Donna's first Aureus, with published provenance to 1938 and also to 1910

Thanks for checking that! The Naville sale listing for the coin had some errors/omissions, including having the wrong date for the Hunt sale, not indicating which of them it came from, and also stating the wrong BMFA number for the coin. Verifying what your seller tells you is important!

 

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Congrats on your first Aureus. Though not an Aureus it is a coin that I am pleased to own because of its pedigree
Denarius of Julius Caesar 49 BC Mint moving with Caesar Obv. Elephant advancing right trampling snake. Rv Priestly implements Crawford 443 CRI 9 19mm 3.82 grams Photo by W. Hansen This coin was once owned by Bruce Brace a noted collector from Ontario Canada and a person I considered to be both a friend and a mentor. When his collection went up for auction some years ago this was the only coin I managed to get that was once owned by him. Apparently he got it from Spinks in 1960. There are nicer examples of this coin out there but I am going to keep this one.

 

This is my third reply in this thread, must be a record for me!

Nice coin, and we'll done on acquiring a coin from an esteemed collector who you also called a friend.

I own a three part copy of the McClean collection (reprint, not original), which used to be owned by Bruce Brace. Has his book plate inside (which happens to be an archaic Syracuse tetradrachm).

Quite a journey for those books from Canada to Australia.

 

I can't really comment on the coin itself as I have no idea about Roman coins, but it looks quite interesting, especially the snakes. On your other questions, the Sartiges book has the following photo. There were many illustrated auction catalogs before the Naville e.g. Sotheby, Hirsch, you can try there.

I hope your operation will go (or went already?) well, please give us a sign!

 

Wow, thanks! It looks like the same coin to me. You have the de Sartiges book? If so, can you please tell me which plate number that photo comes from, and if there's any written description?

The cataract surgery is Monday at noon.

 

It is plate XXVI

 

Thanks again. That means he had it prior to 1910.

 

Great coin and impeccable provenance. Pretty sure it will be one of your most beloved coins in the future @DonnaML

Q

 

Fantastic coin Donna! A real treasure.

It's a most unusual reverse type which I believe somehow ties in with the 'Eastern' bronzes dated COS V which were struck at Rome.

Here is my denarius of the type.


Vespasian
AR Denarius, 3.27g
Rome Mint, 75 AD
Obv: IMP CAESAR VESPASIANVS AVG; Head of Vespasian, laureate, r.
Rev: PON MAX TR P COS VI; Victory, draped, holding wreath extended in r. hand and palm upright in l., standing l. on 'cista mystica', on either side of which is a snake, coiling up on it's tail, facing inwardly
RIC 776 (R). BMC 169. RSC 369. BNC 144.
Ex Harlan J. Berk 145, 14 September 2005, lot 232.

 

Great coin Donna. I have solidi and nomismata but no Aureii yet.

 

Really great coin Donna. I'm very impressed. Even without the provenance, the coin is in exceptional condition with no real problems in my view.

You may find that acquiring a coin of this caliber may spoil you a bit in considering your future acquisitions. That can be good and bad, but mostly good in my opinion.

 

That’s a helluva entry into aurei!

 

Wow what a stunning coin @DonnaML!....Really interesting reverse depiction but I also find the portrait appealing....Nicely balanced coin!
Great detective work on the provenance too....
Congratulations on a very attractive coin.

My oldest provenance is from a 1920's collection.
Galerius Maximianus as Caesar.
AE Follis minted 297 AD....11,46 g. 25 mm.
Obv: GAL VAL MAXIMIANVS NOB CAES. Laureate Head right
Rev: GENIO POPVLI ROMANI/ (crescent)/ D// ANT. Genius standing left, holding cornucopiae and patera.
RIC VI 49b Antioch
From an old collection formed in the 1920s. Ex Münzhandlung Kallai, Vienna.

 

What a beautiful coin Donna - I'm thrilled for you! A cista mistica aureus in such a wonderful grade with excellent provenance - that's a walk-off home run with the crowd going wild!

 

2022 World Series/ Game 7 in Yankee Stadium/ extra innings/ LA Dodgers up 6-3 bottom of the tenth/ 2 out/ three on base/ Donna comes up to the plate/ hits a massive 430 foot grand slam

 

In my dreams when I was about 10, until I realized it wasn't feasible for a whole lot of obvious reasons!

 

That is certainly a stunning one to pull the trigger on.

 

@DonnaML , my big congratulations with so important purchase for any ancient collector and with such a stunning type and condition! Also a superb provenance!

I also walk for a long time around aurei theme. This is a difficult theme for a wide range collector - they all from Caesar to Constantine I are only "aurei" with the portrait and "someone on the reverce". And they all are pricey, especially if beautiful...

But finally last year I got two: my first aureus was Titus. I do love this emperor due to rich historic background.
The second one is Hadrian aureus. I was looking for aureus from 5 good emperors period as example of the top roman culture period. I think this coin in superb hellenistic style match a goal for 100%.

 

I apologize for continuing to ask so many questions, but is there any written description of the coin?

Now that I've had a chance to compare photos, I have no doubt whatsoever that No. 105 in the 1910 D. Sartiges book is the same coin as Lot 144 in the 1938 sale, which in turn is the same coin I recently purchased. Interestingly, though, it looks like the photo of the coin in the 1910 book was cropped at about 3:00 on the obverse to remove the portion outside the dotted border -- thereby removing the edge cut. Given that it was a collection book, not an auction catalogue, I imagine that it was considered an acceptable practice to present the coin in its "best light" in that manner. I don't know if it would be considered acceptable today,

 

Beautiful. Especially the Hadrian!