Provenance: Ex CNG e-329, lot 564, “From the Fairfield Collection.”
Constans AE Silvered Maiorina (27mm, 6.24g, 6h). Thessalonica, 348-350 CE.
Scarce issue for Constans. Even more so at this size.
*If you happen to have bought this coin from us, we’d love to buy it back!
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PHOTO OF COIN IN ANACS HOLDER AVAILABLE HERE
Thracian Dynasts / Geto-Dacians. Koson, with Marcus Junius Brutus, AR Drachm.
Unknown mint (Skythia, Olbia?), circa 44 – 42 BC.
Obv: Roman consul accompanied by two lictors; BR monogram to left; KOΣΩΝ in exergue.
Rev: Eagle standing left on scepter, holding wreath in talon.
Ref: Fischer-Bossert (2016) Type B. cf. RPC I 1701 (AV Stater). For Drachm, see W. Fischer-Bossert (2016) “ΚΟΣΩΝ ΔΡΟΥΕΙΣ” in Festschrift Salzmann.
Pedigree: Ex-Silver City Auctions (Findlay, OH USA), 17 Dec 2019, Lot 228 (same coin previously unsold or unpaid at prior Silver City auctions). ANACS Certification # 6001074 (click for ANACS lookup)
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Superior example of a Numidian Obol, struck in lead (or highly leaded AE), with an unpublished and apparently unique control mark (pellet behind horse). Purchased from Specialty Coin (Champaign, IL), ex-Harlan J. Berk, Ltd. (Curtis Clay).
North Africa. Kings of Numidia, Massinissa or Micipsa AE or PB (Lead) Unit (26mm, 13.6g, 12h). Circa 203 – 138 BC.
Obverse: Laureate, bearded male head facing left. (King Massinissa?) Beaded border.
Reverse: Horse galloping left. Punic letters (“MN”) below AND pellet behind horse.
References: Unpublished variant (placement of control symbol on the reverse die), cf. Sear 6596-7; SNG Copenhagen 518.
Pedigree: Ex-Specialty Coin (Gary Dayton, Champaign), circa 2010-15; Ex-Harlan J Berk, Ltd. (Chicago), group lot purchased from Curtis Clay before 2010.
Numis. Notes: Typical flan irregularities illustrative of Numidia’s crude minting process. Casting flaw or “scoop,” rev. ~5h (scooping was a corrective used by mints to reduce weight when a batch of coins was above standards). On rev., red encrustations & minor pitting (9h); on obv., edge chip & crack (8h).
The pellet behind this horse is a seemingly unpublished and unique variant. The vast majority have a control mark below the horse, either a pellet (Sear 6597) or Punic letters (right to left) “MN” (Sear 6596).
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Roman Republic. Gaius Marcius Censorinus AR Denarius (3.80g, 18mm). Rome mint, 88 BC.
Obverse: Laureate head of Apollo right.
Reverse: CX (above), C•CENSORI (below). Horse galloping right. Serpent entwined staff in exergue.
References: Crawford 346/2b; RSC Marcia 19.
Pedigree: JJF Collection. Uncertain, purchased by CSJ ca. 2010 (+/- a few years).
Numis. Notes:These were struck with a variety of controls; this one, with the serpent-entwined-staff is a bit rare, and desirable because it’s rather bold & dramatic for a control symbol.
Hist. Notes: Once Sulla was done with his First Civil War (by about 87 BC), and his Mithradatic War, he marched his way back to Rome so he could team up with future Triumvirs Pompey and Crassus to wage another (Sulla’s Second Civil War). His opponents were the Marius-Cinna faction, led by Gaius Marius (dead in the first), his son (killed in 82), and Cinna (killed 84).
Gaius Marcius Censorinus was among the “last men standing,” captured after being defeated at the decisive Battle of the Colline Gate (Kalends of Nov, 82). Sulla ordered him executed and had his severed head sent to the remaining Marian army, which promptly deserted their leader Marius the Younger, who then promptly committed suicide.
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Purchased from Colosseum Coin Exchange Mail Bid Sale No. 59, 22 Nov 1991. This coin was my first-ever auction purchase. (More: “Catalog Collection Favorites” page.)
Attica, Aegina (Saronic Gulf Islands) AR Drachm (5.0g, 19.5mm). Circa 404-375 BCE.
Obverse: Testudo Graeca, tortoise (or “land turtle”) with segmented shell containing 13 plates.
Reverse: Large incuse square with two pellets in one of five-compartment skew pattern.
