Goldberg Coins and Collectibles

Sale 95

THE NEW YORK SALE

Roman Republic

Lot	Photo	Description	Realized
Lot 1152		C. Fabius C.F Hadrianus. Silver Denarius (3.85 g), 102 BC. Rome. ex A PV behind, veiled, turreted and draped bust of Cybele right. Rev. C FABI C F in exergue, Victory, holding whip and reins, driving galloping biga right; below, pellet above A; to lower right, stork standing right. (Crawford 322/1b; Sydenham 590; Fabia 14). Attractive old cabinet toning. Extremely fine. Estimate $450UP View details and enlarged photos	Realized $531
Lot 1153		Q. Caecilius Metellus Pius. Silver Denarius (3.81 g), 81 BC. Military mint with Sulla's army in northern Italy. Diademed head of Pietas right; to right, stork standing right. Rev. IMPER in exergue, jug and lituus; all within laurel wreath. (Crawford 374/2; Sydenham 750; Caecilia 44.) Beautiful iridescent old cabinet toned. Extremely fine. Estimate $800UP Ex Poindessault (27 March 1990), lot 90. Q. Caecilius Metellus Pius came from one of the most important and wealthiest families of Rome. Beginning in the 3rd century BC, his family held numerous consulships, tribunates, censorships and military commands. His father, Q. Caecilius Metellus Numidicus, was the chief commander in the Jugurthine War in Numidia until Marius displaced him, and was later censor until driven into exile by Marius. The obverse of this coin portrays the goddess Pietas and alludes to the moneyer's cognomen, Pius. The moneyer acquired the honorable title from the people of Rome, whom he had beseeched in order to secure the restoration from exile of his father. The reverse probably refers to an unattested augurate of the moneyer's father, but may also allude to Sulla's holding of the augurate in ca. 82 BC (cf. Crawford p. 374). View details and enlarged photos	Realized $1,357
Lot 1154		L. Cassius Q.F. Longinus. Silver Denarius (3.75 g), 75 BC. Rome. Head of Liber (or Bacchus) right, wreathed with ivy, thyrsus at shoulder. Rev. L CASSI Q F, head of Libera left, wreathed with a vine. (Crawford 386/1; Sydenham 779; Cassia 6). Well struck and well centered for this issue, with complete types, iridescent cabinet toning. Extremely fine. Estimate $900UP This denarius is believed to have been struck by the same L. Cassius Longinus who went on to serve as praetor in 66 BC. The depiction of Father Liber on the obverse and Libera on the reverse may advertise the foundation of a temple of Ceres, Liber and Libera by the moneyer's ancestor, Sp. Cassius in 493 BC. The similarity of the head of Liber to that found on the bronze aes of the moneyer C. Cassius (Crawford 266/3) has also suggested to Crawford a possible allusion to the lex Cassia tabellaria introduced by L. Cassius Longinus Ravilla in 137 BC, but this seems a somewhat difficult and improbable connection for the average Roman coin-user to have made. View details and enlarged photos	Unsold
Lot 1155		T. Vettius Sabinus. Silver Denarius (3.80 g), 66 BC. Rome. SABINVS behind, S C before, bare-headed and bearded head of King Tatius right; below chin, TA monogram. Rev. IVdex above, T VETTIVS in exergue, togate figure holding magistrates's scepter driving biga left; behind, stalk of grain. (Crawford 404/1; Sydenham 905; Vettia 2). Iridescent toning. Extremely fine. Estimate $1,000UP The legendary Sabine king, Titus Tatius, who jointly ruled the Romans with Romulus appears on the obverse as a visual pun on the moneyer's cognomen, Sabinus. The reverse type, however, is obscure with the figure in the biga variously (and controversially) described as Sp. Vettius, who appointed Numa Pompilius as interrex, Numa himself, or even Hercules(!). While the legendary Sp. Vettius would provide a connection to the name of the moneyer, T. Vettius, Crawford is probably right to see a more generic judicial figure (indicated by the legend IVDEX) here. View details and enlarged photos	Unsold
Lot 1156		Q. Pomponius Musa. Silver Denarius (3.73 g), 65 BC. Rome. Laureate head of Apollo right; behind, star. Rev. Q POMPONI MVSA, Urania, the Muse of Astronomy, standing facing, head left, holding wand pointed toward sphere set on tripod to left. (Crawford 410/8; Sydenham 823; Pomponia 22). Well centered and toned. About extremely fine. Estimate $1,200UP Like any number of Roman Republican moneyers, Q. Pomponius Musa advertised himself and his family on his coins with types that serve as a pun on his name. He produced a series of denarii representing each of the nine Muses and Hercules Musarum, all of which referring to his cognomen, Musa. While they are not named on the coins, each of the Muses is easily identified by her attributes. Urania, the eldest of the Muses and the daughter of Zeus and Mnemosyne, is perhaps the most distinctive of the group in that she appears holding a wand pointing towards a globe. View details and enlarged photos	Realized $1,357
