Denarius - Augustus VOT P SVSC PRO SAL ET RED I O M SACR, Mars

This denarius belongs to a closely dated series issued around the time Augustus returned to Rome in 19 BC after his settlement of the eastern provinces, an absence of nearly three years that had generated genuine anxiety about the succession. The vow inscriptions on coins of this period — pro salute et reditu, for the health and return of the emperor — were not formulaic niceties but active public religious commitments, with the Senate authorizing special games and sacrifices on his behalf.

RIC 150B is distinguished from the closely related 150A by its specific reverse type pairing, a distinction that matters for attributing the issuing magistrate responsible for the series.