Heritage World Coin Auctions
NYINC Signature Sale 3044 3-4 January 2016
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PONTIC KINGDOM. Polemo II (AD 38-64), with Britannicus (?). AR drachm (18mm, 3.33 gm, 6h). Dated RY 19 (AD 56/57). ΠΟΛЄΜω-ΝΟC BACIΛЄ[ωC], diademed head of Polemo right / ЄΤΟVC - [I]Θ, laureate, draped bust of Britannicus right. Cf. RPC I 3838 (three examples recorded). RG 36 (Britannicus). Graffito "M" on obverse and peripheral reverse flan defect, not affecting portrait. Very rare! Two exceptional portraits, the one of Britannicus perhaps the only one in silver available for this prince. NGC AU 3/5 - 4/5, light graffito. The identity of the laureate, youthful male portrait on the reverse of this rare issue is not certain, but has plausibly been proposed to be Britannicus, son of Claudius and Messalina, who died early in Nero's reign (February AD 55), likely poisoned by Nero or one of his henchmen. The bust of Nero also found on coins of Polemo II is much older and fleshier than this visage. As Britannicus was dead by the time of issue (AD 56/7), it may have been intended as a commemoration of the deceased Caesar; perhaps the court of Polemo, far removed from the intrigues of Rome, was not aware that the death of Britannicus was in any way suspicious. In any case Nero was apparently not amused, as the independent kingdom of Pontus was annexed by Rome in AD 64 and Polemo pensioned off to Cilicia.
Estimate: 1200-1600 USD
PONTIC KINGDOM. Polemo II (AD 38-64), with Britannicus (?). AR drachm (18mm, 3.33 gm, 6h). Dated RY 19 (AD 56/57). ΠΟΛЄΜω-ΝΟC BACIΛЄ[ωC], diademed head of Polemo right / ЄΤΟVC - [I]Θ, laureate, draped bust of Britannicus right. Cf. RPC I 3838 (three examples recorded). RG 36 (Britannicus). Graffito "M" on obverse and peripheral reverse flan defect, not affecting portrait. Very rare! Two exceptional portraits, the one of Britannicus perhaps the only one in silver available for this prince. NGC AU 3/5 - 4/5, light graffito. The identity of the laureate, youthful male portrait on the reverse of this rare issue is not certain, but has plausibly been proposed to be Britannicus, son of Claudius and Messalina, who died early in Nero's reign (February AD 55), likely poisoned by Nero or one of his henchmen. The bust of Nero also found on coins of Polemo II is much older and fleshier than this visage. As Britannicus was dead by the time of issue (AD 56/7), it may have been intended as a commemoration of the deceased Caesar; perhaps the court of Polemo, far removed from the intrigues of Rome, was not aware that the death of Britannicus was in any way suspicious. In any case Nero was apparently not amused, as the independent kingdom of Pontus was annexed by Rome in AD 64 and Polemo pensioned off to Cilicia.
Estimate: 1200-1600 USD