Classical Numismatic Group, LLC
Auction 123 23-24 May 2023
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ACHAEA, Fleet Coinage. Uncertain mint. Mark Antony. 38-37 BC. Æ "Sestertius" (33mm, 22.22 g, 9h). Heavy series. L. Sempronius Atratinus, auger and consul designatus. Bare head of Antony right vis-à-vis head of Octavia left / Two figures embracing (Antony and Octavia as Poseidon and Amphitrite?) standing right on quadriga of hippocamps; HS to left; lituus to right; in exergue, Δ and astragalus. Amandry, Bronze I, Series II.1.A, 1-10 var. (unlisted dies); RPC I 1453; CRI 279; Sydenham 1261. Red-brown surfaces with green deposits, roughness, smoothed, details enhanced. Near VF. Extremely rare.
The curious "fleet coinage" of Mark Antony was struck at several mints over the course of 37/6 BC, probably commencing after Antony and Octavian signed the Pact of Tarentum, which renewed their triumval powers and partnership. Octavia, Antony's wife and Octavian's sister, was instrumental in the negotiations and frequently appears on the coins, including this rare specimen. The coins are all bronzes of a range of denominations that anticipate the ones in use during the empire – sestertius, dupondius, as, etc. Three Antonian admirals are named as moneyers, including L. Sempronius Atratinus, as seen here. All coins feature nautical themes, hence the term "fleet coinage." Although Roman denominations and legends are employed, many of the numerals, including marks of value, are Greek, indicated they were intended for use in the east, where many were struck. The evidence points to an early experiment in a revolutionary new universal coinage system that was ahead of its time, but was later taken up, tweaked, and fully implemented by Augustus.
The curious "fleet coinage" of Mark Antony was struck at several mints over the course of 37/6 BC, probably commencing after Antony and Octavian signed the Pact of Tarentum, which renewed their triumval powers and partnership. Octavia, Antony's wife and Octavian's sister, was instrumental in the negotiations and frequently appears on the coins, including this rare specimen. The coins are all bronzes of a range of denominations that anticipate the ones in use during the empire – sestertius, dupondius, as, etc. Three Antonian admirals are named as moneyers, including L. Sempronius Atratinus, as seen here. All coins feature nautical themes, hence the term "fleet coinage." Although Roman denominations and legends are employed, many of the numerals, including marks of value, are Greek, indicated they were intended for use in the east, where many were struck. The evidence points to an early experiment in a revolutionary new universal coinage system that was ahead of its time, but was later taken up, tweaked, and fully implemented by Augustus.