References: SNG Cop 520; Millbank Pl II, 16 (Period V; 404 – 375 BC)
Provenance: Ex-Colosseum Coin Exchange (Ira Teitelbaum, Hazlet NJ), MBS 59 (22 Nov 1991), Lot 2.
Notes: See also earlier archaic style Sea Turle stater.
Located in the Saronic Gulf between Attica and the Peloponnese, Aegina held a strong commercial position in maritime trade, making it a site of competition with neighbors (most famously Athens).
Aegina is thought to have been the first European mint to introduce coinage to “the West,” c. early 6th cent. BCE. According to Ephorus of Kyme it was established by Pheidon of Argos c. 650, though modern historians have claimed the date was probably no earlier than 550 (Milbank 1924; see also Numiswiki, Turtles).
Aegina’s ~12.2g stater was widely adopted as monetary standard (~6.1g for the drachm, 1g obol). The sea turtle style stater was struck until either the end of the Peloponnesian War in 404 (Milbank 1924) or Athens’ military victory over Aegina around 457 (Kraay 1976), after which the design switched to the land tortoise. (The tortoise had also appeared on an earlier electrum stater).
The exact reason is a matter of some speculation. Milbank’s 1924 conclusion still holds: “No plausible explanation has as yet been put forward for this change from the sea-tortoise to a land turtle.” Maybe it was a show of gratitude and honorary tribute to a military ally to whom the land tortoise was sacred (perhaps Sparta or Thyreatis [Milbank 1924]). Perhaps the design was switched after being conquered by Athens, reflecting Aegina’s loss of their proud navy and maritime privileges (Kraay 1976). Neither theory has achieved a decisive level of evidence.
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One of the earliest coins in the Jackson & Jacobs Family Collection, purchased in the 1980s (Florence, 1986; possibly Paris, 1988).
Hadrian (117-138 AD) AE Sestertius (25.28g; 30mm; 6h). Rome mint, 134-138 AD.
Obverse: HADRIANVS AVG COS III PP. Laureate head right, slight drapery on far shoulder.
Reverse: S – C. Diana Venatrix (“Huntress”), draped, standing left, holding arrow and bow.
Reference: RIC II 777; Banti CNR 713; BMCRE 1546; Cohen 1364.
Pedigree: Purchased by CSJ in the mid/late 1980s in Europe, probably Florence, 1986, possibly Paris, 1988.
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The deity for which Priapism is named (the condition familiar to many as a side-effect mentioned in Viagra ads on TV).
Purchased: Chicago, April 2014, CICF Bourse
Septimius Severus AE Assarion.
Moesia Inferior, Nikopolis ad Istrum.
Obv: AVT CEΠT CEVHΡO. Laureate head right
Rev: NIKOΠOΛITΩN ΠΡOC IC. Ithyphallic Priapus standing left.
Ref: Moushmov 987; AMNG 1380; Sear GIC 2280
RARE
What I liked about this coin: If we imagine the obverse and reverse forming a single tableau, Septimius watches Priapus proudly pointing to his phallus and smiles with admiration.
Priapus: “Oi guvna! ‘S a right proper phallus here, innit?”
Septimius: “Why, yes. Yes it is, Priapo, old chap. Splendid phallus indeed. The Empire commends your accomplishment. And bids you bring continued fertility to Moesia.”
Priapus: “Won’t let you down, bruv. Cheerio!”
Septimius: “You forget yourself, Priapo. You shan’t speak to me in so familiar a tone.”
Priapo: “Are you taking the piss, mate? Don’t forget who’s the dee-ity and who’s the regular bloke with a fancy hat. Only one of us has superpowers, innit?”
Album: Sold Coins
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Commodus (177-192 CE) Billon Tetradrachm (10.7g, 24mm, 12h). Egypt, Alexandria, 189-190 CE.
Obverse: Μ Α ΚΟΜ ΑΝΤⲰ ϹƐΒ ƐVϹƐΒ. Laureate head of Commodus right.
Reverse: L-Λ. Radiate, draped bust of Helios right, seen from the rear.
Reference: Dattari 3865; Dattari-Savio Pl. 210, 9612 (this coin illustrated); Geissen 2247; Milne 2685; Emmett 2543.30; Kampmann & Ganschow 41.121; SRCV 5928; RPC (IV.4) Online Temp 14217.27 (this coin illustrated).
Provenance: Ex-Naville Numismatics Auction 60, Lot 296 (London, 27 September 2020), from the Giovanni Dattari Collection.
