Crawford 372/2, Roman Republic, 81 BC., moneyer Aulus Postumius Albinus, Denarius serratus

Roman Republic (Rome mint 81 BC.), moneyer Aulus Postumius Auli Filius Spuri Nepos Albinus (Aulus Postumius son of Aulus Spurius grandson of Albinus).
Denarius serratus (18-20 mm, 3,88 g), silver, axis irregular alignment ?? (ca. 300°),
Obv.: HISPAN behind, veiled head of Hispania right with dishevelled hair.
Rev.: A • ABIN N • S across fields, [P]OST • A • F in exergue, togate figure standing left, raising right hand; legionary eagle to left, fasces with axe to right.
Crawford 372/2 ; Sydenham 746 ; BMCRR Rome 2839 ; Postumia 8 .

For this type. Crawford estimated about 198 obverse dies and 220 reverse dies. But this type seems to be rarer than the general works suggest.
The denarius is serrated before the minting process. Reasons for the manufacture of these serrated coins are to prevent falsification or to more easily recognize the denarii filled with a bronze core.

Aulus Postumius Albinus is the grandson of Spurius Postumius Albinus who had been consul in 110 BC. Later, he will be placed at the head of Sicily in 49 BC According to E. Babelon, he is the adoptive father of Decimus Junius Brutus.
The head of Hispania on the obverse perhaps recalls the victory of Lucius Postumius Albinus over the Basques (Vaccaei) and the Lusitanians (Lusitani) in 180-179 BC when he was praetor and for which he received the triumph. The reverse could recall the same event or the raising of troops for his Spanish campaign, or even be linked to the embassy that Lucius Postumius Albinus would have led to Masinissa and the Carthaginians in 171 BC for the expedition against Perseus in the Macedonian War. This denarius certainly inspired the denarius of Hostilius Saserna, minted in 48 BC representing Gallia.