Lot 1157		C. Hosidius C.F. Geta. Silver Denarius (4.01 g), 64 BC. Rome. GETA before, III VIR behind, diademed and draped bust of Diana right, bow and quiver at shoulder. Rev. C HOSIDI C F in exergue, the wild boar of Calydon charging right, side pierced by arrow, harried by hound below. (Crawford 407/2; Sydenham 903; Hosidia 1). Attractive cabinet tone, well centered. Superb extremely fine. Estimate $800UP The classical myth of the Calydonian boar served to illustrate the consequences for not respecting the gods. King Oeneus of Aetolia neglected to accord the proper rites to the goddess Diana (Artemis), and for this sacrilege she sent a chthonic beast, the wild boar of Calydon, to ravage the Aetolian hinterlaundated. The boar was the bane of the countryside, destroying vineyards and crops and forcing the people to shelter behind their city walls. With starvation paramount, a hunt was organized and many heroes were called to partake (the exception was Hercules, who fought his own chthonic beast, the Erymanthean boar). Amongst all these male heroes was one female, the heroine Atalanta, who won the signal honor of being the first to wound the boar when she shot it through its side with an arrow. Although the significance of this type in relation to the moneyer is unknown to us, we should assume that the mythological episode depicted held some special importance to the moneyer's family, perhaps a claimed descent from Atalanta. View details and enlarged photos	Realized $974
Lot 1158		C. Piso L.F. Frugi. Silver Denarius (3.93 g), 61 BC. Rome. Head of Apollo right, hair tied with fillet; behind, uncertain symbol. Rev. C PISO L F FRV, winged horseman galloping left, holding whip, torch and reins. (Crawford 408/1b; Hersh 345 (O274/R3001); Sydenham 874; Calpurnia 27c). Old collection toning. NGC AU; Strike: 5/5, Surface: 5/5. Estimate $400UP View details and enlarged photos	Realized $443
Lot 1159		L. Torquatus. Silver Denarius (3.88 g), 58 BC. Rome. SIBVLLA below, head of Sibyl right, wreathed with ivy; all within dotted border. Rev. L TORQVAT III VIR, tripod surmounted by an amphora between two stars; all within torque. (Crawford 411/1b; Sydenham 835; Manlia 12). Scarce. Attractive cabinet tone. Extremely fine. Estimate $2,500UP The obverse and reverse types of this coin represent the mythical Sibyl of Cumae and her gift of prophecy. Prophecies attributed to her were written down in the so-called Sibylline books and stored in the Temple of Capitoline Jupiter so that they could be consulted in times of emergency. The torque that surrounds the reverse type refers back to the famous ancestor of L. Torquatus, T. Manlius, who received the family agnomen (nickname) Torquatus for his bravery in 361 BC. According to Roman tradition, a Gaul of great size and strength challenged the Roman army to settle the differences between their people in a duel of champions. Manlius, though small in stature, accepted the challenge and managed to kill the giant Gaul and claimed the golden torque around his neck as a trophy. Ever since that day he and his descendants were known as Torquati (literally "those with torques"). View details and enlarged photos	Unsold
Lot 1160		L. Torquatus. Silver Denarius (3.85 g), 58 BC. Rome. SIBVLLA below, head of Sibyl right, wreathed with ivy; all within wreath border. Rev. L TORQVAT III VIR, tripod surmounted by an amphora between two stars; all within torque. (Crawford 411/1a; Sydenham 837; Manlia 11). Well struck and centered. Extremely fine. Estimate $2,500UP View details and enlarged photos	Unsold
Lot 1161		P. Plautius Hypsaeus. Silver Denarius (3.95 g), 58 BC. Rome. P YPSAE before, S C behind, draped bust of Leuconoê right; behind, dolphin. Rev. CEPI to right, C YPSAE COS/PRIV in two lines in exergue, Jupiter driving quadriga left. (Crawford 420/2d; Sydenham 911b; Plautia 12b. Toned). NGC grade AU; Strike: 4/5, Surface: 4/5. Estimate $400UP View details and enlarged photos	Unsold
Lot 1162		Cn. Plancius. Silver Denarius (3.96 g), 55 BC. Rome. CN PLANCIVS before, AED CVR S C behind, head of Diana Planciana(?) right, wearing petasus. Rev. Cretan goat standing right; behind, quiver and bow. (Crawford 432/1; Sydenham 933; Plancia 1). Attractive cabinet tone. Extremely fine. Estimate $550UP View details and enlarged photos	Unsold
