Notes on Deacquisition, September 2012 - Roman Provincial Coinage

The following list of coins, from my personal collection, are to be auctioned at ROMA Numismatics Sale IV, 29th September 2012. The descriptions are those of ROMA Numismatics; the majority of the photos (with some exceptions) were taken by me. As I will be bidding farewell to these coins, retaining only the photos in memory, I thought that future collectors would wish to benefit from some Notes on Deacquisition, including provenance details. The coins will be available for bidding until September 29th, and those interested in joining their collecting history to mine can clink on the blue link, or the images, to go direct to the online auction listing where bids can be made.

In addition to the Roman Provincial coins on this webpage, I am also parting with a group of Roman Republican coins. These are covered in a separate web-page, Roman Republican Coins: Collector Notes on Deacquisition - September 2012. Whilst the Republican coins are not all of the greatest quality, they are all of very great interest; how much interest can be seen by a glance at some of the discussion topics which the Republican section provoked in my mind: d'Ailly's worm; Nomadic travel across seas and deserts and the pursuit of coin collecting; Towing ships up the Tiber, by girdle; Clodius according to Cicero; Cronos' gruesome treatment of his father, by harpa; Slaughtering fowls in a farmyard, and how this relates to healthy sports; The trees of a sacred grove of Asklepios; "The real Simon Pure", a character in Centlivre's Bold Stroke for a Wife, 1717; India ink cabinet stickers, possibly in Greek. Back on topic, here are a couple of sample coins:

Disclaimer: Natural patination processes may have resulted in slight surface colour changes since my photos were taken many years ago. Therefore the sales photographs and descriptions should be relied on as regards condition and patina, rather than the images below. All the views expressed in the paragraphs that commence AM, including those that relate to condition and desirability, do not form any part of the sales description, but are my own personal opinions as the past collector of these coins.

Lot 1085: Sicily, Lilybaeum Æ26.

Sicily, Lilybaeum Æ26. L. Sempronius Atratinus, 36 BC. Veiled and turreted head r., within triangular ornament / Serpent entwined around tripod. RPC I 655; CNS I, p. 263, 15; SNG ANS 282-283. 19.53g, 26mm, 12h. Dark patina, F-VF

AM: An unusually attractive example on a heavy, thick flan. The triangular obverse type refers of course to the island of Sicily. This was issued by Lucius Sempronius Atratinus, better known to numismatists as a joint issuer of the Fleet Bronze coinage of Mark Antony. Atratinus seems to have been a flexible general. He served as a legate to Mark Antony, as propraetor in Greece in 39 BC. In 36 BC he was given command of a portion of a fleet which Antony had sent to help Octavianus deal with Sextus Pompey, and in this period he struck this Sicilian As. In 34 BC he was elected suffect consul on January 1, as Antony resigned his position as consul within 24 hours. Atratinus held the consulate until July 1 of 34 BC. At some point prior to the Battle of Actium, Atratinus abandoned Antony and switched his support to Octavian. He was made proconsular governor of Africa around 23 BC, was awarded a triumph for his actions there in 21 BC, and died in 7 BC; his tomb can be found today in Gaeta in Italy. Purchased from Forvm Ancient Coins, 2006.

Lot 1268: Macedonia under Roman Rule, Aesillas, quaestor, AR Tetradrachm.

Macedonia under Roman Rule, Aesillas, quaestor, AR Tetradrachm. c. 95-70. Head of the deified Alexander the Great r.; T behind / Money chest, club, and chair; all within wreath. Bauslaugh Group VI. 16.16g, 29mm, 12h. VF

AM: Robert Bauslaugh's study of the tetradrachms of the Quaestor Aesillas is a case-study as to why the tedious business of comparing and linking dies can reap rich rewards. It completely over-turned the established dating for these coins by decades, established a sequence and brought new light to bear on the governance of Macedonia in the first century BC. A core type for any collection of Roman Provincial coins of the Republican period. Purchased from Ancient Treasures, 2003.

Lot 1473: Kings of Pontos, Mithradates VI AV Stater.

