Goldberg Coins and Collectibles

Sale 65

The Pre-Long Beach Auction

Roman Coinage

Lot	Photo	Description	Realized
Lot 4119		L. Furius Cn.f. Brocchus, moneyer. AR Denarius minted at Rome, c. 63 BC. Bust right of Ceres between grain-ear and barleycorn. Reverse: Curule chair between fasces. Furia 23; Cr. 414/1; Syd. 902. Minor test cut at obverse edge, 5 o'clock. Excellent detail; Extremely Fine. Estimated Value $250 - 325. Ex CNG 79 (17 IX 08), lot 934. View details and enlarged photos	Unsold
Lot 4120		Pompey the Great, d. 48 BC. AR Denarius struck posthumously in Sicily, perhaps at Catana, by Sextus Pompey, one of his sons, 42-40 BC. Head right of Pompey the Great between capis and lituus. Reverse: Neptune standing left, foot on prow, between the brothers Anapias and Amphinomus, with their parents on their shoulders. Cr. 511/3a; Syd. 1344. Very well-disguised banker's mark ("T") on upper obverse neck, which is common for this period. Nicely toned, with an excellent portrait. Choice Very Fine. Pompey the Great was part of the first triumvirate (57 BC), along with Julius Caesar and Crassus. Pompey later joined forces against Caesar, and was murdered upon landing in Egypt. Estimated Value $800 - 1,100. View details and enlarged photos	Realized $1,064
Lot 4121		Julius Caesar, d. 44 BC. AR Denarius struck at the mint moving with Caesar in North Africa, 47-46 BC. Diademed head right of Venus. Reverse: Aeneas walking left, carrying Anchises and palladium. Cr. 458/1; Syd. 1013; RSC 12. Well centered for issue with underlying luster. Extremely Fine. Includes a grading slip from ICG (EF 45). Estimated Value $600 - 750. View details and enlarged photos	Realized $863
Lot 4122		Julius Caesar, d. 44 BC. Gold Aureus (8.10 g) minted at Rome by L. Plautius Plancus, urban prefect, 45 BC. Draped bust right of Victory; behind, wing. Reverse: One-handled jug. Cr. 475/1b; Syd. 1019 b. Scarce. On a gargantuan flan, accounting for the obverse's "fold-over," which is entirely mint-made. Choice Very Fine. Struck during January-April 45 BC, this imposing gold aureus was likely part of the largesse distributed among the victorious military might returning from the campaign in Spain. Estimated Value $7,000 - 8,000. View details and enlarged photos	Realized $7,763
Lot 4123		Julius Caesar, d. 44 BC. AR Denarius minted posthumously at Rome by moneyer C. Cossutius Maridianus, c. 44 BC, after the Ides of March. Veiled and wreathed head right of Julius Caesar; to left, apex; to right, lituus. Reverse: Inscription in cruciform. Cr. 480/19; Syd. 1069. Sear 1422 (the plated coin); The History and Coinage of the Roman Imperators #112 (the plated coin). Well centered on a large flan; underlying luster. Superb Extremely Fine. This rare and exceptional denarius was struck during the year the Roman Senate voted to portray Caesar on the coinage. In addition, this coin is the first occurrence of the complete title of the moneyer on a coin. Estimated Value $12,000 - 15,000. Ex NFA Auction XXVII (4 XII 91), lot 626. View details and enlarged photos	Realized $39,100
Lot 4124		Julius Caesar, d. 44 BC. AR Denarius minted posthumously at Rome by moneyer L. Livineius Regulus, 42 BC. Laureate head right of the deified Julius Caesar; to left, laurel branch; to right, caduceus. Reverse: Bull charging right. Cr. 494/24; Syd. 1106. Rare. Lustrous; the obverse perfectly centered. Superb Extremely Fine or better. This glorious denarius is a treasure to behold. It is difficult for this cataloguer to release it to the next fortunate owner! The charging bull, aligned slightly to the left at the Roman mint (as most examples), is an allusion to an incident occurring earlier in 49 BC. A hawk flew over the Roman Forum, dropping a laurel branch. This incident allowed the sacrificial bull to escape and eventually to swim across a lake. Soothsayers interpreted this as foretelling the fleeing of Pompey and his followers across the sea. Estimated Value $15,000 - 20,000. View details and enlarged photos	Realized $26,450
Lot 4125		Brutus, d. 42 BC. AR Denarius struck in early 42 BC at the mint moving with Brutus, possibly at Smyrna. Axe, simpulum and sacrificial knife. Reverse: Capis (jug) and lituus. Cr. 500/7; Syd. 1310; BMC 80. Rare. Typical die rusting. Virtually Mint State. Estimated Value $1,200 - 1,500. View details and enlarged photos	Realized $1,725
