Goldberg Coins and Collectibles

Sale 98

The Pre-Long Beach Auction June 4-7, 2017

Ancient - Roman Republic

Lot	Photo	Description	Realized
Lot 2191		Anonymous. Æ Semis (22.44 g), after 211 BC. Rome. Laureate head of Saturn right; behind, S. Reverse: ROMA in exergue, prow of gally right; above, S. Crawford 56/3; Sydenham 143a; BMCRR 229. Glossy chocolate brown patina. Choice Very Fine. Estimate Value $400 - 500 View details and enlarged photos	Realized $793
Lot 2192		M. Aburius M.f. Geminus. Silver Denarius (3.92 g), 132 BC. Rome. GEM behind, head of Roma right, wearing winged helmet ornamented with griffin's head; below chin, denomination. Reverse: M (AB)(VR)I below, [RO]MA in exergue, Sol, holding whip and reins, driving galloping quadriga right. Crawford 250/1; Sydenham 487; Aburia 6. A lustrous gem. NGC grade Ch MS; Strike: 5/5, Surface: 5/5. Estimate Value $800 - 900 From the Dr. Patrick Tan Collection. View details and enlarged photos	Unsold
Lot 2193		D. Silanus L.f. Silver Denarius (3.93 g), 90 BC. Rome. Helmeted head of Roma right; behind, E. Reverse: D SILANVS L F/ROMA in two lines in exergue, Victory driving galloping biga right; above, XVII. Crawford 337/3; Sydenham 646; Junia 15. Well struck, perfectly centered and beautifully toned. NGC grade Ch MS; Strike: 5/5, Surface: 5/5. Estimate Value $800 - 900 From the Dr. Patrick Tan Collection. View details and enlarged photos	Realized $676
Lot 2194		L. Calpurnius Piso Frugi. Silver Denarius (3.97 g), 90 BC. Rome. Laureate head of Apollo right; behind, CXVII. Reverse: L PISO FRVGI below, horseman riding right, holding palm; below, IIII. Crawford 340/1; Sydenham 663c; Calpurnia 11. A gem! Lightly toned with underlying luster present. NGC grade MS; Strike: 5/5, Surface: 5/5. Estimate Value $1,000 - 1,500 From the Dr. Patrick Tan Collection. Ex CNG E350 (6 May 2015), 435. View details and enlarged photos	Unsold
Lot 2195		D. Silanus L.f. Silver Denarius (3.94 g), 90 BC. Rome. Helmeted head of Roma right; behind, E. Reverse: D SILANVS [L F]/ROMA in two lines in exergue, Victory driving galloping biga right; above, XII. Crawford 337/3; Sydenham 646; Junia 15. Lustrous and lightly toned. Superb Extremely Fine. Estimate Value $300 - 350 View details and enlarged photos	Unsold
Lot 2196		L. Calpurnius Piso Frugi. Silver Denarius (3.93 g), 90 BC. Rome. Laureate head of Apollo right; behind, labrys; below chin, R. Reverse: L PISO FRVGI below, horseman riding right, holding palm; above, trident right; below, C. Crawford 340/1; Sydenham 669a; Calpurnia 11. Shaply struck with small flan flaw on edge. Lightly toned and lustrous. Extremely Fine. Estimate Value $250 - 300 View details and enlarged photos	Unsold
Lot 2197		L. Rubrius Dossenus. Silver Denarius (3.67 g), 87 BC. Rome. DOS behind, helmeted bust of Minerva right, wearing aegis. Reverse: L RVBRI in exergue, triumphal quadriga right, surmounted by Victory in biga right. Crawford 348/3; Sydenham 707; Rubria 3. Light gold toning. Very Fine. Estimate Value $200 - 250 View details and enlarged photos	Realized $118
Lot 2198		Mn. Fonteius C.f. Silver Denarius (4.20 g), 85 BC. Rome. (MN) FO(NT)EI behind, C F below chin, laureate head of Vejovis right; below, thunderbolt. Reverse: Infant Genius seated on goat right; above, pilei of the Dioscuri; in exergue, filleted thyrsus; all within laurel wreath. Crawford 353/1c; Sydenham 724a; Fonteia 10. Lustrous and delicately toned. An absolute gem quality specimen. *NGC grade MS; Strike: 5/5, Surface: 5/5*. Estimate Value $800 - 900* From the Dr. Patrick Tan Collection. The moneyer is perhaps the brother of the moneyer M. Fonteius (see Crawford 347) and not inconceivably the tribune featured on the reverse of Crawford 429/1. The reverse recalls that the god Jupiter was suckled by the she-goat Amaltheia on Mt. Ida during his infancy, and depicts a statue that was within the Temple of Vejovis in Rome. View details and enlarged photos	Realized $911
Lot 2199		L. Papius. Silver Denarius (3.99 g), 79 BC. Rome. Head of Juno Sospita right, wearing goat's skin headdress; behind, amphora. Reverse: L PAPI in exergue, griffin sprining right; below, hydria. Crawford 384/1 (symbols 2); Sydenham 773; Papia 1. Boldly struck and perfectly centered. Toned. *NGC grade Ch AU; Strike: 5/5, Surface: 5/5*. Estimate Value $800 - 900* From the Dr. Patrick Tan Collection. Although the moneyer is unknown except for his coins, the coins are very popular with collectors for the interesting controls they display, which according to Crawford "are no more than a random selection of pairs of everyday objects" (p. 399). Papius used two related symbols, one on the obverse die, the other on the reverse, to keep track of production and to control losses amongst the slaves at the mint. Each pair of controls only has one set of dies. On this particular coin the paired symbols are an amphora and a hydria, both related to wine, the amphora for storage and the hydria for mixing wine with water (unlike barbarians with the uncouth habit of consuming it undiluted, the Romans and Greeks always drank their wine mixed with water, often with the addition of spices or honey for flavoring). View details and enlarged photos	Realized $940
