Lot 80
Rome. Augustus, 27 BC - 14 AD. Gold Aureus (7.76 g), Lugdunum (Lyon), struck 13-14 AD. Laureate head of Augustus right. Reverse. Tiberius standing right in triumphal slow quadriga right, holding wreath in his right hand and eagle-tipped scepter in his left; counterclockwise from exergue, TI CAESAR AVG F TR POT XV. RIC 221; Biaggi 177; BMC 511; Calicó 294a; C. 299; Giard 89 (same obverse die as 87/3a, D 416). Sharply struck and finely centered on almost round flan, from fresh dies. Attractively toned, with russets and deep oranges in the recesses. Some minor marks, otherwise virtually as struck, with much residual luster. Very scarce. NGC graded About Uncirculated.
As the founder and first ruler of Rome's new Imperial government and state, the former Octavian, now Augustus, of course had many issues and policies to set into place for the smooth functioning of the vast new complexities of Empireship. Not the least of these was the matter of succession of rule. After the decades of strife, anarchy, and civil war that accompanied the close of the Republic, misfortune in this arena could cause considerable unwanted havoc to the new State. Sadly, poor Augustus was most unfortunate regarding his heirs. One of his last hopes, his youngest grandson, Augustus was forced to banish (although the cause for his banishment may have been the result of Livia, the second wife of Augustus, and her purportedly infamous manipulations that tended to remove all obstacles that might impede the advancement of her own son by a previous marriage, Tiberius, from eventually claiming the throne as the heir of Augustus). In any event, Agrippa Postumus, the grandson, was promptly executed after the death of Augustus.
Meanwhile, all the rest of Augustus' other designated heirs also pre-deceased him (either through natural, or seemingly natural causes). Tiberius, whom Augustus loathed the most, kept hanging on and on. Eventually Tiberius was adopted as heir in 4 AD. Tiberius was fully aware of the antipathy felt towards him by Augustus, and so spent most of his time with the army on the frontier, only returning to Rome when he was to be given such honors that clearly marked him as inheriting the throne. Such is seen on this coin, which celebrates the triumph granted to Tiberius for his victories in Germany and Pannonia.
Estimated Value $20,000 - 25,000.
Ex "Perfectionist Collection," Leu 93, 10 May 2005, no. 3.
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| Realized $71,875 |
