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Auction: 25055 - British Medals and World Coins featuring The Hurter-Amman Collection of Ancient and European Gold
Lot: 1097

NGC XF | Roman Empire, Marcus Aurelius (AD 161-180), AV Aureus, struck December 171 - December 172, Rome, M ANTONINVS AVG TRP XXVI, laureate and draped bust right, rev. IMP VI COS III, Emperor standing, holding thunderbolt and reversed spear, crowned by Victory, 7.22g, 12h (BMC 566; Calicó 1873; Cohen 308; RIC 264), some marks and scrapes on edge and on the reverse, otherwise cabinet toned and lustrous, a really bold very fine, in NGC 'Ancients' holder, graded Extremely Fine ~ Damage (Cert. #8534355-003) [Strike: 5/5, Surface: 1/5]

Provenance

The "Hurter-Amman" Collection of Ancient and World Gold and Silver Coins and Medals



Struck between December 171 and December 172 AD, the reverse of this coin celebrates Marcus Aurelius' victory over the Marcomanni, a Germanic tribe, and the relief of Aquileia in Northeastern Italy. Though the Marcomannic wars of 166-180 AD are not exactly a household name, anyone who has seen Ridley Scott's film, Gladiator, will be able to picture the legendary opening battle scene - a dramatisation of Marcus Aurelius' campaigns in the borderlands. For the Romans, these wars were more significant, described in the Historia Augusta as being bigger than any in memory - 'sed quantum nulla umquam memoria fuit' (Hist. Aug. 1.4.17).


The cost of campaigning was so immense, especially since the tribes did not have established cities which could be plundered, that the emperor is said to have held a public auction of royal treasures in order to refill the coffers. As the Historia Augusta reports: he held an auction of imperial luxuries in Trajan's forum and sold cups of gold, crystal and myrrh; even regal dishes and the silk and golden robe of the empress; and jewels besides that, which he found in the sacred cabinet of Hadrian (Hist. Aug. 1.4.21). A regular weekend at Spink by the sounds of it!


https://www.ngccoin.uk/certlookup/8534355-003/NGCAncients/

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Estimate
£2,000 to £3,000

Starting price
£2100