Maison Palombo Geneve

Auction 17  –  20 October 2018

Maison Palombo Geneve, Auction 17

Ancient and World Coins and Medals

Sa, 20.10.2018, from 10:30 AM CEST
The auction is closed.

Description

La Guerre Sociale (91-87) Denier - Corfinium (c. 90 av. J.-C.) D’une insigne rareté surtout avec ITALIA à l’exergue de l’avers. Exemplaire de la collection C. S. Bement vente Naville VIII du 25 au 28 juin 1924, N°54 Exemplaire illustrant le Campana. 4.19g - Sydenham 636 - Campana 5a (cet exemplaire) HN Italy 426b - Pagani 5 Pratiquement Superbe - CHOICE XF This coin, struck in Corfinio in the Abruzzo, with the helmeted head of Italia on one side and the Dioscuri riding on the other, was issued circa 90 BC, when the Italian allies (socii) revolted against the power of Rome. Because its domination on the Italian peninsula was considered too binding, the allies, who had expected to receive Roman citizenship as compensation, seceded and proclaimed their independence. The allies initiated the so-called “social war”, with Corfinium as a capital city, with a Senate, and with two consuls: Q. Poppaedius Silo (leader of the tribe of the Marsi) and C. Papius Mutilus (leader of the Samnite army), the latter’s nomen being mentioned in the exergue of this coin. It is a variation of a denarius issued in 136 BC by the moneyer C. Serveilus (type Crawford 239/1), on which the legend ROMA has been replaced by ITALIA. With it, the rebels chose for their shared coinage to show that their revolt was unified, and that Italy was not federated to Rome. Another type (Campana 3-4), with the cognomen Mutil(us) in Oscan, is known in 20 specimens, struck from 2 obverse and 2 reverse dies. Instead, this type with ITALIA is much rarer, with only seven examples known (including those in the Paris, London and Berlin museums), all struck from a single pair of dies, and this is the only coin that mixes Latin and Oscan legends. This coin seems to be the earliest attested use of the word ‘Italia’.

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Price realized 18'000 CHF
Starting price 15'000 CHF
Estimate 20'000 CHF
The auction is closed.
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