Lot 1163		Q. Servilius Caepio Brutus. Silver Denarius (3.86 g), 54 BC. Rome. BRVTVS, bare head of L. Junius Brutus right. Rev. AHALA, bare head of Caius Servilius Ahala right. (Crawford 433/2; Sydenham 907; Junia 30). Small test cut on edge. Very fine / Choice very fine. Estimate $750UP View details and enlarged photos	Realized $472
Lot 1164		C. Coelius Caldus. Silver Denarius (4.07 g), 53 BC. Rome. C COEL CALDVS before, COS below, head of the consul C. Coelius Caldus right; behind, carnyx and spear. Rev. C/C/A/L/D/V/S on left; [I/MP/(AV)/X on right, C(ALD)VS III VIR in exergue, veiled figure standing left behind lectisternium flanked by trophies and inscribed L CALDVS/VII (VR) EP(VL). (Crawford 437/4a; Sydenham 898; Coelia 11). Attractive cabinet tone. Extremely fine. Estimate $1,000UP C. Coelius Caldus issued two coin types during his tenure as moneyer, and both depict on the obverse the head of his namesake ancestor who was the first of his family to attain the consulship. Toynbee noted the extremely realistic rendering of the portrait and thought it must have been based on an original portrait (J. M. C. Toynbee, Roman Historical Portraits, p. 21). In Rome, nobles were entitled to display images (imagines) of ancestors in the atrium of the family house, and these were either sculptures, or more often, death masks molded directly from the face of the deceased. The superb lifelike rendering of the portrait of the consul C. Coelius Caldus on this coin indicates that perhaps his death mask served as the model used by the die engravers for this issue. View details and enlarged photos	Realized $1,180
Lot 1165		L. Hostilius Saserna. Silver Denarius (3.72 g), 48 BC. Rome. Head of Gallic captive (Vercingetorix?) right; behind, Gallic shield. Rev. L H[OSTILIVS] above, SASERN below, two warriors in biga galloping right, one driving and the other holding shield and brandishing spear. (Crawford 448/2a; HCRI 18; Sydenham 952; Hostilia 2). Well centered obverse with residual luster. About extremely fine. Estimate $3,250UP Probably one of the most iconic coins associated with Julius Caesar's Gallic Wars, the obverse type has long been identified as a portrait of Vercingetorix, the great chief of the Arverni captured at the battle of Alesia in 52 BC, although both Crawford and Sear have expressed doubts about this identification. However, the large and detailed treatment of the head suggests an intended portrait rather than a simple personification of a conquered Gaul. View details and enlarged photos	Realized $3,776
Lot 1166		Q. Caecilius Metellus Pius Scipio and Eppius. Silver Denarius (3.76 g), 47-46 BC. Military mint traveling with Scipio in Africa. Q METELL SCIPIO IMP, head of Africa right, wearing elephant' skin headdress; in right field, grain stalk; below, plow. Rev. EPPIVS LEG F C, Hercules standing facing, resting hand on hip and leaning on club draped with lion's skin and set on rock. (Crawford 461/1; HCRI 44; Sydenham 1051; Caecilia 50). Iridescent cabinet toning. About extremely fine. Estimate $750UP Antika (17 October 1985), lot 68. The obverse type depicting Africa wearing an elephant headdress is remarkable in that it ultimately derives from Ptolemaic Egyptian representations of Alexander the Great as conqueror of Asia used on coins struck at Alexandria. Under the Roman Empire it was transmitted back to Alexandria where a female figure wearing the elephant headdress became the standard personification of the city. View details and enlarged photos	Realized $856
Lot 1167		L. Cestius and C. Norbanus. Gold Aureus (7.91 g), 43 BC. Emergency issue of the Roman Senate. Rome. Draped bust of Africa right, wearing elephant's skin headdress. Rev. L CESTIVS above, ex S C - P R across field, C NORBA in exergue, two confronted serpents atop curule chair, front legs of which are decorated with eagles. (Crawford 491/1b; HCRI 195a; Bahrfeldt 25, pl. IV, 19 (same dies); Sydenham 1154; Calicó 4). Rare variety. The usual minor weakness on the left eagle for this reverse die. otherwise well struck and of good style. Extremely fine. Estimate $14,000UP This rarity of the dying Republic was probably struck as an emergency issue by by order of the Senate (indicated by the letters S C, senatus consulto, found on the reverse) apparently in connection with two African legions deployed abortively to defend Rome against Octavian in 43 BC. The head of Africa on the obverse seems to refer to these legions, while the sella curulis (curule chair) on the reverse may be read as a symbol of imperium. Crawford, however, has doubted these specific circumstances, arguing that the S C inscription does not necessarily express opposition to Octavian and that by the summer of 43 BC the Senate probably lacked the gold needed to issue this and related aureus issues on its own. This is clearly a remarkable coin and worthy of further thought. View details and enlarged photos	Realized $14,750
