I received a big package from CNG the other week containing wins from the first half of the year, some of you have probably seen them all by now. I am extremely happy with the contents as some of these types are very difficulty to come by, especially in good condition, one coin has a fantastic provenance as well. Sadly my system camera seems to be in need of a new battery, so I only have my phone available for photos. I still managed to get some decent ones. I hope you enjoy them! ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Mark Antony. 42 BC. Æ (22mm, 7.25 g, 12h). Philippi (Macedon) mint. Q. Paquius Ruf(us), legatus coloniae deducendae. Obverse: Bare head right; A I/C V across field, P below. Reverse: Togate figure seated left on sella curulis, urn at feet, holding tablet; Q PA[Q]VIVS/[R]VF LEG in two lines in field. Reference: RPC I 1647 (https://rpc.ashmus.ox.ac.uk/coins/1/1647). Provenance: CNG Electronic Auction 484 (27 January 2021), lot 507. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Mark Antony and Octavian. Spring-early summer 41 BC. AR Denarius (19mm, 3.98 g, 12h). Ephesus mint; M. Barbatius Pollio, quaestor pro praetore. Obverse: Bare head of Mark Antony right; M • ANT • I(MP) • (AV)G • III • VIR • R • P • C • M • BARBAT • Q • P around. Reverse: Bare head of Octavian right, wearing slight beard; CAESAR • IMP • PONT • III • VIR • R • P • C • around. References: Crawford 517/2; de Sartiges 25 (this coin). Provenance: Ex Dr. Patrick H. C. Tan Collection (Triton XX, 10 January 2017), lot 584; Münzen und Medaillen 43 (12 November 1970), lot 250; Louis Vicomte de Sartiges Collection (Ars Classica XVIII, 10 October 1938), lot 34; Consul Eduard Friedrich Weber Collection (J. Hirsch XXIV, 10 May 1909), lot 771. Mark Antony is reported to have lived extravagantly while in the East, and he exacted large sums from the cities of Asia Minor to finance this lifestyle. It is certainly from these funds where he obtained the bullion to produce this extensive and handsome coinage, struck with the name of his lieutenant M. Barbatius Pollio. Pollio served under Marc Antony in the East, and the type commemorates the founding of the Second Triumvirate in 43 BC. It was in 41 BC that Antony summoned Cleopatra to Tarsus, there making an alliance with her and subsequently returning with her to Alexandria. Cleopatra secured her position by inducing Antony to have her sister and rival Arsinoe killed. Pollio's colleagues, M. Cocceius Nerva (a distant ancestor of the future emperor Nerva) and L. Gellius Poplicola, also struck similar types honoring both Antony's fellow triumvir, Octavian and his brother, Lucius Antony, but the majority are of a different style and are believed to have been struck after Antony's departure from Ephesus. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Fulvia, third wife of Mark Antony. Circa 41-40 BC. Æ (20mm, 6.10 g, 12h). Eumeneia (as Fulvianon) mint. Zmertorix, son of Philonides, magistrate. Obverse: Draped bust of Fulvia (as Victory) right. Reverse: Athena standing left, holding shield and reversed spear; [Φ]OYΛOYIANΩN downward to right, [Z]MEPTOPIΓOΣ/ΦIΛΩNIΔOY in two lines downward to left. Reference: RPC I 3139 (https://rpc.ashmus.ox.ac.uk/coins/1/3139). Provenance: From the Peter J. Merani Collection. Ex David Freedman Collection (Triton V, 15 January 2002), lot 506. Fulvia was an aristocratic Roman woman who lived during the late Roman Republic. She gained access to power through her marriage to three of the most promising men of her generation, Publius Clodius Pulcher, Gaius Scribonius Curio, and Mark Antony. All three husbands were politically active populares, tribunes, and supporters of Julius Caesar. Though she is more famous for her involvement in Antony's career, many scholars believe that she was politically active with all of her husbands. Fulvia married Mark Antony in 44 BC, and became an outspoken defender of his interests in Rome while he campaigned in the East. The city of Eumenia (where this coin was struck) was re-named Fulvianon in her honor by Antony's partisans. By 40 BC Fulvia's strident attacks on Octavian caused a great deal of trouble for Antony, who upbraided her for antagonizing Octavian, with whom he was trying to maintain a semblance of cordial relations. Fulvia died at Sicyon shortly thereafter. Sometime afterward these coins struck at "Fulvianon" had their ethnic scratched off (this specimen got away), and two countermarks were applied: one may be resolved as Eumeneia; the other as Philonidos, although Zmertorix himself has been suggested). These countermarks suggest that, rather than melting down the coinage of Fulvia and striking new coins, a more expeditious solution was required to keep needed currency in circulation. