| Savoca Numismatik GmbH & Co. KG > Online Auction 187 | Silver | Auction date: 10 December 2023 |
| Lot number: 120 Price realized: 1,600 EUR (Approx. 1,725 USD) Note: Prices do not include buyer's fees. | |
| Lot description: Corinthia. Corinth. Agrippa Postumus, Caesar 12 BC-AD 14. Duumviri Gaius Heius Pollio and Gaius Mussius Priscus Bronze Æ 21 mm, 6,06 g CORINTHI [AGRIPPA CAESAR], bare head of Agrippa Postumus right / C MVSSIO PRISCO IIVIR [C HEIO] POLLIONE [I]TER in wreath of parsley. Nearly Very Fine RPC I 1141a. Marcus Vipsanius Agrippa Postumus, born in 12 BC, was the youngest son of Marcus Vipsanius Agrippa and Julia, Augustus's daughter. His name "Postumus" signifies his posthumous birth, occurring after his father's death. Following the demise of his elder brothers, Gaius Caesar and Lucius Caesar, he was adopted by his grandfather, Emperor Augustus, along with Augustus's stepson Tiberius, under the name Agrippa Julius Caesar in AD 4, making him a potential heir to the throne. However, Agrippa Postumus faced a rapid fall from favor. Just two years later, he was disinherited, banished alongside his mother and sister Julia, first to Sorrento and later to the island of Planasia in AD 7, reportedly due to his lifestyle, though details remain unclear. Upon Augustus's death, Agrippa Postumus was swiftly executed by a military officer to eliminate any challenge to Tiberius's claim to the throne. Tacitus labels this act as the "first crime of the new government." The ancient debate lingered on whether the order came from Augustus or Tiberius, adding a layer of historical ambiguity. Subsequently, a slave named Clemens, claiming to be Agrippa, gathered followers in Italy but was executed in Rome in AD 16 under Tiberius's command. Starting price: 50 EUR |  |
Match 1:
| Leu Numismatik AG > Web Auction 28 | Auction date: 9 December 2023 |
| Lot number: 2235 Price realized: 1,200 CHF (Approx. 1,364 USD / 1,267 EUR) Note: Prices do not include buyer's fees. | |
| Lot description: MYSIA. Pergamum. Gaius Caesar, 20 BC-AD 4. Hemiassarion (Bronze, 17 mm, 3.46 g, 12 h), A. Fourios, gymnasiarch, 2-3 AD. Γ•KAICAP ΠEPΓAMHNΩN Bare head of Gaius Caesar to right. Rev. A•ΦOYPIOΣ ΓYMNAΣIAPXΩN Armenian standing facing, wearing bashlyk and long garnments, holding spear downward in his right hand and bow in his left. Imhoof-Blumer, KM, p. 500, 1 and pl. XIX, 10 (same dies). RPC I 2361 corr. (same dies, but erroneous dating). SNG Paris 2031 (same dies). Very rare and of great historical interest. Deposits and the obverse struck slightly off center, otherwise, very fine. From a European collection, formed before 2005. The reverse of this very rare issue refers to the Parthian campaign of Gaius Caesar, who installed Ariobarzanes, the former king of Media Atropatene, as king of Armenia in 2 AD after Tigranes IV had died in battle the year before. However, Ariobarzanes died soon thereafter and Gaius faced an Armenian revolt incited by the Parthian king, Phraates V. The Romans trapped the rebels in Artagira, but Gaius was severely wounded after Abbadon, the leader of the uprising, treacherously invited him into the fortress for pretended peace talks on 9 September 3 AD. In the end, Roman military might prevailed nonetheless and Gaius installed Ariobarzanes' son, Artavasdes IV, as the new king of Armenia. Augustus' victorious grandson, however, died a few months later in Limyra in Lycia from complications caused by his wounds. The reverse of this very rare coin from Pergamum, which celebrates Gaius' success, was largely copied from Augustus' earlier denarius celebrating Tiberius' achievements in Armenia in 20 BC (RIC 519), when the future emperor had installed