TRITON III Roman Republican Coinage A Remarkable Offering of Gold Coins of the Republic and Imperatorial Period. The following group of 46 Roman Republican and Imperatorial gold coins, primarily a single collection formed over the last 25 years, represents the most comprehensive group to be publicly offered since Numismatic Fine Arts Auction XXII (1 June 1989). Although some Republican gold is quite common, many of the type are extremely rare, and come to the market only infrequently. Many of the following coins fall into this category, some of which are the only specimens available to collectors today.
805. BYZACIUM, Hadrumetum. Augustus. 27 BC-14 AD. JE 37mm - Sestertius (29.50 gm). Struck 12-8 BC. HADR AVGVSTVS, bare head of Augustus right; apex behind, simpulum before / CAESAR, bare head of Julius Caesar left; lituus before, star behind. RPC 771; M端ller 30. VF, dark brown patina. Very Rare, only three specimens cited by RPC. ($1000) The authors of RPC make no mention of the simpulum on the obverse, and it is not visible on the specimen plated. This is the only specimen struck well enough for all details to be visible.
808. A n o n y m o u s . 211-207 BC. AV 60 As (3.33 gm). Helmeted head of Mars right; LX behind / Eagle standing right on thunderbolt; ROMA below. Crawford 44/2; Sydenham 226; BMCRR 185; Bahrfeldt 4a. Nice EF, lustrous, well centered with no die rust. ($3000)
Two Exceptional Oath Scene Gold Coins of 216 BC
806. Anonymous. Circa 216 BC. AV Stater (6.82 gm). Laureate, janiform head of the Dioscuri / Oath taking scene with two warriors, one Roman and the other representing the Italian allies, standing facing each other, holding spears and touching with their swords a sacrificial pig held by a youth kneeling left; ROMA in exergue. Crawford 28/1; Sydenham 69; BMCRR (Romano-Campania) 75-76; Bahrfeldt 1; Treasures of Ancient Coinage (December 1996, A N S / N e w York International Numismatic Convention Exhibit Catalog), pg. 64,57 (this coin). EF. Very Rare, only 24 specimens known to Crawford. (See color plate 13) Ex Sotheby's (30 March 1995), lot 954. ($35,000) This, the first gold coinage of the Roman Republic, was minted at a time of national crisis. In 218 BC Hannibal, the Carthaginian leader in Spain, led his army across the Alps and invaded northern Italy, thus beginning the Second Punic War. The invader won a series of brilliant victories culminating in the disastrous battle of Cannae, in 216 BC, in which the Romans are said to have lost 70,000 men. Gold staters and half staters were struck at this time having as their obverse type a beardless janiform head perhaps representing the Dioscuri, the gods who gave special protection to the Romans on the field of battle. The attractive reverse type shows an oath-taking scene, the clear intention being to strengthen the resolve of Rome's allies in the face of Hannibal's intimidating presence.
807. Anonymous. Circa 216 BC. AV Half-Stater (3.41 gm). Laureate, janiform head of the Dioscuri / Oath taking scene with two warriors, one Roman and the other representing the Italian allies, standing facing each other, holding spears and touching with their swords a sacrificial pig held by a youth kneeling left; ROMA in exergue. Crawford 28/2; Sydenham 70; BMCRR (Romano-Campania) 77, pi. Ixxiv, 22 (same dies); Bahrfeldt 2; Treasures of Ancient Coinage (December 1996, A N S / N e w York International Numismatic Convention Exhibit Catalog), pg. 64, 58 (this coin). EF, obverse and reverse abrasions. Very Rare, only 16 specimens known to Crawford. ($25,000)
145