Goldberg Coins and Collectibles

Sale 84

January 25-28, 2015 Pre Long Beach

Roman Republican Coinage

Lot	Photo	Description	Realized
Lot 3119		Anonymous. Æ As (19.46 g), after 211 BC. Uncertain mint. Laureate head of Janus; above, I. Reverse: [ROMA] in exergue, prow of galley right; above, I. Crawford 56/2; Sydenham 143; BMCRR 217-28. NGC grade F; Strike: 5/5, Surface: 3/5. Estimated Value $100 - 125. View details and enlarged photos	Unsold
Lot 3120		M. Furius L.f. Philus. Silver Denarius (3.8 g), 120 BC. Rome. M FOVRI L F, laureate head of Janus. Reverse: (PH)IL in exergue, ROMA to right, Roma standing left, holding wreath and scepter, before trophy flanked by carnyx and shield; above, star. Crawford 281/1; Sydenham 529; Furia 18. Lightly toned. Choice Very Fine. Estimated Value $200 - 250. View details and enlarged photos	Realized $165
Lot 3121		Man. Aemilius Lepidus. Silver Denarius (5.9 g), 114-113 BC. Rome. RO(MA), laureate, diademed and draped bust of Roma right; behind, denomination. Reverse: (MN) AE-M-ILIO L-E-P, equestrian statue right on three arches. Crawford 291/1; Sydenham 554; Aemilia 7. Iridescent toning. Very Fine. Estimated Value $250 - 300. Included with old envelope. View details and enlarged photos	Unsold
Lot 3122		Appius Claudius Pulcher, T. Manlius Mancius, and Q. Urbinius. Silver Denarius (4.0 g), 111-110 BC. Rome. Helmeted head of Roma right; behind, triangular object. Reverse: AP CL T (MAL) Q (V[R]) in exergue, Victory, holding reins, driving galloping triga right. Cf. Crawford 299/1a (quadrangular object); Sydenham 570; cf. Claudia 2 (same). Pleasing old cabinet toning. Very Fine. Estimated Value $200 - 250. Included with old envelope. View details and enlarged photos	Realized $129
Lot 3123		Cn. Lentulus Clodianus. Silver Denarius (4.0 g), 88 BC. Rome. Helmeted bust of Mars right, seen from behind. Reverse: CN LENTVL in exergue, Victory, holding wreath and reins, driving galloping biga right. Crawford 345/1; Sydenham 702; Cornelia 50. Old cabinet toning with iridescence. Very Fine. Estimated Value $200 - 250. View details and enlarged photos	Unsold
Lot 3124		Q. Fabius Maximus. Silver Denarius (3.5 g), 82-80 BC. Rome. ROMA behind, Q (MA)X below, laureate head of Apollo right; lyre before; below chin, denomination. Reverse: Cornucopiae over thunderbolt; all within wreath. Crawford 371/1; Sydenham 718; Fabia 6. Old cabinet toning. Choice Very Fine. Estimated Value $350 - 400. Included with old envelope. View details and enlarged photos	Realized $223
Lot 3125		L. Censorinus. Silver Denarius (4.0 g), 82 BC. Rome. Laureate head of Apollo right. Reverse: L CENSOR, Satyr standing left, extending arm and holding wine skin over shoulder; behind, stutue on column. Crawford 363/1d; Sydenham 737; Marcia 24. Toned with light iridescence. Very Fine. Marsyas is best known in Greek and Roman mythology for his hubris. He was said to have challenged the god Apollo to a contest playing the flute, the victor getting to decide whatever punishment the loser would receive. Naturally, Apollo won the contest, and as punishment for having dared challenged him he flayed Marsyas alive. Estimated Value $250 - 300. Included with old envelope. View details and enlarged photos	Realized $147
Lot 3126		C. Marius C.f. Capito. Silver Denarius (3.9 g), 81 BC. Rome. C MAR-I C F C-APIT, draped bust of Ceres right, wearing wreath of grain ears; VII at end of legend. Reverse: Husbandman with yoke of oxen plowing left; above, VII. Crawford 378/1a; Sydenham 744; Maria 7. Old cabinet toning. Very Fine. Estimated Value $250 - 300. Included with old envelope. View details and enlarged photos	Realized $147