Lot 4126		Cassius, d. 42 BC. AR Denarius struck in early 42 BC at the mint moving with Brutus and Cassius, possibly at Smyrna. Diademed head right of Libertas. Reverse: Jug and lituus. Cr. 500/3; Syd. 1307; RSC 4. Attractively toned and well struck. Choice Very Fine. The coins of Cassius, an assassin of Julius Caesar, are some of the keys of the Imperatorial series. Estimated Value $600 - 800. Ex Superior's Moreira Collection Sale, Part 1 (31 V 88), lot 1823. View details and enlarged photos	Realized $1,121
Lot 4127		Cn. Domitius Ahenobarbus, d. 31 BC. AR Denarius struck at a moving mint (region of the Adriatic or Ionian Sea), 41 BC. Bare head right of Ahenobarbus. Reverse: Prow right surmounted by military trophy. Domitia 21; Cr. 519/2; Syd. 1177. Rare. Extremely Fine. During the Imperatorial era many chosen allegiances were broken and re-formed. Saluted as Imperator after his victory at Philippi, Ahenobarbus was appointed governor of Bithynia by Marc Antony. Denarii struck by Ahenobarbus were usually hurriedly fashioned and, like other Imperatorial issues, were often test cut, poorly centered on small flans and artistically inferior. This is the finest example this cataloguer has seen, and displays a particularly elegant portrait. Estimated Value $10,000 - 12,500. View details and enlarged photos	Unsold
Lot 4128		Cleopatra VII, d. 30 BC. AR Denarius struck at a moving mint (Alexandria?), c. 34 BC. Diademed and draped bust right of Cleopatra; underneath, prow. Reverse: Bare head right of Antony; behind, Armenian tiara. Cr. 543/1; Syd. 1210. Deeply toned on a full flan with excellent portraits. Choice Very Fine. Usually plagued with problems and unattractive portraits, this selected specimen of great historical importance is worthy of an advanced, high-grade collection. Estimated Value $5,000 - 6,000. View details and enlarged photos	Realized $7,188
Lot 4129		Tiberius, AD 14-37. Gold Aureus (7.76 g) minted at Lugdunum. Laureate head right of Tiberius. Reverse: Female (Livia?) seated right, holding scepter and branch. RIC 29 [as Rare]; BMC 46; Calicó 305. Lustrous, on a large flan. Extremely Fine. Both obverse and reverse show unusual delicacy of engraving; a remarkably beautiful example of the "Tribute Penny" in gold. Estimated Value $6,000 - 7,500. Ex Goldberg Auction (5 II 06), lot 2043. View details and enlarged photos	Realized $10,925
Lot 4130		Tiberius, AD 14-37. Gold Aureus (7.71 g) minted at Lugdunum. Laureate head right of Tiberius. Reverse: Female (Livia?) seated right, holding scepter and branch. RIC 25 [as R2]; BMC 30. Small bump at edge, 4:30 o'clock. Choice Very Fine. An excellent specimen of the Biblical "Tribute Penny" in gold. Estimated Value $3,000 - 3,500. View details and enlarged photos	Realized $3,450
Lot 4131		Nero, AD 54-68. Gold Aureus (7.21 g) minted at Rome, c. AD 64-65. Laureate head right of Nero. Reverse: Nero, radiate and togate, standing, holding branch and Victory on globe. RIC 46 [as Rare]; BMC 56. Edge mark at 9 o'clock could indicate prior mounting. Nice, full, round flan. Choice Very Fine. Estimated Value $3,000 - 3,500. View details and enlarged photos	Realized $3,565
Lot 4132		Roman Empire. Constantius II, 337-361 AD. Gold Solidus (4.54g). Mint of Constantinopolis. Struck 337-340 AD. Diademed ust of the emperor facing right. Reverse: FELICITAS REI PVBLICE / CONS. VOT / XV/ MVLT/ XX within wreath. RIC 12; C 67; Depeyrot 1/10. Wonderful full strike and perfectly centered. Very Rare. Superb Extremely Fine. Estimated Value $3,000 - 3,500. View details and enlarged photos	Realized $4,140
Lot 4133		Anonymous, AD Fourth-Sixth Centuries. AR Half Siliqua (1.08 g), minted c. AD 430 at Constantinople. Helmeted bust of Roma right. Reverse: Large "R". Cf. BMC (Byzantine) p. 71, Class III; Sabatier, pl. XII, 9. Good Very Fine and toned; small striking crack. These rare coins of this series are likely to have been introduced by Constantine at the time of the dedication in 330 of his new eastern capital of Constantinople. Some bore the letter "K" on the reverse (for Constantinopolis), while others had "P" or "R" (for Roma). They come in a variety of styles, indicating that these types were issued sporadically over a long period of time, and it seems likely that the centennial of the original event in 430 and the bicentennial in 530 would have been appropriate occasions. The style of the present specimen would indicate that it may belong to the first 'revival' during the reign of Theodosius II. Estimated Value $325 - 425. CNG 73 (2006), lot 1034, The Christov Family Collection (brought $750 plus premium). View details and enlarged photos	Realized $201