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Home ▸ Catalog ▸ |Themes & Provenance| ▸ |Quality| ▸ |High Grade||View Options:   | | | When first introduced to ancient coins, most people are shocked to learn that some coins remain in mint state and even more surprised to learn that they are not all in musuems. Ancient people did not have stocks, bonds mutual funds, or bank accounts. The primary implement for holding wealth was coins, often buried, and often buried in uncirculated or mint state condition. If an owner died without recovering their coins or telling an heir where to find them, they were lost. Millions of ancient coins have been recovered, and thousands have been found in superb condition. |
RIC does not list this type with AVGG T in the reverse legend. DOCLR identifies the T as indicating the Thessalonica mint.SH87354. Gold solidus, DOCLR 664 (also 4th officina), Tolstoi 38 var. (TI), Ratto -, RIC X -, near Mint State, lustrous, radiating flow lines, a few light marks, weight 4.496 g, maximum diameter 20.7 mm, die axis 180o, 4th officina, Thessalonica (Salonika, Greece) mint, 2nd reign, Aug 476 - 11 Apr 491, 5th issue; obverse D N ZENO PERP AVG, helmeted bust facing, pearl diademed without jewel on crested helmet, cuirassed, spear in right hand over right shoulder, shield on left arm decorated with horseman riding down and spearing enemy; reverse VICTORI-A AVGG T Δ, Victory standing left, long jeweled cross in right, star right, CONOB in exergue; ex Numismatik Naumann auction 67, lot 660; very rare; SOLD
Byzantine Empire, Justin I, 10 July 518 - 1 August 527 A.D.
This type is not rare, but apparently the 7th officina was not very active during this issue. Hahn identifies three specimens from the 7th officina, one from his own collection, but the 7th officina, is missing from the Dumbarton Oaks, British Museum, Bibliothèque nationale de France, Tolstoi and Ratto collections. Dumbarton Oaks and the other collections do list the type from other officinae - see DOC I 1a - 1h.2, Morrisson BnF 2/Cp/AV/3-12, Tolstoi 11-16, Ratto 381-382. Wroth BMC does not list the type but Sear notes this is only an error.SL96956. Gold solidus, Hahn MIB 2 (3 spec., one from his own collection), SBCV 55, Sommer 2.1, DOC I -, Tolstoi -, Ratto -, Wroth BMC -, Morrison BnF -, Ch XF, wrinkled, marks (4284830-010), 7th officina, Constantinople (Istanbul, Turkey) mint, 518 - 519 A.D.; obverse D N IVSTI-NVS P P AVI, helmeted and cuirassed bust facing, helmet with plume, diadem and trefoil ornament, spear in right hand over shoulder and behind head, shield on left arm ornamented with mounted cavalryman right attacking prostrate enemy; reverse VICTORI-A AVCCC Z (victory of the three emperors, 7th officina), Victoria standing half left, head left, long staff topped with
(inverted staurogram) in right hand, star left, CONOB in exergue; NGC| Lookup; rare from 7th officina; SOLDBasiliscus, January 475 - Late August 476 A.D.
"'Tremissis' is a Latin word which was created by analogy to the term 'semissis' and probably came from "triens as", meaning a third of an 'as'. It came to mean a coin having 1/3 the value of another. It is applied to the Roman gold (98%+ fine) one-third solidus, first struck about 385 to replace the 3/8 solidus (1½ scripulum) piece. It was one-third of the solidus' weight, or about 1.51 grams (theoretically 1/216 of a Roman pound). Roman gold fractions were scarce and never played a large part in the monetary system, but the tremissis was struck well into Byzantine times; the last known are of Basil I (867-886)." - from Moneta Historical Research by Tom SchroerSH10944. Gold tremissis, RIC X 1008, gVF, weight 1.479 g, maximum diameter 15.37 mm, die axis 180o, Constantinople (Istanbul, Turkey) mint, obverse D N bASILI-CuS P P AVG, pearl-diademed, draped, and cuirassed bust right; reverse VICTORIA AVGVSTORVM (to the victory of the Emperor), Victory advancing front, head left, holding wreath and globus cruciger, star in right field, CONOB in exergue; very rare (R3); SOLD
Byzantine Empire, Constans II and Constantine IV, 13 April 654 - 15 July 668 A.D.
