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Important copyright information:
The data below is presented by permission of the copyright holder(s). Reproduction is allowed only by authorization from Roma Numismatics Ltd.
| Roma Numismatics Ltd > Auction 2 | Auction date: 2 October 2011 |
| Lot number: 690 | |
| Lot description: Commodus Æ Medallion. 180-192 AD. AY KA M KOMMODOC CEBACTOC HLIOC HPAKLH PWMAI, laureate bust left, lion skin draped about shoulders / ACIAC PPOTWN EFECIWN PERGAMHNWN, Herakles seated nude upon a rock, holding the hand of Auge (priestess of Athena); club resting behind. 54.33g, 47mm, 6h. Unique. Very Fine. Ex Münzhandlung Basel 1935 (Waldeck-Pyrmont Collection); Ex Schulman 1966; Ex Christian August, Prince of Waldeck and Pyrmont (1744-1798) Collection. This remarkable medallion remained for centuries in the collection of the Princes of Waldeck and Pyrmont that was assembled in the eighteenth century by Prince Christian August, and was first brought to market when auctioned by Herbert A. Cahn in 1935. It is clear that this piece was at some point smoothed and tooled to the extent that much of the detail has been strengthened or re-engraved, including the reverse legend listing the magistrates' names. It has been correctly identified by Kölner Münzkabinett and Gorny&Mosch that these magistrates are highly unlikely to have been the issuing authority, since their names appear on earlier issues under Antoninus Pius (see Ursula Kampmann: a common emission of Pergamum and Ephesus for the koinon of the 13 Ionian cities, in: J. Noll, B. Overbeck, P. Weiss (Eds.), nomismata I, Milan 1997), and the chances of there being two individuals of the same name in the same office at the same time at a later date is slim. It is most probable that in the absence of any clear detail in this area, the later 'engraver' has attempted to recreate the missing legend with a formula that was known in his time; however it is nonetheless clear that this is an ancient piece, as both Cahn and Schulman believed it to be, and not a Paduan creation as it was recently offered on account of the incorrect legend. Despite this flaw, the piece remains an interesting and very attractive medallion of Commodus portraying himself as a Roman Hercules, with a rare left-facing bust. Estimate: 4000 GBP |  |