Lot 2200		L. Rutilius Flaccus. Silver Denarius (4.07 g), 77 BC. Rome. FLAC behind, helmeted head of Roma right, wearing peaked visor. Reverse: L RVTILI in exergue, Victory, holding wreath and reins, driving galloping biga right. Crawford 387/1; Sydenham 780a; Rutilia 1a. Magnificent iridescent tone. *NGC grade AU; Strike: 5/5, Surface: 5/5*. Estimate Value $800 - 900* From the Dr. Patrick Tan Collection. View details and enlarged photos	Unsold
Lot 2201		C. Hosidius C.f. Geta. Silver Denarius (3.96 g), 64 BC. Rome. GETA before, III VIR behind, diademed and draped bust of Diana right, bow and quiver at shoulder. Reverse: C HOSIDI [C F] in exergue, the wild board of Calydon charging right, side pierced by arrow, harried by hound below. Crawford 407/2; Sydenham 903; Hosidia 1. Perfection! Boldly struck and perfectly centered. Nicely toned. *NGC grade MS; Strike: 5/5, Surface: 5/5*. Estimate Value $800 - 900* From the Dr. Patrick Tan Collection. The classical myth of the Calydonian boar served to illustrate the need for paying proper respect to the gods and the consequences for not doing so. King Oeneus of Aetolia had forgotten to accord 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 hinterland. The boar was the bane of the people, destroying vineyards and crops and forcing everyone to take shelter behind their city walls. With starvation ensuing, a hunt was organized, and most of the illustrious heroes of Greece's heroic age took part (with the exception of Hercules who fought his own chthonic beast, the Erymanthean boar). Amongst all these male heroes was one female, the heroine Atalanta, and she won the signal honor of being the first to wound the boar, having pierced its side with an arrow. For this she was awarded its hide. Although the precise meaning is lost to us, it can be assumed that Hosidius employed the type of the Caledonian boar to illustrate a claimed descent from one of the heroes involved in the hunt, perhaps from Atalanta herself. View details and enlarged photos	Realized $1,410
Lot 2202		L. Roscius Fabatus. Silver Denarius (3.94 g), 59 BC. Rome. L ROSCI below, head of Juno Sospita right, wearing goat's skin headdress; behind, uncertain symbol. Reverse: FABATI in exergue, female standing right, feeding serpent erect before her; in left field, uncertain symbol. Crawford 412/1 (symbols 13); Sydenham 915; Roscia 3. Iridescent tone. A marvelous example with needle sharp details. NGC grade Ch AU; Strike: 5/5, Surface: 5/5. Estimate Value $700 - 800 From the Dr. Patrick Tan Collection. Ex Tom Peterson Collection (Goldberg 91, 7 June 2016), 1946. The types of Juno Sospita and the female feeding the serpent refer to the moneyer's Lanuvine origin. Cicero (de Nat. Deor. 1.29) describes the peculiar garb and attributes of Juno Sospita, while both Propertius (8.4.3) and Aelian (NA 11.16) discuss the role of the serpent in the oracle located in the sacred grove attached to Juno Sospita's temple at Lanuvim. In the religious rites, a virgin fed the reptile fruits and cakes, which caused the oracle to speak. Failure of the oracle to pronounce was, of course, proof of a tainted chastity. View details and enlarged photos	Realized $823
Lot 2203		L. Marcius Philippus. Silver Denarius (3.99 g), 57 BC. Rome. ANCVS below, diademed head of Ancus Marcius right; behind, lituus. Reverse: PHILIPP-VS on left, equestrian statue right on arcade of five arches; within arches, AQVA (MAR). Crawford 425/1; Sydenham 919; Marcia 18. Boldly struck, well centered, and delicately toned. A superb example with much luster. *NGC grade Ch AU; Strike: 5/5, Surface: 5/5. Fine style*. Estimate Value $1,000 - 1,500* From the Dr. Patrick Tan Collection. The obverse of portrays the diademed head of Ancus Marcius, the fourth King of Rome. He was the progenitor of the Marcia gens which had at least two branches, the Philippi and the Reges. Although L. Marcius Philippus belonged to the Philippi branch of the Marcii, he appropriated an event from the Reges branch as it was the praetor Quintus Marcius Rex who built the Aqua Marcia in 144-140 BC. Perhaps the moneyer was being a little devious to illustrate something he could not rightfully claim; the man in the street probably would simply assume that it was the moneyer's ancestor who had supplied Rome with it's greatest source of potable water. View details and enlarged photos	Unsold
