Goldberg Coins and Collectibles

Sale 137

Pre-Long Beach Auction

Roman Empire

Lot	Photo	Description	Realized
Lot 1051		Augustus. Silver Tetradrachm (15.08 g), 27 BC-AD 14. Antioch in Syria. CY 26 and COS XII (5 BC). KAIΣAPOΣ ΣEBAΣTOY, laureate head of Augustus right. Reverse: ETOYΣ ςK NIKHΣ, Tyche seated right on rocks, holding palm branch; below, half-length figure of the river-god Orontes swimming right; in right field, YΠAT monogram and date (IB) above ANT monogram. McAlee 180; Prieur 50; RPC I 4151. Lustrous and with a nice, bold portait of Augustus. NGC grade AU; Strike: 4/5, Surface: 2/5. Estimated Value $1,000 - UP Purchased from Goldberg's Auction, 2 July 2006, lot 2042. View details and enlarged photos	Realized $2,400
Lot 1052		Nero. Æ Sestertius (27.39 g), AD 54-68. Rome, ca. AD 65. NERO CLAVD CAESAR AVG GER P M TR P IMP P P, laureate head of Nero right. Reverse: ROMA in exergue, S C across field, Roma seated left on cuirass, holding Victory and resting hand on parazonium; around, shields. RIC 274; BN -; BMC 178. NGC grade Ch VF; Strike: 5/5, Surface: 2/5. Smoothing. Estimated Value $750 - UP Purchased from Goldberg on 2 July 2006, lot 2048. View details and enlarged photos	Realized $540
Lot 1053		Julia Domna, wife of Septimius Severus, AD 193-211. AR Denarius minted at Rome, c. AD 196-211. Draped bust right of Julia Domna. Reverse: Fortuna standing left, holding cornucopiae and resting left arm on rudder. RIC 552 var. (Fortuna holds caduceus instead of cornucopiae). Superb Extremely Fine, toned. Estimated Value $200 - UP Goldberg's Auction 59, lot 2471. The Peh Family Collection. View details and enlarged photos	Realized $480
Lot 1054		Caracalla, AD 198-217. AR Antoninianus minted at Rome, AD 215. Radiate, cuirassed and draped bust right of Caracalla. Reverse: Sol, radiate, head to left, raising right hand and holding globe in left. RIC 264(c) [as Scarce]; C. 28Lots of luster present. NGC graded AU: Strike 4/5; Surface 2/5, hairlines; fine style. Estimated Value $200 - UP Goldberg's Auction 59, lot 2474. The Peh Family Collection. View details and enlarged photos	Realized $264
Lot 1055		Licinius II. Gold Aureus (5.31 g), Caesar, AD 317-324. Nicomedia, AD 320. D N VAL LICIN LICINIVS NOB C, bare-headed, draped and cuirassed bust of Licinius II facing. Reverse: IOVI CONSER-VATORI CAES, Jupiter seated facing on platform inscribed SIC V / SIC X, holding Victory on globe and scepter; at feet to left, eagle standing left, head turned right and holding wreath in beak; SMNΓ. RIC 42; Depeyrot 31/2; Calicó 5152a. Perfectly centered with a crisp strike. Fully lustrous. A spectacular rarity! NGC grade MS; Strike: 5/5, Surface: 3/5. Estimated Value $50,000 - UP Struck to celebrate Licinius Caesar's quinquennalia or 5th year on the throne as his father's heir, when he was only eight years old, this magnificent aureus with a fully frontal facing portrait is one of the earliest facing portraits on Roman coinage. Prior to this issue, which also includes a nearly identical aureus of Licinius I but with a bearded portrait, there were only two other Roman gold coins with portraits depicting the ruler in a facing pose: an aureus of Maxentius struck in ca. 310-312, also shown bearded, and a solidus of Constantine the Great struck in 316, but showing him clean shaven and nimbate. Frontal poses would soon become the norm however: Constantius II utilized a facing helmeted portrait at his eastern mints, and this would become the standard expression of the ruler on gold coinage throughout the subsequent late Roman and Byzantine periods.The facing portrait solidi of the Licinii, as mentioned above, were struck to celebrate the imperial vows