Tigranes III as king. The asiarch, A. Fourios, is dated in RPC to 1 BC (?), but this is an error as the Armenian campaign of Gaius did not take place in 2 BC, as noted on RPC I, p. 401, but in 2-3 AD, meaning that his coin emission was struck either in 2 AD to celebrate the appointment of Ariobarzanes as king of Armenia, or in the year thereafter, following the capture of Artagira and the installment of Artavasdes IV. While the obverse is sometimes described as showing Augustus, the legend leaves no doubt that it is in fact Gaius Caesar: it is the only known coin where he appears without his grandfather or his younger brother Lucius, no doubt in reference to the key role he played in the course of the Armenian victory celebrated on the reverse. Starting price: 100 CHF |  |
Match 2:
| Savoca Numismatik GmbH & Co. KG > Online Auction 198 | Silver | Auction date: 25 February 2024 |
| Lot number: 164 Price realized: 160 EUR (Approx. 173 USD) Note: Prices do not include buyer's fees. | |
| Lot description: Macedon. Thessalonica. Augustus, with Divus Julius Caesar 27 BC-AD 14. Bronze Æ 22 mm, 12,07 g ΘEOΣ, wreathed head of Julius Caesar right; (NK) (=Νερων Καισαρ) monogram within circular incuse / ΘEΣΣAΛONIKEΩN, bare head of Augustus right; Δ below. Nearly Very Fine RPC I 1554; for countermark: Howgego 625. Octavian, also known as Augustus, was a prominent Roman statesman and military leader who played a pivotal role in transforming the Roman Republic into the Roman Empire. Born in 63 BC in Rome, he was the great-nephew and adopted son of Julius Caesar. Octavian's political journey began when he was named Caesar's heir in his will after Caesar's assassination in 44 BC. Aligning himself with Mark Antony and Lepidus, he formed the powerful Second Triumvirate, seeking vengeance for Caesar's death by defeating his assassins. As conflicts arose within the Triumvirate, Octavian emerged as the dominant figure. The alliance between Octavian and Antony collapsed into a bitter civil war, culminating in the decisive Battle of Actium in 31 BC, where Octavian emerged victorious. In 27 BC, Octavian relinquished his extraordinary powers and accepted the title "Augustus" from the Senate, marking the inception of the Roman Empire. Though he held the title of princeps (first citizen), Augustus effectively became the first Roman Emperor. Under Augustus' rule, the Roman Empire experienced an era of relative peace known as the Pax Romana. He introduced various reforms to strengthen the state and initiated extensive building projects across the empire, leaving a lasting architectural legacy. Augustus' reign, which lasted for 41 years until his death in AD 14, marked the end of the Julio-Claudian dynasty and the beginning of the Roman Empire. His ability to consolidate power, navigate complex political waters, and maintain stability earned him admiration and secured his position as one of Rome's most influential leaders. Starting price: 50 EUR |  |
Match 3:
| Savoca Numismatik GmbH & Co. KG > Online Auction 198 | Silver | Auction date: 25 February 2024 |
| Lot number: 158 Price realized: 90 EUR (Approx. 97 USD) Note: Prices do not include buyer's fees. | |