Lot 2204		C. Memmius C.f. Silver Denarius (3.83 g), 56 BC. Rome. C MEMMI C F before, QVIRINVS behind, laureate head of Quirinus right. Reverse: MEMMIVS AED CERIALIA PREIMVS FECIT, Ceres seated right, holding torch and grain ear; at her feet, serpent. Crawford 427/2; Sydenham 921; Memmia 9. Beautifully struck and perfectly centered. Beautifully toned. *NGC grade Ch AU; Strike: 5/5, Surface: 5/5. Fine style*. Estimate Value $1,500 - 2,000* From the Dr. Patrick Tan Collection. Quirinius was a god of war of Sabine origin who was assimilated with Romulus, Rome's founder. It seems that here Memmius is either referencing a Sabine family origin, or else claiming descent from Romulus. The reverse legend states that it was an ancestor of the moneyer who in 202 BC as (plebeian) aedile held the first festival to the goddess Ceres, the Cerealia. The festival was held annually for several days in April since being first instituted, and included races in the Circus Maximus and theatrical events. View details and enlarged photos	Realized $1,763
Lot 2205		Q. Cassius Longinus. Silver Denarius (3.95 g), 55 BC. Rome. Head of Bonus Eventus right, scepter at shoulder. Reverse: Q CASSIVS, eagle with wings displayed standing right on thunderbolt; in left field, lituus; in right field, capis. Crawford 428/3; Sydenham 916; Cassia 7. Wonderful old cabinet toning. *NGC grade Ch AU; Strike: 5/5, Surface: 5/5*. Estimate Value $1,000 - 1,300* From the Dr. Patrick Tan Collection. View details and enlarged photos	Realized $1,293
Lot 2206		Q. Caecilius Metellus Pius Scipio and P. Licinius Crassus Junianus. Silver Denarius (3.93 g), 47-46 BC. Utica. LEG PRO PR on left, CRASS IVN on right, turreted head of Utica right, between grain ear and winged caduceus; above, uncertain object (aplustre?); below, rostrum. Reverse: SCIP IMP on left, METEL PIVS on right, trophy between lituus and capis. Crawford 460/3; HCRI 42; Sydenham 1049; Caecilia 52. Boldly struck and perfectly centered with delicate iridescent tones. A marvelous specimen. *NGC grade MS; Strike: 5/5, Surface: 4/5*. Estimate Value $5,000 - UP* From the Dr. Patrick Tan Collection. View details and enlarged photos	Unsold
Lot 2207		Q. Metellus Pius Scipio. Silver Denarius (3.90 g), 47-46 BC. Military mint traveling with Scipio in Africa. Q METEL above, PIVS below, laureate head of Jupiter right. Reverse: SCIPIO above, IMP in exergue, elephant advancing right. Crawford 459/1; HCRI 45; Sydenham 1050; Caecilia 47. Boldly struck and well centered. Nicely toned. NGC grade AU; Strike: 5/5, Surface: 5/5. Estimate Value $1,000 - 1,500 From the Dr. Patrick Tan Collection. Ex Roma 2 (2 October 2011), 523; Künker 71 (12 March 2002), 630. A Pompeian loyalist, Q. Metellus Pius Scipio introduced the legislation that recalled Caesar from his Gallic command, thus precipitating the Civil Wars. This handsome denarius was struck while Scipio was in supreme command of the Pompeian forces in North Africa, the elephant an obvious reference to the province, and was probably struck during the later stages of the campaign in a mobile mint traveling alongside the forces (stylistically it is quite distinct from the coins of Scipio struck at the provincial capital of Utica). In 46 BC, Caesar finally managed to corner the Pompeians at Thapsus, where he inflicted on them a crushing defeated. After the battle Scipio committed suicide, knowing that despite Caesar's usual leniency towards his enemies he would not allow so persistent an foe as Scipio to survive. View details and enlarged photos	Realized $852
Lot 2208		L. Valerius Acisculus. Silver Denarius (3.65 g), 45 BC. Rome. ACISCVLVS behind, diademed head of Apollo Soranus right surmounted by star; behind, pick-axe. Reverse: L VALERIVS in exergue, Europa seated on bull walking right, holding veil which billows out above her. Crawford 474/1a; HCRI 90; Sydenham 998; Valeria 17. Toned. Very Fine. Estimate Value $250 - 300 It has traditionally been believed that the reverse shows the heroine Valeria Luperca riding a heifer. However, the animal is clearly a bull, which means that the seated female can only be Europa. The myth of Europa is that she was a Phoenician princess whose beauty attracted the attention of the god Zeus. Desiring her, he turned himself into a magnificent white bull and intermingled with her father's herd. When she saw him, she approached him and stroked his side, then leaped onto his back. Zeus immediately ran out to sea and swam to Crete, where Europa became the island's first queen. Subsequently, Zeus arranged the stars known as the constellation Taurus in the shape of the white bull which he had assumed during this episode. View details and enlarged photos	Realized $176