taken to mark the conclusion of five successful years on the throne and the hope for a further half decade of rule. The normal expression for this was VOT V MVLT X, but here it takes the unusual form SIC V SIC X, which is inscribed on the base upon which Jupiter's throne sits. The type depicting the head of the Graeco-Roman pantheon, Jupiter, seated on a high-backed throne in a frontal pose, holding a globe supporting the goddess Victory who crowns him with a wreath and holding his scepter, is also a full of meaning. It is derived from the famous statue of Zeus said to have been made by the artist Phidias for the temple of Zeus at Olympia in Greece - home to the Olympic Games - and was said to have been cast in gold and ivory. The corresponding legend, IOVI CONSERVATORI, claims the god's divine protection for the father and son.While Licinius and Constantine jointly ruled the vast Roman Empire, they did not do so in harmony. They were, in fact, adversaries, with both aspiring to sole rule. Constantine was a monotheist, probably at the time this coin was struck strongly Christian, while Licinius worshipped the traditional Roman gods. The depiction of Jupiter on these Licinian aurei, with the corresponding legend describing Jupiter as their protector, served as an expression of Licinius' discontent with joint rule. It would not be long until the final clash between the two emperors in 324, with Constantine being victorious. At first, at the pleading of his sister, the wife and mother of the Licinii, Constantine spared them. However, it was not long before he succumbed to expedience and changed his mind, having both father and son executed. The boy Licinius, Constantine's nephew, was just thirteen years old when his uncle had him murdered. Ex Millennia Collection (Goldberg 46, 26 May 2008), lot 143. View details and enlarged photos	Realized $49,200
Lot 1056		(3.76 g) minted at Constantinople, AD 337-340. Diademed, cuirassed and draped bust right of Constantius II. Reverse: Victory seated right on cuirass, inscribing VOT XX on shield; a small winged genius supports shield. Cf. RIC VIII, p. 447, 9 (shield reads VOT XV). Very rare. A needle-sharp strike on a full broad flan. NGC graded Choice AU; Strike: 5/5, Surface: 4/5. Estimated Value $9,000 - UP Struck in connection with the establishment of Constantinople as the Eastern capital of the Roman Empire. Goldberg's Auction 63, lot 2570 The Peh Family Collection. View details and enlarged photos	Realized $5,280
Lot 1057		Julian II, AD 360-363. AE 1 (Majorina) minted at Constantinople. Diademed, cuirassed and draped bust right of Julian II. Reverse: Bull standing right; above, two stars. RIC 162. NGC graded XF: Strike 5/5; Surface 3/5. Estimated Value $300 - UP Usually termed AE 1, a bronze coin of this size is sometimes called a majorina, and is infrequently seen as a silver-washed issue. Here, NGC uses "B" for base/billon (highly debased silver). One of the cataloguer's favorite historical biographies is Julian by Gore Vidal, which is highly recommended for a scholarly, yet entertaining, insight into this fascinating era. Goldberg's Auction 59, lot 2488. The Peh Family Collection. View details and enlarged photos	Realized $336
Lot 1058		Theodosius II, AD 402-450. Gold Tremissis (1.50 g) minted at Constantinople, c. AD 430-440. Diademed, cuirassed and draped bust right of Theodosius II. Reverse: Victory advancing right, head left. RIC X, 278 [as R2]; Ratto 186. Needle-sharp strike and fully lustrous. NGC Gem Mint State; Strike: 5/5, Surface: 5/5. Estimated Value $1,000 - UP Goldberg's Auction 63, lot 2578 The Peh Family Collection. View details and enlarged photos	Realized $3,240