Roma Numismatics Ltd
Auction XVII 28 Mar 2019
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Northern Apulia, Luceria Æ Cast Nummus. Magistrate M. Lavinius, circa 275-225 BC. Head of Apollo left / M•LAVINIO, cockerel standing to left; mark of value I between A and V. Cf. Haeberlin p. 155, 1 pl. 102, 1 = HN Italy 669 = Vecchi ICC, 335 (all citing the only other known example in the Museum Fridericianum collection in Kassel). 271.80g, 59mm, 11h.
Very Fine; pleasant green-brown patina. Of the greatest rarity - the second recorded example and the only one in private hands.
From a private German collection;
Privately purchased from V. C. Vecchi & Sons, London, 1981.
The attribution of this issue is to Luceria, a settlement of the Daunii, which was of considerable strategic importance and located about 19 km NNW of Foggia (BAtlas 45 C2). According to legend, it traced its foundation along with the cities of Arpi and Canosa to the legendary hero Diomedes, who carried the Palladium from Troy to the site (Strabo 6.264; Pliny 2.102). During the Second Samnite War (326-304 BC) it was an ally of Rome, to whom it gave aid following the disaster of the Caudine Forks in 321. It became a Latin colony in 314 BC (Livy 9.26.1-5) and from then on Luceria was a steadfast supporter of Rome; during the Second Punic War (218-201 BC) it became the winter quarters of the Roman army (Livy 22.9). The monetary unit at Luceria, (as at Teate and Venusia) was the nummus (CMRR, pp. 14-15), and during the Second Punic War Rome produced coins at Luceria as an auxiliary mint (Crawford, RRC pp. 97-9).
Very Fine; pleasant green-brown patina. Of the greatest rarity - the second recorded example and the only one in private hands.
From a private German collection;
Privately purchased from V. C. Vecchi & Sons, London, 1981.
The attribution of this issue is to Luceria, a settlement of the Daunii, which was of considerable strategic importance and located about 19 km NNW of Foggia (BAtlas 45 C2). According to legend, it traced its foundation along with the cities of Arpi and Canosa to the legendary hero Diomedes, who carried the Palladium from Troy to the site (Strabo 6.264; Pliny 2.102). During the Second Samnite War (326-304 BC) it was an ally of Rome, to whom it gave aid following the disaster of the Caudine Forks in 321. It became a Latin colony in 314 BC (Livy 9.26.1-5) and from then on Luceria was a steadfast supporter of Rome; during the Second Punic War (218-201 BC) it became the winter quarters of the Roman army (Livy 22.9). The monetary unit at Luceria, (as at Teate and Venusia) was the nummus (CMRR, pp. 14-15), and during the Second Punic War Rome produced coins at Luceria as an auxiliary mint (Crawford, RRC pp. 97-9).