SMYRNA BRONZE ISSUE WITH PORTRAIT OF BRITANNICUS, SON OF CLAUDIUS

18327. ROMAN EMPIRE. BRITANNICUS (son of Claudius), d. AD 55. Bronze AE17, 3.98 g, 17 mm. Provincial issue of Smyrna, Ionia, ca. AD 50-54, minted by Philistus and Eicadius as magistrates. Obv. Youthful portrait right. Rev. ΕΠI ΦIΛIΣTOY EIKAΔIOΣ, Nike standing right with trophy. RPC, 2476 (Nero).

NGC graded VF, Strike 4/5, Surface 3/5, “lt smoothing”. A very desirable issue depicting a youthful portrait usually identified as Britannicus, Claudius’ son with his third wife Messalina. Other scholars believe the portrait to be that of young Nero who arranged for Britannicus’ murder in AD 55. $ 595

18665. ROMAN EMPIRE. VITELLIUS, AD 69. Silver denarius, 3.42 gm, 18 mm. Issue of Rome, April-December AD 69. Obv. A VITELLIVS GERM IMP AVG TR P, laureate head right. Rev. PONT MAXIM, Vesta enthroned right, holding scepter and patera.

RIC I, rev, 107. Ex Stack’s 6/10/1997, lot 328, ex Schoonmaker Collection.

NGC graded CHOICE VF, Strike 4/5, Surface 4/5, golden iridescent highlights. $ 1250

16238. BYZANTINE EMPIRE. HERACLIUS WITH HERACLIUS CONSTANTINE AND HERACLONAS, AD 632-641. Gold solidus, 4.47 g, 20 mm. Issue of Constantinople, officina A, ca. AD 632-641. Obv. Facing and crowned standing figures of Heraclius in center, Heraclius Constantine at right and Heraclonas, uncrowned but with cross above, at left. Rev. VICTORIA AVGЧ A, cross on stepped base, monogram in left field, I in right field, CONOB in exergue. Sear 761; DO 36.

NGC graded MINT STATE, Strike 4/5, Surface 3/5, with a nice rendition of the imperial family, the grouping of which recalls the Biblical “Three Kings” and was often referred to as such in modern popular culture; this post-antique interpretation was no doubt facilitated by the presence of the cross above Heraclonas that was taken to be the Star of the Nativity. $ 1275