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ANA Signature Sale 3101 25-28 Aug 2022
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Ancients
Marcus Aurelius, as Augustus (AD 161-180). AV aureus (19mm, 7.31 gm, 11h). NGC Choice AU★ 5/5 - 5/5. Rome, AD 168. M ANTONINVS AVG-ARM PARTH MAX, laureate head of Marcus right / TR P XXII•IMP V-COS III, Victory advancing left, with wreath in right hand, palm frond cradled in left arm. RIC III 194. Calicó 2008 (same reverse die as 2008 and 2009). Rare. Gorgeous example with glorious beard and tightly curled hair. Perfectly centered showcasing full legends on both sides. Boldly struck with clear flowlines on a toned flan.
Ex Heritage Auctions, Auction 3061 (8 January 2018), lot 32103; Heritage Auctions, Auction 3044 (4 January 2016), lot 31062; Áureo & Calicó, Auction 271 (28 October 2015), lot 2126
The Victory celebrated on this aureus was with the Parthians, in a long and difficult war AD 161-163. The result of which ended up being a Pyrrhic one for the Romans, as the returning Legions brought with them a virulent plague that quickly spread through most of the Roman Empire and devastated its population. The "Antonine Plague," also called the "Plague of Galen" after the famous physician who strove mightily against it, is now thought to have been smallpox or possibly measles. Europeans seemingly had no exposure to the illness before and died in enormous numbers. While not as devastating as the later Plague of Justinian or the Black Death of the 14th century, it seems to have severely depopulated vast regions and helped bring about the economic stagnation and external invasion that eventually brought down the Western Roman Empire.
https://coins.ha.com/itm/ancients/roman-imperial/ancients-marcus-aurelius-as-augustus-ad-161-180-av-aureus-19mm-731-gm-11h-ngc-choice-auand-9733-5-5-5-5/a/3101-34098.s?type=DA-DMC-CoinArchives-WorldCoins-3101-08252022
HID02906262019
© 2022 Heritage Auctions | All Rights Reserved
Estimate: 8000-10000 USD
Marcus Aurelius, as Augustus (AD 161-180). AV aureus (19mm, 7.31 gm, 11h). NGC Choice AU★ 5/5 - 5/5. Rome, AD 168. M ANTONINVS AVG-ARM PARTH MAX, laureate head of Marcus right / TR P XXII•IMP V-COS III, Victory advancing left, with wreath in right hand, palm frond cradled in left arm. RIC III 194. Calicó 2008 (same reverse die as 2008 and 2009). Rare. Gorgeous example with glorious beard and tightly curled hair. Perfectly centered showcasing full legends on both sides. Boldly struck with clear flowlines on a toned flan.
Ex Heritage Auctions, Auction 3061 (8 January 2018), lot 32103; Heritage Auctions, Auction 3044 (4 January 2016), lot 31062; Áureo & Calicó, Auction 271 (28 October 2015), lot 2126
The Victory celebrated on this aureus was with the Parthians, in a long and difficult war AD 161-163. The result of which ended up being a Pyrrhic one for the Romans, as the returning Legions brought with them a virulent plague that quickly spread through most of the Roman Empire and devastated its population. The "Antonine Plague," also called the "Plague of Galen" after the famous physician who strove mightily against it, is now thought to have been smallpox or possibly measles. Europeans seemingly had no exposure to the illness before and died in enormous numbers. While not as devastating as the later Plague of Justinian or the Black Death of the 14th century, it seems to have severely depopulated vast regions and helped bring about the economic stagnation and external invasion that eventually brought down the Western Roman Empire.
https://coins.ha.com/itm/ancients/roman-imperial/ancients-marcus-aurelius-as-augustus-ad-161-180-av-aureus-19mm-731-gm-11h-ngc-choice-auand-9733-5-5-5-5/a/3101-34098.s?type=DA-DMC-CoinArchives-WorldCoins-3101-08252022
HID02906262019
© 2022 Heritage Auctions | All Rights Reserved
Estimate: 8000-10000 USD