Ave!

Key Handle, Roman Officer Showing Off, c. 1st-3rd Cent

Copper alloy; 49mm/30.3gm

Description/ Smiling Roman officer wearing high-crested helmet and showing his phallus.

Con/ as near cast, missing (iron?) key, sharp green and glossy patina, cleaned and waxed.

Seller's note/ Certainly of Roman provincial make, perhaps from Siscia or Mursa. We're positive that this very lovely and interesting Roman figure was the clasp of a key and either the Æ key part was either plow-broken away or the iron end simply disintegrated in the earth. Such key ends were not inexpensive back in the day and our conjucture is that it was owned by an elite Roman officer that had the denarius to spend on such a whimsical key. Is the officer simply shown smiling, just enjoying having a good long piss? Your explanation is as good as ours.

Museum quality and very rare. Trust me, you will never, ever, see another such example.