| Heritage World Coin Auctions > NYINC Signature Sale 3113 | Auction date: 8 January 2024 |
| Lot number: 31054 Price realized: 34,000 USD (Approx. 30,994 EUR) Note: Prices do not include buyer's fees. | |
| Lot description: Ancients Septimius Severus (AD 193-211). AV aureus (20mm, 7.32 gm, 12h). NGC MS★ 5/5 - 4/5. Rome, AD 200-201. SEVERVS AVG-PART MAX, laureate bust of Septimius Severus right, with aegis visible on chest / S•P•Q•R•OPT-IMO•PRINC•, Septimius Severus on horseback left, spear in raised right hand, reigns and Victory standing left in left hand. Calicó 2539 (same dies). RIC IV.I 189a. Lustrous silky fields, expertly minted from newly crafted Fine Style dies, exhibit a flawless finesse and brilliant precision, embodying a masterful blend of tradition and craftsmanship. The first Roman emperor of African descent, Lucius Septimius Severus was born on 11 April AD 145 in the North African city of Leptis Magna. He entered the Senate during the reign of Marcus Aurelius and also served as an officer in the army under the general Pertinax, finding the soldier's life much to his liking. Talented and hardworking, Severus rose rapidly in the Senate hierarchy, becoming consul in AD 190 and proconsul of Pannonia Superior the following year. The assassination of Commodus on 1 January AD 193 brought his patron Pertinax to the throne, but within three months, Pertinax had been murdered by the Praetorians, who sold the throne to Didius Julianus. An outraged populace demanded that Pescennius Niger, governor of Syria, or Clodius Albinus, proconsul of Britain, depose Julianus. But Severus was much closer, in Pannonia, and he struck first. Placating Albinus with the junior title of Caesar, Severus marched on Rome and easily disposed of Julianus. He next marched against Niger and crushed his rebel regime in a brutally efficient campaign. Returning to Rome in AD 195, he raised his elder son Caracalla to the rank of Caesar, thus severing his pact with Clodius Albinus and igniting another civil war, which ended with Severus's victory in AD 197. A bloody purge of Albinus's supporters led many to call him "the Punic Sulla," but with his position secure, he ruled with moderation. Julia Domna's patronage stimulated Rome's arts and intellectual life, but the mutual hatred of their sons, Caracalla and Geta, caused the imperial couple no end of grief. Like Hadrian, Severus traveled incessantly, but his policy was expansion through conquest, and in AD 208, he launched an invasion of Scotland. But what was supposed to be a quick conquest turned into a long, bitter slog, which took its toll on the emperor's health. On his deathbed in York, Severus begged his sons to "be good to each other, pay the soldiers well, and the rest can to go to hell." He died on 4 February AD 211 at the age of 65. https://coins.ha.com/itm/ancients/roman-imperial/ancients-septimius-severus-ad-193-211-av-aureus-20mm-732-gm-12h-ngc-msand-9733-5-5-4-5/a/3113-31054.s?type=DA-DMC-CoinArchives-WorldCoins-3113-01082024 HID02906262019 © 2023 Heritage Auctions | All Rights Reserved Estimate: 20000-25000 USD |  |
Match 1:
| Heritage World Coin Auctions > NYINC Signature Sale 3113 | Auction date: 8 January 2024 |
| Lot number: 31056 Price realized: 7,500 USD (Approx. 6,837 EUR) Note: Prices do not include buyer's fees. | |
| Lot description: Ancients Septimius Severus (AD 193-211). AV aureus (20mm, 7.19 gm, 11h). NGC Choice XF 5/5 - 5/5. Rome, AD 205. SEVERVS-PIVS AVG, laureate head of Septimius Severus right / P M TR P XIII-COS III P P, Jupiter standing facing, head left, nude but for chlamys draped behind, thunderbolt in right hand, grounded scepter in left; eagle standing left, head right, at feet to left. Calicó 2508. RIC IV.I 196. This captivating specimen, illuminated by a mesmerizing backlight, is meticulously minted on a stunning honey-hued flan, enriched with a delicate umber toning throughout. The artistry of the strike harmoniously intertwines with the alluring luminosity, evoking a sense of timeless elegance and profound craftsmanship. https://coins.ha.com/itm/ancients/roman-imperial/ancients-septimius-severus-ad-193-211-av-aureus-20mm-719-gm-11h-ngc-choice-xf-5-5-5-5/a/3113-31056.s?type=DA-DMC-CoinArchives-WorldCoins-3113-01082024 HID02906262019 © 2023 Heritage Auctions | All Rights Reserved Estimate: 10000-12000 USD |  |
