| Classical Numismatic Group > Triton XXVII | Auction date: 9 January 2024 |
| Lot number: 903 Price realized: 1,300 USD (Approx. 1,191 EUR) Note: Prices do not include buyer's fees. | |
| Lot description: Martinian. Usurper, AD 324. Æ Follis (19.5mm, 2.96 g, 12h). Nicomedia mint, 2nd officina. D N M MARTINIANVS P F AVG, radiate, draped, and cuirassed bust right / IOVI CONS ERVATORI, Jupiter, nude but for chlamys draped over shoulders, standing left, holding Victory on globe in extended right hand and eagle-tipped scepter in left; at feet to left, eagle standing left, head right, holding wreath in beak; to right, bound captive kneeling left; –|X/IIΓ//SMNB. RIC VII 45. Dark green patina, light roughness, smoothing. Near VF. Rare. Proof that history does often repeat itself can be found in the sad tale of Martinian, a puppet ruler installed by the Eastern Roman Emperor Licinius in the midst of his second civil war against Constantine I "the Great." Martinian was of obscure origins, but by the mid AD 320s had risen to become the chief minister of Licinius, just as it became apparent that a final clash with Constantine was imminent. Though Licinius had a larger army, Constantine was the better general and inflicted a heavy defeat on his rival in Thrace on July 3, AD 324. Crossing to Chalcedon, Licinius declared Constantine deposed and raised Martinian to the office of Augustus, with instructions to prevent Constantine from crossing into Asia Minor. Constantine easily evaded Martinian's blocking force, landed in Asia and cornered Licinius at Nicomedia. Having no choice, Licinius surrendered on terms brokered by his wife (and Constantine's sister) Constantia. Martinian went into exile in Cappadocia, but was executed a few months later when Licinius was detected plotting a return to power. Seven years before, under virtually identical circumstances, Licinius had appointed Valerius Valens to a similar role, with almost identical results. Like those of Valerius Valens, coins of Martinian are quite rare. The reverse evokes "Jupiter the Protector," Licinius' patron deity, who notably failed to protect him and Martinian from the wrath of Constantine. Estimate: 1000 USD |  |
Match 1:
| Classical Numismatic Group > Electronic Auction 553 | Auction date: 3 January 2024 |
| Lot number: 615 Price realized: 750 USD (Approx. 679 EUR) Note: Prices do not include buyer's fees. | |
| Lot description: Martinian. Usurper, AD 324. Æ Follis (20.5mm, 2.35 g, 12h). Nicomedia mint, 2nd officina. Radiate, draped, and cuirassed bust right / Jupiter standing left, holding Victory on globe and eagle-tipped scepter; to left, eagle standing left, head right, holding wreath in beak; to right, bound captive kneeling right; –|X/IIΓ//SMNB. RIC VII 46. Dark brown patina, roughness. Near Fine. Rare. From the Libertas Collection. Estimate: 500 USD |  |
Match 2:
| Classical Numismatic Group > Triton XXVII | Auction date: 9 January 2024 |
| Lot number: 912 Price realized: 6,000 USD (Approx. 5,495 EUR) Note: Prices do not include buyer's fees. | |
| Lot description: Constantine II. AD 337-340. AV Solidus (21.5mm, 4.57 g, 12h). Antioch mint, 6th officina. Struck AD 337-347. CONSTAN TINVS AVG, laureate, draped, and cuirassed bust right / VICTO RIA AVG, Victory advancing left, partially draped, holding trophy in right hand and palm frond in left; *|LXXII//SMANS. RIC VIII 6 var. (unlisted officina); Depeyrot 2/1 (same obv. die); Biaggi –. Toned, a few light scratches. Near EF. Very rare. R4 in RIC and unlisted in this officina. Only one example cited in Depeyrot from the British Museum. This the far superior of the two. From the CJR Collection. Ex William H. Williams Collection (Classical Numismatic Group 61, 25 September 2002), lot 2098. The LXXII indicates that this issue was struck at 72 solidi per pound. Estimate: 3000 USD |  |
Match 3:
| Classical Numismatic Group > Triton XXVII | Auction date: 9 January 2024 |
| Lot number: 778 Price realized: 1,900 USD (Approx. 1,740 EUR) Note: Prices do not include buyer's fees. | |
| Lot description: Marcus Aurelius. AD 161-180. Æ Medallion (38.5mm, 52.07 g, 12h). Rome mint. Struck AD 172/3. M ANTONINVS AVG TR P XXVII, laureate and cuirassed bust right, with gorgoneion aegis on cuirass / IMP VI COS III; VICT GERM in exergue, Victory in triumphal quadriga left, holding reins in right hand and palm frond in left. Gnecchi II 57 and pl. 63, 7; MIR 18, 1056-1/36; Banti 495. Dark brown-red patina, roughness, smoothing. Good Fine. Very rare. From the Ellison Collection. Ex G. Hirsch 375 (22 September 2022), lot 1431; Leu Numismatik Web Auction 18 (18 December 2021), lot 2798. This and the following medallion mark the ongoing campaigns of Marcus Aurelius against Germanic tribes beyond the Danube, AD 169-180. The Romans celebrated many victories during these Marcomannic Wars, but victory on the battlefield did not readily translate into a satisfactory conclusion to the war. Estimate: 2000 USD |  |
Match 4:
| Classical Numismatic Group > Triton XXVII | Auction date: 9 January 2024 |
| Lot number: 906 Price realized: 3,750 USD (Approx. 3,435 EUR) Note: Prices do not include buyer's fees. | |
| Lot description: Constantine I. AD 307/310-337. Æ Medallion (34.5mm, 29.76 g, 12h). Rome mint. Struck AD 327-333. CONSTANTI NVS MAX AVG, rosette-diademed, draped, and cuirassed bust right / VIRTVS AVG N, Constantine on horseback riding right, holding shield in left hand, trampling and thrusting spear held in right hand at fallen enemy to right, kneeling right, head left. RIC VII 309; Gnecchi II p. 136, 20 and pl. 131, 3. Brown patina with some red and green, flan crack, light roughness, a few scratches. Near VF. Very rare and far superior to the two examples in CoinArchives. From the Wayne Scheible Collection, purchased from Harlan J. Berk, Ltd. Reportedly ex De Young Museum (Butterfield, March 1998), lot 12181. Estimate: 1500 USD |  |
Match 5:
| Classical Numismatic Group > Triton XXVII | Auction date: 9 January 2024 |
| Lot number: 777 Price realized: 8,500 USD (Approx. 7,785 EUR) Note: Prices do not include buyer's fees. | |
| Lot description: Marcus Aurelius. AD 161-180. AV Aureus (19mm, 7.16 g, 12h). Rome mint. Struck AD 169. M ΛNTONINVS ΛVG TR P XXIII, laureate, draped, and cuirassed bust right / FELICITΛS ΛVG COS III, Felicitas, draped, standing left, holding caduceus in right hand and scepter in left. RIC III 201; MIR 18, 180-2/37; Calicó 1850a; BMCRE 489; Biaggi 847; Mazzini 177. Toned and lustrous, a few light scratches. Superb EF. Ex Heritage 3094 (19 August 2021), lot 33077; Provence Collection (Classical Numismatic Group 115, 16 September 2020), lot 669. Estimate: 10000 USD |  |