Kings of Pontos, Mithradates VI AV Stater. Tomis c. 88-86. Diademed head of deified Alexander r. / Athena Nikephoros seated l.; HPA to inner l., TO below throne, ornamented trident in exergue. Callataÿ p. 141; AMNG I 2479; BMC 282. 8.24g, 19mm, 12h. Good VF

AM: See two essays on these coins, GOLD STATERS OF BRUTUS, and BRUTUS REVISITED, by Harlan Berk, that suggests these coins to have been struck in 42 BC, by Brutus; the second of these two essays rebuts views to the contrary. "These gold staters bearing the deified portrait of Alexander the Great, an issue initiated by Lysimachus in 281 BC, were struck in 44-42 BC by Brutus to pay mercenaries fighting against the forces of Mark Anthony and Octavian. These are in fact coins from one of the best known conflicts in the history of man". These Lysimachus-style gold staters of Tomis coins were found in a hoard together with mint state examples of coins of Asander of Pontus as Archon (47 to 42 BC). "Since over ninety percent of the hoard is Mint State to point of wear, this leads us to an inescapable numismatic conclusion, that these coins were struck at the same time as Asander was Archon". Matters of style and surface deposits are other aspects that Berk cites to link the coins to the Asander coins in the cited hoard. As for means and motive, "When the widow Polemocratia came to Brutus to save her assassinated husband’s kingdom for her son, which he did, she rewarded him with a gold treasure. This is the gold that Brutus most likely used to strike these gold staters or possibly the Koson staters or both. Mercenaries from different parts of the world would necessitate the striking of possibly more than one issue of coins to satisfy their varying needs". Purchased from Harlan J.Berk, 2005.

Lot 1970: Kings of Numidia, Juba I AR Denarius.

Kings of Numidia, Juba I AR Denarius. c. 60-46. Diademed and draped bust r., sceptre over shoulder / Octastyle temple. MAA 29; SNG Copenhagen 523. 3.66g, 19mm, 1h. Some porosity, good VF

AM: Reverse is rotated, double struck. This denarius issue is known to be the only non-Roman type in the corpus that is traditionally found mixed with hoards of Roman denarii, in contrast to the Iberian denarii which were essentially of Roman weight but are never found mixed. So Juba's denarius must have been issued and accepted as an Imperatorial denarius alongside the issues of the Pompeian's, Cato and Scipio, leading up to the battle of Thapsus, and from then on mingled with Roman coins for the following century. Purchased from Baldwin's, 2008.

Lot 1976: Q. Caecilius Metellus Pius Scipio Nasica AR Cistophoric Tetradrachm of Pergamum, Mysia.

Q. Caecilius Metellus Pius Scipio Nasica AR Cistophoric Tetradrachm of Pergamum, Mysia. Imperator and Proconsul in Syria c. 49-48 BC. Cista mystica within ivy wreath / Two serpents entwined around legionary aquila; mint monogram to l. Stumpf 68 pl. 2, 22.; SNG BnF 1763-5. 12.57g, 28mm, 12h. Toned VF

AM: A large coin with a lovely obverse, fresh with hardly any wear, with Scipio's full format praenomen, nomen and two cognomen's as clear as can be. Were this a legionary type of Antony, such a clear legionary aquila would be highly valued yet this is a much rarer type from an Imperatorial descendant of the great Scipio Africanus. I saw this coin at Baldwin's in the late 1990s, but with a price tag that I felt unable to afford, though I greatly desired it for its beauty and history. In 2001, Baldwin's added another GBP 100 to the price, so I decided I better step up to the challenge or else I would never own this Scipio Cistophorus, and succeeded in negotiating its purchase for its 1990s price. Purchased from Baldwin's, 2001.

Lot 1977: P. Cornelius P.f. Lentulus Spinther, Imperator, AR Cistophoric Tetradrachm of Laodiceia, Phrygia.

P. Cornelius P.f. Lentulus Spinther, Imperator, AR Cistophoric Tetradrachm of Laodiceia, Phrygia. c. 56-54 BC.Serpents emerging from cista mistica; the whole within wreath. / Bow-case between two serpente, caduceus in r., field. Stumpf 77 pl. 2, 29. 12.00g, 26mm, 12h. Toned F/VF

AM: This cistophorus of P. Cornelius P.f. Lentulus Spinther with a clearly written Imperatorial title, reminds me that Roman Provincial Coinage Volume Zero is a sorely needed book that should cover the period from the bronzes of Cosa in 273 BC until RPC Volume 1 commences in 49 BC, yet the book does not exist. Someone should write it! These cistophori with Imperatorial titles are all rare. Purchased from Harlan J. Berk, 2006.

Lot 1983: Mark Antony and Octavian Æ27 of Thessalonica, Macedon.