In 663, Constans II visited Rome for twelve days - the only emperor to set foot in Rome for two centuries! He was received with great honor by pope Vitalian. Constans II gave the order to strip buildings, including the Pantheon, of their ornaments to be carried back to Constantinople.SH26632. Gold solidus, DOC II-2 30b, Morrisson 13/Cp/AV/46, Tolstoi 287, Ratto 1605, Hahn MIB 31, Sommer 12.23, SBCV 964, Wroth BMC -, EFvery sharp, minor edge bump,, weight 4.486 g, maximum diameter 20.1 mm, die axis 180o, Constantinople (Istanbul, Turkey) mint, c. 661 - 663 A.D.; obverse [legend fragmentary], facing busts of Constans & Constantine IV, Constans wears plumed helmet, Constantine a helmet with cross, small cross between heads; reverse VICTORIA AVGU H (victory of the Emperor, 8th officina), cross potent on three steps between Heraclius (left) and Tiberius, each wears crown and chlamys and holds globus cruciger, CoNoB in exergue; ex Gorny & Mosch; scarce; SOLD
Roman Civil War, Vitellius, c. 69 A.D.
This coin is M71 in Butcher, K. & M. Pointing, The Metallurgy of Roman Silver Coinage: From the Reform of Nero to the Reform of Trajan (Cambridge, 2015). There is a tiny drill hole on the edge where silver was extracted for testing. This was an important coin in the study, with test results indicating 93.9% silver bullion and Gallic isotope ratios strongly suggesting similarity with other Vitellius coins from Gallia, not coins minted for Galba.RS86684. Silver denarius, Butcher-Pointing M71 (this coin), RIC I Civil Wars 121, BMCRE I 65, RSC I Galba 363, BnF I 75, Martin 7, EF, toned, tight flan, light corrosion, test drill hole on edge, weight 3.127 g, maximum diameter 17.5 mm, die axis 180o, Southern Gaul(?) mint, c. 69 A.D.; obverse clasped hands, FIDES above, EXERCITVVM below; reverse clasped hands, FIDES above, PRAETORIANORVM curving along the edge below; from the Jyrki Muona Collection, ex Helios, auction 4 (Munich, 14 Oct 2009), lot 270; ex Coll. A. Lynn collection; ex Classical Numismatic Group, auction 54 (14 June 2000), lot 1484; ex P. DeVicci collection; rare; SOLD
Constantine II, 22 May 337 - March or April 340 A.D.
All the references list this type with the reverse legend ending CAES, but our coin's reverse legend ends CAESAR. RIC lists only officina Z and Θ. Most of the officina number is off flan, but our coin does not appear to be either. There is possibly a pellet at the beginning of the mintmark, a possibility is not in the references. We are uncertain if the this is a variation of the referenced types or if the references are in error. We could not locate even one plate or online photo of another specimen of this type to compare. There are three auctions of this type on recorded on Coin Archives, but all of them are for this exact same coin.SH89742. Silver siliqua, RIC VII Constantinople 127 var. (CAES), RSC V 72 var. (same), SRCV V 17087 var. (same), Hunter V -, gVF, attractive youthful portrait with eyes to God, toned, light marks, weight 2.622 g, maximum diameter 18.4 mm, die axis 0o, 9th Officina(?), Constantinople (Istanbul, Turkey) mint, as caesar, 336 A.D.; obverse Constantine diademed right, looking up to God, no inscription; reverse CONSTANTINVS CAESAR, Victory walking left, wreath in right hand, palm frond in left hand, CONS[...] in exergue; ex Heritage auction 271848 (2 Dec 2018), lot 36228; ex CNG sale 84 (5 May 2010), lot 1531; ex CNG Triton XIII (5 Jan 2010), lot 1523; ex White Mountain Collection; extremely rare; SOLD
Pupienus, 22 April - 29 July 238 A.D.
