CYPRUS, Koinon of Cyprus. Antoninus Pius, with Marcus Aurelius as Caesar. AD 138-161. Æ Proto-contorniate (31mm, 21.95 g, 6h). Struck circa AD 147-161. Fine.

Electronic Auction 544
Lot: 433. Estimated: $ 150

Roman Provincial, Bronze

Sold For $ 1 000. This amount does not include the buyer’s fee.

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CYPRUS, Koinon of Cyprus. Antoninus Pius, with Marcus Aurelius as Caesar. AD 138-161. Æ Proto-contorniate (31mm, 21.95 g, 6h). Struck circa AD 147-161. Laureate head of Antoninus Pius right / Bareheaded, draped, and cuirassed bust of Marcus Aurelius right. Parks 21; RPC IV.3 Online 5042; SNG Copenhagen 87-8. Red-brown patina, light roughness, cleaning scratches, edge chip. Fine. Rare. A protocontorniate, the edges having been tapped to create raised rims.

Ex Forum Ancient Coins inventory SH68986.

Proto-contorniate is the modern term used to describe Roman Imperial and Provincial bronze coins of the first, second, and early third centuries with hammered-up edges. These raised edges on the rims probably occurred after these bronze issues no longer circulated and ceased to be part of the currency in general use. These proto-contorniates are of both emperors and empresses and consist almost exclusively of earlier sestertii, dupondii, and asses. Although several different theories to explain this alteration have been offered over the years, it is generally accepted today that these were given by friends and family to each other as New Year’s gifts, perhaps in the late third and first half of the fourth centuries. This was first proposed by Andreas Alföldi in Die Kontorniaten (Budapest, 1943). The rims hammered in this manner gave them a distinctive appearance.

Lot includes a Certificate of Authenticity from David R. Sear

Closing Date and Time: 16 August 2023 at 12:24:00 ET.

All winning bids are subject to a 20% buyer’s fee.