Numismatica Ars Classica
Auction 144 with CNG & NGSA 8 May 2024
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The Geoffrey Cope Collection of Ancient Greek and Roman Bronzes. The Roman Empire. Galba, 68 – 69.
Description
Sestertius, Roma June-August 68, Æ 36 mm, 25.85 g. SER GALBA IMP CAES AVG TR P Laureate and draped bust r. Rev. S – C Roma seated l. on cuirass, holding sceptre and resting l. elbow on shield set at her side; in exergue, ROMA.
Reference
C 169
BMC 89
RIC 241
CBN 112
Condition
A portrait of fine style and an enchanting enamel-like light blue green patina with some unobtrusive breaks on the edge. Minor marks on obverse, otherwise extremely fine
Provenance
Sotheby, Wilkinson & Hodge sale 15th March 1897, Montagu, 600
Ars Classica sale XVIII, 1938, de Sartiges, 118,
M&M sale 43, 1970, 316
Leu sale 25, 1980, 262
Note:
The quality of portraits on Galba's sestertii has mesmerised antiquarians ever since the dawn of the Renaissance, when they began to be unearthed in the excavations in Rome and elsewhere. After having endured more than a millennium of thin, low-relief coinage with utilitarian designs, these ancient masterpieces were nothing less than a spark for the cultural awakening in Europe. From the 15th Century onward the study and acquisition of coins was considered almost a standard requirement for gentlemen, and Enea Vico (1523-1567), author of five works on the subject, suggested that the study of coins could, over time, improve or reform a person's character. Leonardo da Vinci even referenced coins to find images of ancient triumphal arches when he created his designs for the equestrian monuments of Francesco Sforza and Gian Giacomo Trivulzio. Even so, the fine artistry of this portrait shines within a field of excellence. Galba's advanced age and grim determination are transmitted in a way that allows the viewer to recall the stern personality of this emperor as memorably described by Suetonius. The realism of the portrait offers a marked contrast to Roma on the reverse, which is comprised of soft, youthful and delicate contours.
Description
Sestertius, Roma June-August 68, Æ 36 mm, 25.85 g. SER GALBA IMP CAES AVG TR P Laureate and draped bust r. Rev. S – C Roma seated l. on cuirass, holding sceptre and resting l. elbow on shield set at her side; in exergue, ROMA.
Reference
C 169
BMC 89
RIC 241
CBN 112
Condition
A portrait of fine style and an enchanting enamel-like light blue green patina with some unobtrusive breaks on the edge. Minor marks on obverse, otherwise extremely fine
Provenance
Sotheby, Wilkinson & Hodge sale 15th March 1897, Montagu, 600
Ars Classica sale XVIII, 1938, de Sartiges, 118,
M&M sale 43, 1970, 316
Leu sale 25, 1980, 262
Note:
The quality of portraits on Galba's sestertii has mesmerised antiquarians ever since the dawn of the Renaissance, when they began to be unearthed in the excavations in Rome and elsewhere. After having endured more than a millennium of thin, low-relief coinage with utilitarian designs, these ancient masterpieces were nothing less than a spark for the cultural awakening in Europe. From the 15th Century onward the study and acquisition of coins was considered almost a standard requirement for gentlemen, and Enea Vico (1523-1567), author of five works on the subject, suggested that the study of coins could, over time, improve or reform a person's character. Leonardo da Vinci even referenced coins to find images of ancient triumphal arches when he created his designs for the equestrian monuments of Francesco Sforza and Gian Giacomo Trivulzio. Even so, the fine artistry of this portrait shines within a field of excellence. Galba's advanced age and grim determination are transmitted in a way that allows the viewer to recall the stern personality of this emperor as memorably described by Suetonius. The realism of the portrait offers a marked contrast to Roma on the reverse, which is comprised of soft, youthful and delicate contours.