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Roman Gold Coins

Between 211 and 202 BCE, the Romans defeated Carthage in the Second Punic War, took over the gold mining region of Spain, and minted their first gold coins.

But it wasn't until Caesar returned from his victories in the Gallic wars with enough gold to issue 200 coins to each of his soldiers, and pay off the Roman Debt, that the aureus came into wide circulation.

Originally, at about 8 grams, the aureus was comparable to the stater in weight; and one aureus was a month's pay for a legionaire.

Coinage also served as the Empire's newspaper, as each issue served notice as to who was in charge, what they looked like, their military accomplishments, conquests, public building projects, and religious honors.

As the Empire expanded, Rome was able to acquire gold from West Africa, Macedon, the Bosporus region and the Zagrean Mountains. At the same time, Rome was able to export a stable monetary system as well as a network of relatively safe highways and shipping routes that promoted an era of prosperous world trade.

By the time of Constantine, after many reforms and debasments, the areus weighed slightly more than half its original weight and was replaced with the Solidus at about 4.5 grams. The solidus (fine gold) retained it's status as the world's trade coin for the next 500 years.

After 2000 years, Julius Caesar is still the most famous human ever to have lived. His very name has come to mean "king" in various languages. He hailed from a patrician family that was relatively poor and dwelled on the fringes of Roman politics. In spite of this he was able to outmaneuver opponents such as Cato and Cicero to attain his Consulship. It should be noted he went deep into debt to do so, and had he lost he would surely have been banished or killed by his enemies.

After his consulship he attained a Pro-Consulship in Gaul. Once there, his military achievements are legendary - thanks in no small part to his literary acheivements. He was also the first Roman to communicate offically through the use of letters within Rome, as well as the first consul to have scribes officially record and publish every speech he gave at the senate. His written accounts of the Gallic wars rank amongst the best selling books of all time. Romans, at the time, awaited breathlessly his regular missives of triumph from Gaul - and endlessly debated his methods which were considered harsh even by Roman standards.

Caesar was also the first Roman to put his portrait on a coin. Octavian struck many Caesar portrait coins during the Roman Civil Wars emphasizing his lineage to his adoptive Father. But the vast majority of Caesar portraits portray a cartoonish stick-figure hastily engraved at military mints in the midst of war, to pay impatient battle weary troops.

Fine style Caesar portraits engraved by artists of talent a rare.

The Caesarians. Julius Caesar. 44 BCE.

AR Lifetime Denarius (3,85g). P. Sepullius Macer, moneyer for. Julius Caesar, Mzst. Rom. Vs.: Caesar with laurel crown r., CAESAR IMP Rs.: , Venus with Victoria, scepter and sheild P SEPVLLIVS / MACER Cr. 480/5b; Syd. 1071.Sear 106

A regal portrait of excellent style, beautifully centered on a full flan with a striking old cabinet tone.

ex Kunker Spring 2015 lot 7794

NGC Graded XF ★ Strk 5/5 Surf 5/5
Fine Style noted.....................$22,000

The Caesarians. Julius Caesar. 43 BCE.

AR Denarius L. Flaminius Chilo and Julius Caesar, 43 BC. Denarius Silver, 19mm, (3.60 g ), Rome. Laureate head of Julius Caesar to right. Rev. L.FLAMINIVS IIII.VIR Goddess, Venus or Pax, standing to left, holding caduceus in her right hand and long scepter in her left. Babelon (Flaminia) 2, (Julia) 44. Crawford 485/1. CRI 113. Sydenham 1089.

Dramatic Pedigreed Masterpiece of Roman portraiture in high relief. Beautifully toned with sound metal on a very broad flan. Some very minor striking flatness on the wreath. Struck in Rome probably in August 43 after Octavian had regained the city. The very prominent and detailed laurel wreath he wears (mixed with leaves and laurel berries) hints at the Senate’s forthcoming proclamation of Caesar as a god, which took place on 1 January 42. This enabled Octavian to call himself "Divi Filius:" Son of God.

From the Stoecklin Collection, (noted on the holder) bought from Hess AG in Luzern.

NGC graded AU★ Strk 4/5, surf 4/5
fine style noted..................$28,000

The Caesarians. Divus Julius Caesar. 40 BCE.