Numis. Notes: For more on the Giovanni Dattari (1858-1923) Collection, see here or click “Read More” button.
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Video of this coin in hand available here
Clodius Albinus (as Caesar, 193-195) AE Sestertius (17.9g, 29mm,12h). Rome Mint, 194/5 CE.
Obv: D CL SEPT AL – BIN CAES. Bare head of Clodius Albinus right. [Legend tooled to read: D CLODIVS – ALBINVS CAES.]
Rev: SAECVLO FR – V – GIFERO COS II / S-C. Saeculum Frugiferum radiate, standing left, holding caduceus (between corn ears?) in right hand & trident pitchfork in left. [No COS II visible, but reportedly die-match to Curtis Clay no. 74 in his unpublished 1972 catalog.]
References: RIC 56; Cohen 71. See RIC (VI.1), pp. 40-41; cf. also RIC 50 (draped); RIC 61A (AE As) & 61B (AE Dupondius).
Provenance: Ex-CNG Auction e-456, (Group) Lot 731 (part of 8; Lancaster, PA, 13 Nov 2019).
Notes: Several CoinTalk members gave helpful comments on this coin [CT Thread 374682, 2 Feb 2021]. Thanks especially to Curtis Clay for his comments [CT Comment 6184008, 2 Feb 2021].
The “full name” obverse legend Sestertius of Clodius Albinus (D CLODIVS ALBINVS CAES), which this coin was tooled to resemble, is only known during his first year, 193, and very rare (Banti 20; RIC 50). But it should have a different legend break (D – CLODIVS AL – BINVS CAES) & rev. (Providentia).
Weight (17.9g) is a bit light, but within range of >10% of examples in ACSearch. Possibly reflecting metal loss due to tooling.
The Saeculum Frugiferum reverse type — a patron god of N. Africa — is of particular significance for Clodius Albinus, born in Hadrumetum in N. Africa, near Carthage.
Clodius Albinus bronze coinage is generally scarce. Most Sestertii are from 194/5, w/ obv. legends D CL SEPT ALBIN CAES or D CLOD SEPT ALBIN CAES. There are several Sestertii with Frugiferum reverse, all COS II (i.e., in 194/5).
The reverse legend is incomplete on this coin, but Clay suggested it matches a rev. die in his 1972 catalog (see refs. above), SAECVLO FRVGIFERO COS II.
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Quintillus Billon Antoniniaus (2.68g, 17.5mm, 12h). Rome mint, 270 CE.
Obverse: IMP C M AVR QVINTILLVS AVG. Radiate and draped bust right.
Reverse: CONCORDIA AVG / Δ to right. Concordia standing left, sacrificing over altar & holding double cornucopiae.
Reference: RIC 13; Cohen 17.
Provenance: Ex-Ancient & Medieval Coins Canada Auction 2 (9 Nov 2019), Lot 210, from the “Orfew”/Andrew Short Collection; Naville Numismatics Auction 35 (London, Online, 29 Oct 2017), Lot 717, from the E.E. Clain-Stefanelli Collection (1914-2001; Curator, National Numismatic Collection, Smithsonian), incl. her hand-written tag w/ notes.
Numis./Hist. Notes: The brief reign of Quintillus lasted only weeks or months in 270 CE. That he produced coins at all – in fact, a considerable number of issues in AE, billon and gold, including those at Provincial mints – despite reigning for as little as a few weeks, provides strong evidence of how important coin production was to Emperors to quickly legitimize and publicize their rule, as well as evidence of how efficient the process was.
Provenance Notes: Elvira “E.E.” Clain-Stefanelli (her husband, Victor, also a numismatist, is known as “V.E.”) was a curator, then Executive Director of the National Numismatic Collection at the Smithsonian, 1956-2001. She is known for bringing the national coin collection from provincial backwater to world-class status.
A famous numismatist, her obituary was published in 2001 in the Washington Post. Her wikipedia entry.
The Clain-Stefanelli Collection (begun by Vladimir in the 1930s, assembled together until his death, continued by Elvira until at least the early 1990s), was auctioned by Stack’s (“Demarete Collection”) and then Numismatica Ars Classica and their affiliated auctioneer, Naville Numismatics (London). Naville sold this coin to “Orfew” (online handle of collector subsequently named in CNG sales as the applied linguist Andrew Short); from there it was consigned to Ancient & Medical Coins Canada, from which it joined the Jackson-Jacobs Collection.
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