Magnificent. Spectacular portrait. Beautifully toned with traces of iridescent blue. This coin is the scarcer of two types minted with the same reverse but with different obverse legends. The reverse refers to the mutual clarity or shared vision of the emperors Balbinus and Pupienus. Because they were quarreling they were unable to put up a joint defense against the praetorians. They were both murdered after a reign of only 99 days.SH07654. Silver antoninianus, RIC IV-1 10a (S); RSC III 4; BMCRE VI 80, SRCV III 8519, Hunter III 8 var. (obv. legend), aEF, weight 4.26 g, maximum diameter 22.4 mm, die axis 0o, Rome mint, obverse IMP CAES M CLOD PVPIENVS AVG, radiate, draped, and cuirassed bust right; reverse CARITAS MVTVA AVGG (Mutual Clarity of the Emperors), clasped hands; from the Scott Collection; scarce; SOLD
Zeno, 18 January - 17 November 474 and August 476 - 11 April 491 A.D.
They look similar, but there is a significant physical difference between angels and Victory. Angels are all male. Victory (Nike) is female. On Byzantine coinage, the male angel replaced the female Victory after the reunion with Rome was concluded on 28 March 519 A.D.SH42812. Gold solidus, DOCLR 641 (also 9th officina), Tolstoi 22, Ratto 283, RIC X 910, Depeyrot 108/1, SRCV V 21514, EF, obv flan defect, weight 4.459 g, maximum diameter 20.4 mm, die axis 180o, 9th officina, Constantinople (Istanbul, Turkey) mint, 2nd reign, Aug 476 - 11 Apr 491; obverse D N ZENO PERP AVG, helmeted bust facing, pearl diademed ornamented with trefoil on arc, cuirassed, spear in right over shoulder, shield on left arm decorated with horseman riding down enemy; reverse VICTORIA AVGGG Θ (victory of the three emperors, 9th officina), Victory standing left, long jeweled cross in right, star right, CONOB in exergue; SOLD
Byzantion, Thrace, 2nd - 1st Century B.C., Restoration of Lysimachos' Type, Portrait of Alexander the Great
SH53582. Silver tetradrachm, Müller 200, SNG Cop 1141 var. (monogram), Choice gVF, weight 16.850 g, maximum diameter 33.8 mm, die axis 0o, Byzantium (Istanbul, Turkey) mint, 2nd - 1st Centuries B.C.; obverse diademed head of Alexander the Great wearing the horn of Ammon; reverse BAΣIΛEΩΣ ΛYΣIMAXOY, Athena enthroned left, rests arm on shield, transverse spear against right side, holds Nike crowning name in right, monogram inner left, BY on throne, trident in exergue; uncleaned with dark hoard toning!; SOLD
Pupienus, 22 April - 29 July 238 A.D.
Great story coin. The reverse refers to the mutual love of the emperors Balbinus and Pupienus. Because they were quarreling they were unable to put up a joint defense against the praetorians. They were both murdered after a reign of only 99 daysSH71019. Silver antoninianus, RIC IV-1 9b, RSC III 2, BMCRE VI 82, Hunter III 7, SRCV III 8518, Choice EF, fantastic strike, full circles strike, some mint luster, weight 4.682 g, maximum diameter 23.7 mm, die axis 0o, Rome mint, 22 Apr - 29 Jul 238 A.D.; obverse IMP CAES PVPIEN MAXIMVS AVG, radiate, draped, and cuirassed bust right; reverse AMOR MVTVVS AVGG (Mutual Love of the Emperors), clasped hands; scarce; SOLD
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