Lot 3127		C. Naevius Balbus. Silver Denarius (4.0 g), 79 BC. Rome. S C behind, diademed head of Venus right. Reverse: C N(AE) B(AL)B in exergue, Victory, holding reins, driving galloping triga right; above, CLXXVIII. Crawford 382/1b; Sydenham 769b; Naevia 6. Nice old collection toning. Choice Very Fine. The moneyer is unattested other than on this special coinage authorized by senatorial decree (ex senatus consulto), which should most probably be viewed as an issue to finance operations in the the Sertorian War in Spain. The triga depicted on the reverse is most interesting: at the time this coin was struck it was already an archaic convention, Homeric in origin, originally borrowed from the Greeks and used in Rome only during the ludi Romani, the games celebrating the Roman victory at Lake Regillus. It appears only one other time during the Republican period, on coins struck 111-110 BC under the moneyers Appius Claudius Pulcher, T. Manlius Mancius, and Q. Urbinius. Estimated Value $250 - 300. View details and enlarged photos	Realized $223
Lot 3128		C. Naevius Balbus. Silver Denarius (3.6 g), 79 BC. Rome. S C behind, diademed head of Venus right. Reverse: C N(AE) B(AL)B in exergue, Victory, holding reins, driving galloping triga right; above, CCXIII. Crawford 382/1b; Sydenham 769b; Naevia 6. Toned with blue iridescence. Very Fine. Estimated Value $200 - 250. Included with old envelope. View details and enlarged photos	Realized $129
Lot 3129		L. Furius Cn.f. Brocchus. Silver Denarius (3.7 g), 63 BC. Rome. BROCCHI below, III VIR across field above, draped bust of Ceres right, wreathed with grain ears, lock of hair falling down neck; in fields, grain ear to left, barley corn to right. Reverse: L FVRI/CN F in two lines above, curule chair between two fasces. Crawford 414/1; Sydenham 902a; Furia 23a. Delicately toned. Extremely Fine. The obverse possibly relates to a family history where an ancestor served as aedile of the grain supply, the cura annonae, or it may just reflect the moneyer's populist political philosophy. At the time this coin was struck, Catiline's conspiracy was secretly developing, only to be exposed and crushed the following year during Cicero's consulship. Although grain shortage was not one of the social causes of the Catiline conspiracy as outlined by Cicero - remember that Pompey had cleared the Mediterranean of the pirate menace in the early 60s BC and thus the grain supply had been secured - after the revelation of the plot, Cato proposed a grain measure extending the dole to include Rome's poor. Obviously, then, even though supply was plentiful, it was a source of discontent for the many urban plebs who were not benefitting from free distribution, and perhaps it was this mood that Brocchus was attempting to exploit by his choice of types on this coin. Estimated Value $400 - 500. View details and enlarged photos	Realized $517
Lot 3130		L. Scribonius Libo. Silver Denarius (3.7 g), 62 BC. Rome. BON EVENT before, LIBO behind, diademed head of Bonus Eventus right. Reverse: PVTEAL above, SCRIBON in exergue, garlanded well head decorated with two lyres and hammer. Crawford 416/1a; Sydenham 928; Scribonia 8a. Nicely toned with some light blue iridescence. Choice Very Fine. Estimated Value $300 - 350. Included with old envelope. View details and enlarged photos	Realized $176