Match 2:
| Heritage World Coin Auctions > NYINC Signature Sale 3113 | Auction date: 8 January 2024 |
| Lot number: 31055 Price realized: 34,000 USD (Approx. 30,994 EUR) Note: Prices do not include buyer's fees. | |
| Lot description: Ancients Septimius Severus (AD 193-211). AV aureus (20mm, 7.26 gm, 5h). NGC Choice XF 5/5 - 3/5, Fine Style, edge filing. Rome, AD 202. SEVER P AVG P M TR P X COS III, laureate, draped, and cuirassed bust of Septimius Severus right, seen from behind / FELICITAS / SAECVLI, draped bust of Julia Domna facing between confronting busts of Caracalla (on left), laureate and draped, seen from behind, and Geta (on right), bare-headed, draped and cuirassed, seen from behind. Calicó 2593a (same reverse die as 2590a). RIC IV.I 181c. A splendid and rare dynastic issue, showcasing the entire family and highlighting Severus' deep reverence for his familial bonds. Expertly minted on a radiant, silky flan, this piece displays with the enduring values of kinship and legacy of the Severan Dynasty. From the Dynasty Collection, #VII. Septimius Severus, originating from Leptis Magna (modern-day Libya), founded the Severan Dynasty after his victory in the civil war during 193-197 AD, establishing a familial governance ethos. His wife, Julia Domna, significantly contributed by extending her influence beyond domestic realms, being a patron of philosophers and literary figures. Their sons, Caracalla and Geta, were emblematic of the dynasty's ambitions and rivalries. After the death of Septimius Caracalla and Geta for a short period of time before, Caracalla's ruthless and often paranoid disposition led to a reign of terror that included the murder of his brother Geta. Septimius Severus was unique for his production of a remarkable series of coins depicting various members of the Imperial family in a variety of combinations, many of incredible beauty and exceptional iconographic interest. Among the rarest of this series is this beautiful aureus, which combines a forceful obverse portrait of Severus with a charming group portrait on the reverse, with the adolescent brothers Caracalla and Geta flanking a fully frontal portrait of their mother, Julia Domna. While the promise of a stable imperial dynasty is implicit, the positioning of Domna between her two sons proved eerily prescient: Following the death of Severus in AD 211, the bitter sibling rivalry between Caracalla and Geta threatened to sunder the Empire and placed their mother squarely in the middle. https://coins.ha.com/itm/ancients/roman-imperial/ancients-septimius-severus-ad-193-211-av-aureus-20mm-726-gm-5h-ngc-choice-xf-5-5-3-5-fine-style-edge-fil/a/3113-31055.s?type=DA-DMC-CoinArchives-WorldCoins-3113-01082024 HID02906262019 © 2023 Heritage Auctions | All Rights Reserved Estimate: 25000-35000 USD |  |
Match 3:
| Heritage World Coin Auctions > CSNS Signature Sale 3115 | Auction date: 8 May 2024 |
| Lot number: 31091 Price realized: 14,000 USD (Approx. 13,024 EUR) Note: Prices do not include buyer's fees. | |
| Lot description: Ancients Septimius Severus (AD 193-211). AV aureus (20mm, 7.26 gm, 11h). NGC Choice AU 5/5 - 4/5. Rome, AD 194. L•SEPT•SEV•PE-RT•AVG IMP III, laureate head of Septimius Severus right / DIS•AVSPI-CIB•T-R-P II, Hercules standing facing (on left), head left, nude, right hand resting on grounded club, lion skin draped over left arm, and Bacchus standing facing (on right), head left, nude, grounded thyrsus in left hand, oenochoe in right hand over panther crouched left in center; COS II P P in exergue. Calicó 2446; same obv. die as 2446a. RIC IV.I 31. The coin's surfaces shimmer in a stunningly vibrant shade of goldenrod, enhancing the finely crafted details of the portrait. This exquisite detailing is beautifully complemented by the simple yet sharply defined designs of the deities on the reverse, creating a harmonious and visually striking piece. L. Septimius Severus was the first Roman emperor of African origins, and this aureus type makes an oblique reference to his background. Struck in AD 194, the reverse depicts the demigods Hercules and Bacchus, both patron deities of the emperor's hometown of Leptis Magna, on the North African