Lot 1168		C. Vibius Varus. Silver Denarius (3.65 g), 42 BC. Rome. Head of young Bacchus, wearing wreath of ivy and grapes. Rev. C VIBIVS VARVS, panther springing left onto garlanded altar upon which a bacchic mask and thyrsus rest. (Crawford 494/36; HCRI 192; Sydenham 1138; Vibia 24). Beautifully toned with natural antique iridescence. Superb extremely fine. Estimate $800UP Purchased privately from Tom Cederlind. The types of this coin relate to the cult of Bacchus (the Roman version of Greek Dionysos), but their intended message is unclear. Crawford speculated that Bacchus (Liber) might have been a patron of the gens Vibia since he also appears on coins of C. Vibius C.f. Pansa (Crawford 342). The cult of Bacchus had a spotty history in the second century. Lurid stories about the uninhibited mixing of men and women of different social backgrounds during the Bacchanalia was seen as a threat to good order in Rome and among the Roman allies. The Senate therefore stepped in and repressed the cult in 186 BC with some severity, establishing a senatus consultum de Bacchanalibus to closely regulate the worship of Bacchus in the future. View details and enlarged photos	Realized $1,151
Lot 1169		L. Mussidius Longus. Silver Denarius (3.95 g), 42 BC. Rome. Radiate and draped bust of Sol facing slightly right. Rev. [L MV]SSIDIVS LONGVS, circular ornamented platform with trellis-pattern balustrade inscribed CLOACIN, surmounted by two statues of Venus Cloacina, each resting hand on cippus; on left, flight of steps and portico. (Crawford 494/43a; HCRI 189; Sydenham 1094; Mussidia 7). Old iridescent cabinet toning. Choice very fine. Estimate $750UP This denarius celebrates a shrine to one of the more unlikely patron deities of the Roman pantheon: Venus Cloacina - the Venus who protected the sewer system (the Cloaca Maxima) of Rome. The Cloaca Maxima was said to have been built under the Etruscan kings, Tarquinius Priscus and Tarquinius Superbus, as a means of draining the swampland around the city's seven hills. In order to protect the drainage system the Sabine king Titus Tatius was said to have erected a shrine to honor Cloacina, the spirit of the sewer who came to be identified with Venus in the Republican period. By some bizarre twist, the composite goddess Venus Cloacina was ultimately recognized as having two spheres of authority: the protection of the sewers, and the protection of the marital bed. Apparently the Roman Republican mind spent more time in the gutter than is usually admitted. View details and enlarged photos	Realized $915
Lot 1170		L. Livineius Regulus. Silver Denarius (3.97 g), 42 BC. Rome. L REGVLVS PR, bare head of the praetor L. Livineius Regulus right. Rev. [REGVLVS F] above, PRAEF VR in exergue, curule chair between two fasces. (Crawford 494/31; HCRI 180; Sydenham 1113; Livineia 8). Nice cabinet toning with slight iridescence. A little softly struk at part of edge. Extremely fine. Estimate $600UP View details and enlarged photos	Realized $1,239
Lot 1171		C. Numonius Vaala. Silver Denarius (3.92 g), 41 BC. Rome. C NVMONIVS VAALA, bare head of Numonius Vaala right. Rev. VAALA in exergue, soldier advancing left, holding spear and shield, attacking rampart defended by two soldiers. (Crawford 514/2; HCRI 322; Sydenham 1087; Numonia 2). Attractive old cabinet tone, a little softly struck on top of head. About extremely fine. Estimate $5,250UP Ex Ars Classica 17 (3 October 1934). Ex Count Tolstoi Collection (Hess, 11 March 1912), lot 923. The obverse of this coin depicts an obscure ancestor of the moneyer C. Numonius Vaala who appears to have gained the cognomen Vaala for the gens Numonia through his military exploits. The reverse shows him storming the palisades (vallum) of an enemy rampart. It was customary in the Roman Republic to award the soldier who was first to break through the defenses of an enemy fortification with the corona vallaris - a golden crown ornamented with palisades, similar to the somewhat more familiar corona muralis awarded to the first soldier to break through the wall of an enemy city. It is presumably from the receipt of the corona vallaris by the moneyer's ancestor that he took the honorific cognomen Vaala (an archaic form of Vala), which was passed on to his descendants. View details and enlarged photos	Realized $5,163