Mark Antony and Octavian Æ27 of Thessalonica, Macedon. Antonian Era year 5 (= 37 BC). Draped bust of Eleutheria r.; E (date) to l. / Nike advancing l., holding wreath and palm frond. RPC 1551; SNG Cop. 374; BMC 62-3. 24.77g, 27mm, 12h. Rough dark patina, VF

AM: This is an exceptionally heavy example of this Mark Antony type. I think that photograph does not really do justice to its attractive glossy dark green patina. Purchased from Baldwin's, 2001.

Lot 1985: Mark Antony and Octavian Æ Dupondius of Achaea.

Mark Antony and Octavian Æ Dupondius of Achaea. With L. Sempronius Atratinus, consul designatus. c. 38-37 BC. Confronted heads of Antony r., and Octavia l. / Two quinqueremes sailing r.; caps of Dioscuri above; B below. RPC 1455; Amandry, Bronze I Series 1C, 11. 110. 10.40g, 29mm, 12h. Dark brown tone, Fair

AM: This actual coin is listed in RPC and in Amandry's study of fleet bronzes, RPC 1455.8 = Amandry, Bronze I, Series II.1.C, 8 (D3/R5; this coin). A great rarity. Purchased CNG 78, lot 1235, May 2008, ex Patrick Villemur Collection.

Lot 1986: Mark Antony and Octavian Æ ‘As’ of Achaea.

Mark Antony and Octavian Æ ‘As’ of Achaea. With L. Sempronius Atratinus, consul designatus, c. 38-37 BC. Jugate heads of Mark Antony and Octavia r. / Galley r.; below, A and head of Medusa. RPC 1456. 12.11g, 26mm, 4h. Polished thick brown patina, VF

AM: This coin is not in Amandry's corpus. It has been holded and repaired, and the design seems to have been strengthened by tool, but not altered; by the standards of fleet bronzes it remains a very attractive example of a large As. All fleet bronze denominations except the small As of Oppius Capito and the Semus of Bibulus are extremely rare. Purchased from John Jencek, 2011.

Lot 1987: Mark Antony and Cleopatra AR Tetradrachm of Antioch, Syria.

Mark Antony and Cleopatra AR Tetradrachm of Antioch, Syria. c. 36 BC. Diademed and draped bust of Cleopatra r. / Bare head of Mark Antony r. McAlee 174; Prieur 27; RPC 4094. 13.32g, 26mm, 12h. Toned Fair

AM: This is one of the few Cleopatra and Mark Antony portrait tetradrachm that could be considered accessible to the ordinary collector; better examples of this type have recently sold for $36,000 (NAC 45), $42,000 (Goldberg 47), $65,000 (NAC54), $76,000 (NAC 62). Virtually the entire reverse legend remains legible, and it has good surfaces despite the wear. Purchased from Italo Vecchi, 1997.

Lot 1988: Octavian Æ29 of Narbo, Gaul.

Octavian Æ29 of Narbo, Gaul. c. 40 BC. Bare head r., wearing slight beard / Prow of quinquireme r. RPC 518; SNG Cop. 705-7 (Uncertain). 15.76g, 29mm, 5h. Brown tone, VF

AM: I have concluded that the denominations on the aes coinage of Octavian during the Imperatorial period can be read in a simple manner: those types with two heads are Dupondii, the two heads corresponding to the Janus types of early Republican Rome, and the few bronzes with a single head are Asses. This then would be an As, and indeed the average weight of examples of this type is less than that of the two-headed Dupondii of Gaul. I would imagine that both RPC 535/1 and 535/2 also circulated as Dupondii; although the latter is a one-headed coin it is clearly associated with the Octavian / Caesar portrait types. This As is attractive example of a rare coin type usually found very worn. Purchased from Italo Vecchi, 1997.

Lot 1989: Octavian Æ 80 Drachmae of Alexandria, Egypt

Octavian Æ 80 Drachmae of Alexandria, Egypt c. 30-28 BC. Bare head r. / Eagle standing l., cornucopia in l. field; ? to r. RPC 5001; Köln 1; Dattari 2. 17.00g, 26mm, 12h. Brown tone, F-VF

AM: This is an exceptional example of a very rare and important type, the brief issue of Octavian on his arrival in Alexandria in 30 BC.. So it is the first Roman Provincial coin type from Egypt. It is many times rarer than the Cleopatra 80 drachmae of the same type whose types it continues. The latter of course are typically found in execrable condition which puts this very well preserved example in a positive light. Lovely surfaces and chocolate toning. Very desirable. Purchased CNG 49, 1999.