coast. Severus greatly favored his native province and his hometown in particular. The impact of his generosity, in the form of a massive building campaign, can still be seen in the city's well-preserved ruins today. Hercules and Bacchus were also known as the "Divine Heralds" (Dis Auspicibus), who mediated between humankind and the Olympian deities, and are so named in the legend. https://coins.ha.com/itm/ancients/roman-imperial/ancients-septimius-severus-ad-193-211-av-aureus-20mm-726-gm-11h-ngc-choice-au-5-5-4-5/a/3115-31091.s?type=DA-DMC-CoinArchives-WorldCoins-3115-05082024 HID02906262019 © 2024 Heritage Auctions | All Rights Reserved Estimate: 10000-15000 USD |  |
Match 4:
| Heritage World Coin Auctions > CSNS Signature Sale 3115 | Auction date: 8 May 2024 |
| Lot number: 31092 Price realized: 6,500 USD (Approx. 6,047 EUR) Note: Prices do not include buyer's fees. | |
| Lot description: Ancients Septimius Severus (AD 193-211). AV aureus (19mm, 7.05 gm, 5h). NGC Choice AU 5/5 - 3/5, brushed. Rome, AD 205. SEVERVS-PIVS AVG, laureate head of Septimius Severus right / P M TR P XIII COS III P P, Jupiter standing facing, head left, nude but for chlamys draped behind, thunderbolt in right hand, grounded scepter in left; eagle standing left, head right, at feet to left. Calicó 2508. RIC IV.I 196. Precisely centered portrait on a warm, marigold flan. Stunning detail with a silky luster. Ex Heritage Auctions, Auction 3094 (19 August 2021), lot 33086; Classical Numismatic Group, Auction 115 (16 September 2020), lot 686. https://coins.ha.com/itm/ancients/roman-imperial/ancients-septimius-severus-ad-193-211-av-aureus-19mm-705-gm-5h-ngc-choice-au-5-5-3-5-brushed/a/3115-31092.s?type=DA-DMC-CoinArchives-WorldCoins-3115-05082024 HID02906262019 © 2024 Heritage Auctions | All Rights Reserved Estimate: 7000-10000 USD |  |
Match 5:
| Heritage World Coin Auctions > NYINC Signature Sale 3113 | Auction date: 8 January 2024 |
| Lot number: 31053 Price realized: 10,000 USD (Approx. 9,116 EUR) Note: Prices do not include buyer's fees. | |
| Lot description: Ancients Commodus, as Augustus (AD 177-192). AV aureus (20mm, 7.28 gm, 12h). NGC AU 5/5 - 4/5. Rome, AD 181. •M•COMMODVS-ANTONINVS AVG, laureate, cuirassed bust of Commodus right, with short beard, seen from behind / SECVRITAS PVBLICA TR P VI IMP IIII, Securitas, draped, enthroned right, resting head on right hand, transverse scepter in left; COS III P P in exergue. Calicó 2326a. RIC III 23e. A scarce and attractive type with a particularly handsome early portrait. Ex Gadoury, Auction (22 October 2021), lot 127. The sole reign of Commodus, AD 180-192, is often viewed as the tipping point where the Roman Empire's long decline began. Commodus has thus been featured in novels, plays, and feature films as a villain, most recently in the cinema epics "Fall of the Roman Empire" (1964) and "Gladiator" (2001). Son of the greatly revered "Philosopher Emperor" Marcus Aurelius (AD 161-180), Commodus was the first emperor born "in the purple" in AD 161. Marcus made him co-Augustus in AD 177. He accompanied Marcus on a military campaign against the Germans in AD 178; worn out by his exertions, Marcus died on 17 March AD 180. Freed of his dutiful father's control, Commodus immediately cut a deal with the Germans and abandoned all further plans of military conquest. Returning to Rome, he plunged into sensual pursuits and left governing to a succession of favorites who plundered the public purse and aggrandized themselves. While Commodus continued and worsened the debasement of Roman silver coinage begun by his father, the gold coinage remained of high purity, weight, and artistry. This beautiful aureus, struck early in his sole reign, depicts him as a young man very much in the image of his father. The historians Dio and Herodian both describe him as exceptionally handsome, a picture borne out by his coin portraits and sculpture. The reverse evokes the "Security of the Public" in an uncertain age. https://coins.ha.com/itm/ancients/roman-imperial/ancients-commodus-as-augustus-ad-177-192-av-aureus-20mm-728-gm-12h-ngc-au-5-5-4-5/a/3113-31053.s?type=DA-DMC-CoinArchives-WorldCoins-3113-01082024 HID02906262019 © 2023 Heritage Auctions | All Rights Reserved Estimate: 8000-10000 USD |  |
