sterling chain that holds the coin securely without piercing or altering it in any way. The artefact stays in its original state — you can switch it back to a display coin at any time.
- Bail · custom-fitted to this coin's diameter, fully reversible
- Chain · 925 sterling silver, handmade
- Original coin · untouched, unaltered, no piercing or soldering
- Certificate · chain noted as accessory; coin certificate unchanged
Recorded collection history.
The provenance line in each listing gives the piece's recorded history. Some pieces have a longer chain of earlier owners; for others the record begins with a recent sale. Where earlier history is limited, the listing states that openly.
- Ask us about the records for this piece
- Provenance stated on the certificate and on the listing
- Where the exact origin cannot be established with certainty, we state that openly
Lifetime authenticity guarantee.
A written promise that if a piece is ever shown to be inauthentic or not of the period stated, we refund the full purchase price. Forever, no expiry. It applies to the original buyer and any subsequent inheritor of the piece.
- Examined by Jakob before listing (metal and surface · wear · manufacture · style and type)
- Certificate of authenticity in the box and a written lifetime guarantee
- Full refund forever if ever shown to be wrong
From the Roman period.
1st century BC to 5th century CE. Roman coinage spans the Republic, the Imperial period and Late Antiquity — from struck silver denarii of the late Republic to imperial aurei, bronze antoniniani, and late billon issues from regional mints across the empire. Every emperor, usurper, and imperial woman of consequence appears on coinage in volumes still documented in published catalogues today.
Common.
A characteristic, well-attested example of the period. Common in the antiquities trade does not mean abundant in the world — these are still authenticated, 1,500+ year-old objects. A solid entry point into serious collecting.
- Legendary · canonical piece — museum or headline-auction tier
- Super rare · only a handful documented across all major collections
- Very Rare · museum-tier configuration in private hands
- Rare · documented in catalogues, scarce on the market
- Uncommon · distinct examples, selective availability
- Common · characteristic, well-attested period example