Lot 1990: Octavian and Divus Julius Caesar Æ Dupondius of Lugdunum, Gaul.

Octavian and Divus Julius Caesar Æ Dupondius of Lugdunum, Gaul. c. 36 BC. Back to back heads of Julius Caesar l., laureate, and Octavian r., bare / Prow of galley r.; meta above, dolphin on prow. RPC 514. 18.34g, 31mm, 9h. Dark patina, F/VF

AM: The first of three Dupondii from Gaul, each with a portrait of Octavian and Julius Caesar, but with markedly different prow ornamentation. Off flan, under the prow, is the word COPIA. The colony Copia Felix Munatia Lugdunum was founded 43BC by Munatius Plancus, later to become Lugdunum and today Lyons. This example is by far the rarest of the three. Purchased from Lucernae in 2010.

Lot 1991: Octavian and Divus Julius Caesar Æ Dupondius of Lugdunum, Gaul.

Octavian and Divus Julius Caesar Æ Dupondius of Lugdunum, Gaul. c. 36 BC. Laureate head of Divus Julius and bare head of Octavian, back to back; palm frond between / Prow of quinquireme r.; above, globe decorated with star and meta. RPC 515; SNG Cop. 689-90. 17.46g, 32mm, 7h. Dark patina, F/VF

AM: This type has a globe and meta above a very detailed prow; there is a palm frond between Caesar and Octavian. Purchased from C.J. Martin, 1998.

Lot 1992: Octavian and Divus Julius Caesar Æ Dupondius of Colonia Viennensis, Gaul.

Octavian and Divus Julius Caesar Æ Dupondius of Colonia Viennensis, Gaul. c. 36 BC. Bare heads of Caesar and Octavian back to back / Prow of galley with pyramidal superstructure r. RPC 517. 18.92g, 32mm, 12h. Green patina, VF

AM: An attractive example, weakly struck on its lower side, but it may also have been tooled. Purchased in VAuctions, 2010.

Lot 1993: Octavian and Divus Julius Caesar Æ Sestertius of Southern Italy (Sicily?).

Octavian and Divus Julius Caesar Æ Sestertius of Southern Italy (Sicily?). c. 38 BC. Bare head r., wearing slight beard; eight-ray star before / DIVOS/IVLIVS in two lines within laurel wreath. RPC 621; Crawford 535/2. 17.46g, 31mm, 12h. Dark brown tone, F

AM: An unpublished rarity, not in Crawford RRC, this type is a hybrid. The obverse is of RRC 535/1, which has CAESAR before Octavian's portrait, rather than that of RRC 535/2 which has a star before the portrait and DIVI F behind. This is muled with a regular reverse of RRC 535/2 with DIVOS IVLIVS in wreath. Many lightweight imitations of these types were produced in Gaul but this is of full weight at over 17 grams, and appears to be of good, official style although the obverse portrait is not by the same engraver who made the finest examples of this coinage. Had the obverse legend been regular I would have seen no reason to say it is not official. As it is, I think it an regular-mint hybrid type. This is an important coin. Purchased from Incitatus, 2011.

Lot 2009: Augustus and Agrippa Æ Dupondius of Arausio(?), Gaul.

Augustus and Agrippa Æ Dupondius of Arausio(?), Gaul. c. 20 BC – AD 14. Bare heads of Agrippa and Augustus, back to back / Prow of quinquireme r.; above, medallion with ram’s head r. RPC 533; Giard, Orange 12. 18.08g, 28mm, 10h. Groove on l. rim of obverse. Good dark patina, F-VF

AM: Whilst traditionally assigned to Arausio (modern day Orange, Vaucluse), at a presentation during the International Numismatic Commission in Glasgow, 2009, it was convincingly argued by Vincent Genevieve that the locus of site finds together with local collection specimens links the type to Toulouse. Furthermore, Toulouse has strong links to the ram's head symbol, which is shown on this type. Hence Arausio should probably be discarded and Toulouse accepted as its mint. In this case, its dating is probably also consistent with that of the other Dupondii illustrated above, i.e. about 40 BC. For a map of find spots centred on Toulouse see this screenshot showing a Toulouse nexus of findspots from Vincent's presentation. Purchased CNG 78, lot 1137, May 2008, ex Richard Prideaux Collection of Augustus.