| Lot description: Hispania. Tarraconensis, Segobriga. Tiberius AD 14-37. Bronze Æ 29 mm, 14,43 g TI C[AESAR DIVI AVG F AVG]VST IM[P VIII], bare head left / SEGO BRIGA in two lines, within laurel wreath. Nearly Very Fine RPC I 473; ACIP 3243. Tiberius, whose full name was Tiberius Caesar Augustus, was a Roman emperor who ruled from AD 14-37. He was born in 42 BC in Rome, and he came from a prominent political family. Tiberius was the stepson of Emperor Augustus and served as a military commander before ascending to the throne. He succeeded Augustus as the second Roman emperor after Augustus' death. As emperor, Tiberius sought to maintain the stability and prosperity of the Roman Empire. He implemented administrative reforms and focused on maintaining a strong and disciplined Roman army. However, Tiberius' reign was marked by controversies and political intrigue. He was known for his suspicion of the Roman Senate and his distance from the Roman people. His relationship with the Senate and the ruling elite was often strained, leading to accusations of tyranny and repression. Tiberius withdrew to the island of Capri during the later years of his reign, leaving the administration of the empire to others. His retreat from Rome led to further criticisms and rumors about his behavior and intentions. Tiberius died in AD 37, and was succeeded by his grandnephew Caligula as the next Roman emperor. Despite his accomplishments as a military leader, Tiberius' legacy is mixed, with some viewing him as a capable ruler and others criticizing his autocratic tendencies and the atmosphere of fear and suspicion during his reign. Starting price: 50 EUR |  |
Match 4:
| Leu Numismatik AG > Web Auction 29 | Auction date: 24 February 2024 |
| Lot number: 1267 Price realized: 220 CHF (Approx. 250 USD / 231 EUR) Note: Prices do not include buyer's fees. | |
| Lot description: CORINTHIA. Corinth. Augustus, with Caius and Lucius Caesars, 27 BC-AD 14. Assarion (Bronze, 21 mm, 7.13 g, 6 h), Marcus Antonius Hipparchus and Gaius Servilius Primus, son of Gaius, duovirs, 2-1 BC. [C]A[ESAR] CORIN[T] Bare head of Augustus to right. Rev. [C SERVILIO C F PRIMO] M ANTONIO HIPPA[RCHO IIVIR / C L] Bare heads of Gaius and Lucius Caesars facing one another. Amandry XIa. RPC i 1136. Fine. From an American collection, ex Naville 54, 15 December 2019, 218 and previously from the BCD Collection, privately acquired from Baldwin's in January 1976 (with collector's ticket). Starting price: 25 CHF |  |
Match 5:
| Savoca Numismatik GmbH & Co. KG > Online Auction 187 | Silver | Auction date: 10 December 2023 |
| Lot number: 127 Price realized: 50 EUR (Approx. 54 USD) Note: Prices do not include buyer's fees. | |
| Lot description: Ionia. Magnesia ad Maeander. Augustus 27 BC-AD 14. Bronze Æ 19 mm, 5,54 g ΛΕΥ[ΚΙΟΣ ΚΑΙΣΑΡ] ΓΑΙΟΣ ΚΑΙΣΑΡ, bare heads of Lucius and Gaius Caesar facing each other, monogram between / [ΜΑΓΝΗ]ΤΩ[Ν], facing cult statue of Artemis Leukophryene, with two supports. Fine RPC I 2696. Gaius Caesar and Lucius Caesar, sons of Marcus Vipsanius Agrippa and Julia (Augustus's daughter), were adopted by Augustus in 17 BC to secure the Roman imperial succession. Gaius, the elder brother, held esteemed titles like "Leader of the Youth" and was granted imperium maius in 2 BC. In 2 BC, he married Livilla and embarked on a significant journey to the East, meeting Augustus's stepson, Tiberius. However, tragedy struck during the siege of Artagera in Armenia, resulting in Gaius's fatal injuries and subsequent death in Limyra, Lycia. A cenotaph was erected in his honor. Lucius Caesar, the second son, designated "Leader of the Youth" at the age of 2 BC, enjoyed early recognition and promises, including an engagement to Aemilia Lepida. Unfortunately, Lucius met his untimely demise on his way to Spain in AD 2, where he was set to be introduced to the army before assuming the consulship. His premature death marked the end of a promising lineage within the Julio-Claudian dynasty, and he was buried in the Augustus Mausoleum. With Gaius and his younger brother Lucius both deceased by AD 2, Augustus turned to his stepson Tiberius and Agrippa Postumus as new heirs. Starting price: 50 EUR |  |
