M. Servilius / L. Sentius Hybrid and Fourrée Denarius

 

This coin has the obverse of a coin by L. Sentius in 101 BC and a reverse by M. Servilius in 100 BC. It is a fourrée (silver plating on a copper base). It could have been produced by a counterfeiter who did not know the coin type or by a Roman mint worker trying to meet production goals when a die broke. The seller called it a hybrid. Others call similar coins mules. 

Roman Republican AR/AE? Denarius

M. Servilius / L. Sentius. Hybrid (and fourrée?), after 100 BC.

Obv. Helmeted head of Roma right; behind, Φ (M. Servilius C.f., 100 BC).

Rev. Jupiter in prancing biga right; below horses, uncertain letter (partially off flan); in exergue, L SENTI [C F] (L. Sentius C.f., 101 BC). 

The obverse is a Crawford 327/1 and the reverse is a Crawford 325/1b. The seller called it AR/AE (fourree?). In hand I see openings in the plating that make me believe it is a plated coin. I wonder if a SpGr test would confirm this. 

3.28 grams, 21 mm 

A very rare and interesting example. Broad flan. Brilliant and lightly toned, with golden hues. VF.

Examples of the two coins are shown below.

M. Servilius AR Denarius. Rome, 100 BC. Helmeted head of Roma right; control mark Є behind / Two warriors, a Roman and a barbarian, fighting on foot, each with a horse behind him; M•SERVEILI•C•[F] V in two lines in exergue. Crawford 327/1 …. pic from Roma Auctions

Roman Republic. L. Sentius C.f., moneyer. AR Denarius minted at Rome, 101 BC. Helmeted head right of Roma. Reverse: Jupiter in quadriga right, holding scepter and thunderbolt; below horses, K. Sear 203; Sentia 1; Cr. 325/1b … Goldberg