Beautiful and rare! Is there provenance? Is this the coin from RIC, or another? The RIC citation is Boll. d. Soc. Pavese d. Storia Patria, 1961, pl. 1, 6 (opp. p.44).
I got it from Tkalec Auction in 2006. They stated in write up, that the coin was struck a bit off center/but FDC. It was listed a very rare. I saw, a similar coin in Heritage Auction, coin was third party slabbed as AU/ one of two known examples/ John
Yes Mat, I think this Emperor is very easy to ID by his portrait, amazing the detailed features, legends the Romans perfected. With the Byzantine Empire, it was the opposite, their coinage got worst towards the Empires final 200 years.
I have to wonder if the two known coins are die matches. I'd be willing to wager a dew denarii on it. Ticinium was very busy with bronze at this time, less so with silver, and even less so with gold. But obviously, if you're going to make dies, you're going to strike more than two coins - likely the rest were melted at some point.
Thanks. I would agree on the die match. Hopefully, there are still many of these coins waiting to be found. With the Roman Empire in decline, probably many were buried in pots, original owners KIA, ???? I read the story about the "Arras Hoard", Roman gold coin hoard, Belgium 1922. Story goes that there were TWO 100 Aurei coins (size of 200 Dukaten) 20 oz. gold, and the idiots melted them down for the gold! Hope thats not the case.
You can certainly tell the best die engravers were reserved for the aurei. Outstanding coin and very beautiful!
This cant surely be the first gold coin of CIC, look at his facial expression, it is certainly the same face I had when I saw that coin. He must have seen the other gold coins when he sat for this die portrait.