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Mark Antony and Cleopatra VII Thea Neotera. 34-33 BC. Æ (22mm, 7.28 g, 12h). Dora (Phoenicia) mint. Dated RY 19 (Egyptian) of Cleopatra (34/3 BC). Obverse: Conjoined diademed and draped bust of Cleopatra, and bare head of Antony right. Reverse: Tyche of Dora standing left, holding palm frond and caduceus; L ΘΙ (date) to left; Ω/Δ to right. Reference: RPC I 4752 (https://rpc.ashmus.ox.ac.uk/coins/1/4752). Provenance: CNG Electronic Auction 488 (24 March 2021), lot 353. Marc Antony and Cleopatra VII struck many millions of coins during their combined 33 years as coin-issuers. Relatively few of these, however, were joint issues. The most familiar of these are Roman-style tetradrachms and drachms, the former apparently from a Syrian mint, the latter presumably from Alexandria or a moving mint. In both cases Cleopatra’s portrait occupies the obverse, giving it primacy over the image of Antony. The only other common issue for the couple was produced at Chalcis in Syria, dated to 32/1 B.C. It shows on its obverse the diademed and draped bust of Cleopatra, and on its reverse the bare head of Antony (RPC 4771). All that remain are three very rare emissions, including dual-portrait types from Ake-Ptolemais and Dora, and bronzes attributed to Cyrene that bear only inscriptions naming Cleopatra and Antony (RPC 924-5).The dual-portrait bronzes of Ake-Ptolemais are dated to 35/4 B.C., and these coins (RPC 4741-2) are the exception to the rule since Antony’s portrait occupies the obverse. But this appears to have been a matter of practicality rather than political posturing since an obverse die with a masterful Antony portrait, which had been used four years earlier to strike coins solely Antony, had been put back into service in 35/4 to strike dual-portrait issues with Cleopatra. The final issue that certainly portrays Cleopatra and Antony is the present type (RPC 4752), struck at Dora in 34/3 B.C. In terms of iconography it is unique, being the only one to present their busts in a jugate fashion. The top-most bust is that of Cleopatra, again demonstrating her primacy. It may have had a companion issue (RPC 4753), also with jugate busts, but the identifications of its portraits – and even the issuing city – are still unsettled. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Cleopatra VII Thea Neotera (51-30 BC). Æ (18mm 3.89 g , 11h). Chalcis ad Belum mint, dated RY 20 of Cleopatra (31/2 BC). Obverse: ΒΑϹΙΛΙϹϹΗϹ ΚΛƐΟΠΑΤΡΑϹ - Diademed and draped bust right. Reverse: ƐΤΟΥϹ ΚΑ ΤΟΥ ΚΑΙ Ϛ ΘΕΑϹ ΝƐWΤƐΡΑϹ - Nike advancing right, looking left, holding wreath in right hand and palm frond in left, all within wreath. Reference: RPC I 4772 (https://rpc.ashmus.ox.ac.uk/coins/1/4772). Provenance: CNG Electronic Auction 484 (27 January 2021), lot 450. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- To finish the post I am sharing a little "family photo" of all coins I have of Mark Antony or types related to him. It has taken me about 4 years to assemble this fantastic group:
Fantastic! Along with Vespasian and Titus, I'm an Antony collector. You've assembled some wonderful pieces. Congrats.
Wonderful, congrats. My scruffy Mark. Mark Antony and Octavian (41 B.C.) AR Denarius M. Barbatius Pollio, quaestor pro praetore O: Bare head of Mark Antony right. R: Bare head of Octavian right, wearing slight beard. Ephesus mint, Spring-early summer 41 B.C. 3.5g 20mm Crawford 517/2; CRI 243; Sydenham 1181
Wow, what a great group! The Antony/Octavian is an absolute stunner, and I love the Antony/Cleo bronze as well. Congrats!
You don't need me to tell you that is an outstanding group of individually wonderful coins, but I confirm it is! This is a cistophorus of Marc Antony and Octavia (sister of Octavian/Augustus) that I was very pleased to acquire in 2019.
When you see a portrait of Antony, there's no mistaking it. I'd like to add 1 portrait coin of his after listening to "The History of Rome" on @lordmarcovan recommendation. Makes me want to add a few Roman pieces I hadn't really thought about before.