AR Denarius (19mm, 3.58 g, 12h). Rome mint; Q. Voconius Vitulus, moneyer. Wreathed head of Caesar right / Bull-calf walking left. Crawford 526/4; CRI 331; Sydenham 1133; RSC 45.

A very rare portrait of wonderful realistic style by an artist of great talent. Amongst the finest style Caesar portraits, perfectly centered on a broad flan and with a beautiful tone over sound metal.. The moneyer Vitulus was an ally of Octavian, and this coin was struck just after Octavian had taken control of Rome and the Western provinces.

Truly a masterpiece of Roman Portraiture

NGC Graded CH XF ★ Stk 5/5 Srf 4/5 Fine Style noted..................$28,000

The Caesarians. Julius Caesar.

49-44 BC. Denarius (18 mm, 3.97 g, ), mint moving with Caesar in Gallia Narbonensis or Hispania Citerior, 49-48. CAESAR Elephant trampling serpent to right. Rev. Priestly implements: culullus, aspergillum, ax with wolf's head at the top and apex. Babelon (Julia) 9. Cohen 49. Crawford 443/1. RBW 1557. Sydenham 1006. Woytek, Arma et Nummi, p. 119ff

Stunning multi-hued example, with violets, cobalt blue and red-orange tones.

NGC graded CH AU ★ strk 5/5 surf 4/5
.........................................$9000

The Caesarians. Julius Caesar.

49-48 BC, Denarius, 3.80g. Military mint, Obv: Elephant walking r., trampling serpent, CAESAR in exergue. Rx: Priestly implements: Ladle; sprinkler; ax with lion's head above blade; priest's hat with cheek pieces, chin straps, disc and spike above; no legend. Scarcer, probably Gallic variant with legs of elephant parallel to each other, as recognized by Woytek.Exquisite elephant struck in high relief Cr-443/1, Syd-1006, Sear Imperators-9, C-49.

Another stunning example of Caesar's first coin. Perfectly centered, deeply struck, and certainly very near mint state.

NGC graded CH AU ★ strk 5/5 surf 4/5 lights marks noted (invisible),,,,,,,$8000

4The Caesarians. Julius Caesar.9-44 BC.

AR Denarius, an obverse brockage, military mint travelling with Caesar, 49-48 BC, elephant trampling serpent, rev. incuse of obverse (RSC 49; CRI 9; Sydenham 1006; RRC 443/1), 

Ex Spink Numismatic e-circular.

Exceedingly Rare mint error of this most popular type. Perfectly centered both sides, which makes this coin unique amongst the few recorded brockages of this type.

Obverse is Good VF, the Reverse EF. A most atttractive coin,

$6000

Octavian, as Sole Imperator (32-27 BC).

AR denarius (21mm, 3.84 gm, 4h). Italian mint (Brundisium or Rome?), ca. 32 BC. Bare head of Octavian right; dotted border / CAESAR-DIVI•F, Pax standing facing, head left, olive branch upward in right hand, cornucopia in left; dotted border. RIC I 252.

A rare combination of an historically important coin that marks Octavian as Sole Imperator: along with an unusually beautiful portrait, on a well struck, toned and perfectly centered flan of excellent metal.

NGC AU ★ 5/5 - 4/5, Fine Style noted.
$16,000

Nero. AD 54-68.

CAPPADOCIA, Caesarea-Eusebia. Nero, with Divus Claudius. AD 54-68. AR Didrachm (23mm, 7.52 g,). Struck circa AD 63-65. Laureate head of Nero right / Laureate head of Claudius right. RPC I 3647 corr. (rev. legend); RIC I 620 corr. (obv. legend); Sydenham, Caesarea 68

Extremely rare type with perhaps unique dies of the most extraordinary style, on superb metal. Quite simply amongst the finest Roman portraits extant. Judging by the bust that so perfectly captures Nero's disturbing blend of cruelty, petulance and self-satisfaction, the artist who engraved the dies may well have known the emperor, as he frequented Greek Arts festivals as both a self-styled musician and actor, and spent his time carousing with local artists of note.

On the reverse, the artist has Deified Claudius bearing an expression of shock and dismay presumably at his nephew's behavior - that ultimately resulted in Claudius' murder by poisoning.

NGC CH AU ★ strk 5/5, sur 4/5, fine style noted...........................$25,000.

