Our partner for world banknotes research
| Heritage World Coin Auctions > CSNS Signature Sale 3132 | Auction date: 29 April 2026 |
| Lot number: 31026 Price realized: Unsold | Show similar lots on CoinArchives Find similar lots in upcoming auctions on  |
| Lot description: Ancients Anonymous (ca. 230 BC). AE aes grave tressis or tripondius (90mm, 830.30 gm, 12h). Choice VF. Rome, ca. 230 BC. Head of Roma right, wearing Phrygian helmet; horizontal III (mark of value) behind / Wheel of six spokes; III (mark of value) between spokes. Vecchi 64. HN Italy 324. Crawford 24/1 (ca. 265-242 BC, Rome). Sydenham Aes Grave 84 (Campania, ca. 275-271 BC). A stunning example of this extremely rare type for which no examples are found in sales archives since 1992. Patina akin to a green seafloor with champagne highlights reflecting off its surfaces. Thurlow & Vecchi suggest on page 23 of their work that the design of this series may commemorate in some ceremonial fashion the opening of the new Roman mint. However, the wheel design itself is still debated among scholars today. Cf. Classical Numismatic Group, Auction 85 (15 September 2010), lot 742 for a dupondius of this same, exceptional series. Vecchi cites five known specimens in a weight range from 926-600.74 gm: • 926 gm. Numismatica Ars Classica, Auction 5 (25 February 1992), lot 197; Bank Leu, Auction 18 (1977), lot 284 • 880.93 gm. Città del Vaticano, Alteri 9 • 834 gm. Garrett Collection, Numismatic Fine Arts (1984), lot 599; Sydenham Aes Grave, Plate B; Sambon Collection, Sotheby (23 November 1925) • 685.43 gm. Spencer-Churchill Collection • 600.74 gm. Christie's ( 7 December 1965), lot 133 The XRF analysis (included with lot) lists the following composition: Cu (Copper) 67.483% Zn (Zinc) 29.036 % Pb (Lead) 1.191 % Sn (Tin) 1.014 % Fe (Iron) 0.552 % Ni (Nickel) 0.459 % Mn (Manganese) 0.264 % The chemistry shows this is brass (Cu + Zn), or orichalcum. Specifically, ~67% copper + ~29% zinc. This composition is extremely consistent with ancient Roman orichalcum, the brass alloy used for higher-value Roman bronze coins like sestertii, dupondii, and tripondii (rare denomination). www.HA.com/TexasAuctioneerLicenseNotice https://coins.ha.com/itm/ancients/roman-republic/roman-republic-anonymous-ca-230-bc-ae-aes-grave-tressis-or-tripondius-90mm-83030-gm-12h-choice-vf/a/3132-31026.s?type=DA-DMC-CoinArchives-WorldCoins-3132-04292026 HID02906262019 © 2026 Heritage Auctions | All Rights Reserved Estimate: 10000-30000 USD |  |