Lot 3131		M. Nonius Sufenas. Silver Denarius (4.1 g), 57 BC. Rome. SVFENAS before, [S C] behind, head of Saturn right; behind, harpa and conical stone. Reverse: SEX NON[I] in exergue, PR L V P F around, Roma seated left on cuirass and shield, holding spear, crowned by Victory standing to left behind her, holding palm. Crawford 421/1; Sydenham 885; Nonia 1. Old cabinet toning with blue iridescence. Extremely Fine. The reverse of this coin is historically important in that it alone preserves the name of the praetor who first held the games, the ludi Victoriae Sullanae, in 81 BC honoring Sulla's victory at the Colline Gate. The abbreviated legend is normally read Sextus Nonius, praetor ludos victoriae primus fecit ("Sextus Nonius as praetor first held the games of Victory"). Estimated Value $500 - 600. View details and enlarged photos	Unsold
Lot 3132		Q. Servilius Caepio Brutus. Silver Denarius (3.8 g), 54 BC. Rome. BRVTVS, bare head of L. Junius Brutus right. Reverse: AHALA, bare head of Caius Servilius Ahala right. Crawford 433/2; Sydenham 907; Junia 30. Nice toning. Choice Very Fine. Estimated Value $400 - 500. View details and enlarged photos	Realized $646
Lot 3133		Q. Caepio Brutus. Silver Denarius (3.9 g), 54 BC. Rome. LIBERTAS behind, head of Libertas right, jewels in hair above forehead. Reverse: BRVTVS in exergue, the consul L. Junius Brutus walking left between two lictors, each carrying ax over shoulder, and preceded by an accensus. Crawford 433/1; Sydenham 906; Junia 31. Two scratches in the right obverse field. Very Fine. Estimated Value $350 - 400. View details and enlarged photos	Realized $353
Lot 3134		C. Servilius C.f. Silver Denarius (3.8 g), 53 BC. Rome. FLORAL PRI(MV)S before, head of Flora right, wearing wreath of flowers; behind, lituus. Reverse: C SER(VE)IL in exergue, C F to right, two soldiers standing face-to-face, each holding a shield and upright sword. Crawford 423/1; Sydenham 890; Servilia 15. Old cabinet toning. Very Fine. Estimated Value $200 - 250. Included with old envelope. View details and enlarged photos	Realized $141
Lot 3135		P. Cornelius Lentulus Marcellinus. Silver Denarius (3.8 g), 50 BC. Rome. MARCELLINVS before, bare head of the consul M. Claudius Marcellus right; behind, triskeles. Reverse: MARCELLV[S] COS QVINQ, M. Claudius Marcellus, veiled and togate, carrying trophy right toward tetrastyle temple. Crawford 439/1; Sydenham 1147; Claudia 11. Scratches of reverse. Uniform old grey cabinet toning. Choice Very Fine. Estimated Value $700 - 800. Included with old envelope. View details and enlarged photos	Realized $470
Lot 3136		Albinus Bruti f. Silver Denarius, 48 BC. Rome. PIETAS behind, bare head of Pietas right. Reverse: ALBINVS BRVTI F, clasped hands holding winged caduceus. Crawford 450/2; HCRI 26; Sydenham 942; Postumia 10. Beautiful iridescent tone. The moneyer, Decimus Junius Brutus, is better known to us than are most moneyers as he saw extensive service under Caesar during the Gallic Wars and was later made governor of Transalpine Gaul. Additionally, he was made Caesar's heir should Octavius reject the inheritance. Despite the favor Caesar showed him, he was amongst the conspirators in his assassination (he should not be confused with M. Junius Brutus, however, who was one of the principals of the conspiracy). Estimated Value $800 - 900. View details and enlarged photos	Realized $494
Lot 3137		L. Plautius Plancus. Silver Denarius (3.8 g), 47 BC. Rome. [L PLAV]TIVS below, Mask of Medusa with disheveled hair facing. Reverse: PLANCVS below, Aurora flying right, head slightly left, holding reins and conducting the four horses of the sun. Crawford 453/1c; HCRI 29a; Sydenham 959b; Plautia 14. Old cabinet toning with attractive iridescence. Very Fine. Estimated Value $300 - 350. View details and enlarged photos	Realized $270