Titus. As Caesar, AD 69-79

Denarius 71, AR 3.47 g. IMPERA[TOR T CAES]AR AVGVSTI F Bare-headed bust r. Rev. PACI – AVGVSTAE Victory advancing r., holding wreath and palm branch; in lower r. field, EPHE ligate. C 124. BMC p. 98 note. RIC Vespasian 1441. CBN Vespasian 360. RPC 838.

An extremely rare variety, of a very rare coin clebrating Titus victory over Judaea. Only very few specimens known. A spectacular portrait, perhaps the finest silver Titus portrait on coinage in FDC quality; beautifully toned with prooflike fields.

Titus was considered extremely handsome and charismatic with a powerful and seductive personality. This is one of the few coins where this is evident.

NGC Graded MS strk 4/5 surf 5/5, fine style noted...................... $9500

Titus. As Caesar, AD 69-79.

AV Aureus (20mm, 7.34 g). Rome mint. Struck under Vespasian, AD 75. T CAESAR IMP VESPASIAN, laureate head right / IMP VIII in exergue, bull butting right, lashing his tail. RIC II.1 786 (Vespasian); Calicó 741 (this coin illustrated); BMCRE 175 (Vespasian – same rev. die); BN –; Biaggi –; Jameson –; Mazzini –

Rare Published and Provenanced Aureus of Superb Flavian Style, with much remaining lustre:

Calico Plate coin (referenced on the holder) and provenanced to Leu 13 (29 April 1975), lot 422.

NGC Graded CH XF strk 5/5 surf 4/5
$17,500

GALBA, (July 68 - January 69 A.D.)

Ssilver denarius, Rome Mint, (3.19 g), obv. head of Galba bare-headed to right around IMP SER GALBA AVG, rev. SPQR/ OB/ C S. in three lines in oak wreath, (S.2109, RSC 287, BMC 34, RIC 167).

an Excellent portrait on sound attractively toned metal.

NGC XF 5/5, 4/5 fine style.......$3750

Trajan augustus, 98 – 117

Aureus circa 116-117, AV 7.23 g. IMP CAES NER TRAIAN OPTIM AVG GERM DAC Laureate, draped and cuirassed bust r. Rev. PARTHICO P M TR P COS VI P P S P Q R Draped bust of Sol r. C 187 var. (GER). BMC 621. RIC 329. CBN 882. Calicó 1038. Woytek 572f (this coin listed )
.
Well centred on a full flan,a small scuff on reverse, with excellent high grade portratis of Trajan and Sol. Published and provenanced.

Woytek Plate Coin. Ex Stacks s 14th December 2004, 35

NGC graded CH AU srk 5/5 surf 3/5 marks, fine style noted........$18,500

Gordian III  238-244 

AV Aureus. Rome, AD 241-243. 5.22g, 21mm,IMP GORDIANVS PIVS FEL AVG, laureate, draped and cuirassed bust right / P M TR P IIII COS II P P, Apollo, bare to waist, seated left, holding branch and resting left elbow on lyre. RIC 102; C. 249 var. (draped only); Calicó 3221a; Hunter -; Biaggi 1366. 12h.

Very rare and superb portrait of the Boy Emperor who assumed the throne at age 13 and was killed in battle less than a year after this coin was issued.

NGC Graded MS Strk 5/5 surf 4/5 fine style noted............................ $12,500

Constans, as Augustus (AD 337-350).

AV solidus (22mm, 4.48 gm, ). . Trier, ca. AD 347-348. CONSTANS-AVGVSTVS, pearl-diademed, draped and cuirassed bust of Constans right, seen from front / VICTORIAE DD NN AVGG, two Victories standing facing, turned toward each other, holding between them a wreath inscribed VOT / X / MVLT / XX in four lines; TR in exergue. RIC VIII 135.

Perfectly struck and centered on a lustrous flan.

NGC MS 5/5 - 4/5.................$4750

Arcadius AD 383-408

AV Solidus. Constantinople, AD 378-383. D N ARCADIVS P F AVG, pearl-diademed, draped and cuirassed bust to right / CONCORDIA AVGGGG I, Constantinopolis, helmeted, seated facing, head to right, foot on prow, holding sceptre and globe; lions' heads on throne; CONOB in exergue. RIC IX 46f var. (unlisted officina); Depeyrot 38/6 var. (same).

NGC graded CH MS ★ 5/5 - 5/5
$3600