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

Maximien Hercules (285-310) Aureus - Trèves (295-305) Rarissime et d’une qualité exceptionnelle. Exemplaire du trésor de Beaurains dit d’Arras (1922) et de la collection J. W. Garrett acheté en 1923 à W. Raymond et de la vente NFA/ Leu du 17 mai 1984, N°914 et de la vente Christie’s (New-York) du 9 décembre 1991, N°92 et de la vente Christie’s (Londres) du 13 octobre 1992, N°626 et de la collection « Athena Fund » vente Sotheby’s (Zurich) du 26 octobre 1993, N°124 et de la collection P.F. Molina vente Aureo & Calicó « Imagines Imperatorum » du 8 février 2012, N°308 Monnaie illustrant le Calicó et le Bastien. 4.81g - Cal. 4714 (cet exemplaire) Bastien (Arras) 238 Superbe à FDC - NGC AU * (5/5 4/5) Maximian is named here “pacifier of the nations”. This depiction of the emperor, holding the palm branch of victory, is probably linked to his parades in Carthage and Rome in AD 298-299 as triumphator against Frankish pirates and Berber tribesmen of Maure- tania. The previous year, Maximian had crossed the sea from Hispania with a large army, and forced the Moors to withdraw to their homes in the Atlas Mountains. Then, after pausing at Carthage, he marched against them, and drove the survivors into the Sahara. The design on the reverse also includes a female standing assistant, who holds one of the horses. Her identification is not obvious, as both Virtus and Roma are usually depicted the same way: helmeted Amazons with one bare breast. Virtus was the personification of Roman bravery and military prowess, which would be appropriate for a victorious emperor, but this figure carries a scepter – and only Roma was fit to rule. The question is significant, because the rare reverse legend is in plural – PACATORES GENTIUM, which could refer to the emperor and Roma (?), or to Maximian and Diocletian. If the latter, then the coin might refer to Diocletian’s triumph of AD 303 instead, when he celebrated the decennalia of the Tetrarchy, the vicennalia of his reign and his triumph over the Sasanian Persians. The Arras provenance of this coin was supplied by Wayte Raymond in the letter of 31 July 1923 in which he offered it to John Gar- rett, and Garrett bought it on 1 September 1923 for 200 dollars. Garrett noted in his card catalogue that he only knew of one other specimen from the find, which is supposedly that which Garret had declined when it was offered by Schulman in April 1923 for 300 florins (less than $120).

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Bidding

Price realized 49'000 CHF
Starting price 45'000 CHF
Estimate 50'000 CHF
The auction is closed.
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