TROAS, Ilium. Marcus Aurelius. AD 161-180. Æ Sestertius (32mm, 26.38 g, 12h). Struck under Marcus Aurelius and Lucius Verus, co-emperors, circa AD 161-161. VF.

CNG Feature Auction 132
Lot: 598. Estimated: $ 750

Roman Provincial, Bronze, Coin-in-Hand Video

Sold For $ 1 100. This amount does not include the buyer’s fee.

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TROAS, Ilium. Marcus Aurelius. AD 161-180. Æ Sestertius (32mm, 26.38 g, 12h). Struck under Marcus Aurelius and Lucius Verus, co-emperors, circa AD 161-161. Laureate, draped, and cuirassed bust right, seen from behind / EKTΩP, Hector standing in galloping biga left, brandishing shield and spear, about to hurl a stone in his raised right hand. Bellinger T147(1); RPC IV.2 Online 84; von Fritze, Ilion 59. Green patina, light roughness, scratches, edge bump. VF. Extremely rare, only three recorded in RPC, this coin is the only specimen in private hands.

From the Dr. Mark Staal Collection. Ex Gadoury (1 December 2012), lot 257.

For nine years in the Trojan War, the fortunes of both sides ebbed and flowed. During the tenth year, Achilles, upset over the loss of the woman Chryseis to Agamemnon, the commander of the Greeks, withdrew to his tent and refused to fight. The loss of the greatest of the Greek warriors allowed the Trojans under the command of Hector, the eldest son of Priam, to gain the upper hand. At that point, Patroclus then offered to put on Achilles’ armor in order to rouse the Greeks to fight. Thinking that Achilles had returned to battle, Hector dashed out on to the field of battle in his chariot (Hom. Il. 16. 367-369):

Ἕκτορα δ᾽ ἵπποι // ἔκφερον ὠκύποδες σὺν τεύχεσι, λεῖπε δὲ λαὸν // Τρωϊκόν, οὓς ἀέκοντας ὀρυκτὴ τάφρος ἔρυκε. ("But the swift-footed horses did carry forth Hektor with his equipage, and he left behind the Trojan host, whom unwilling the excavated trench held back.")

Hector killed the clearly ill-matched Patroclus, and, in order to avenge his friend, Achilles returned to the field to slay Hector.

The final winners of all CNG Feature Auction 132 lots will be determined at the live online sale that will be held on 18-19 May 2026.

CNG Feature Auction 132 – Session Three – Lot 588-888 will be held Tuesday morning, 19 May 2026 beginning at 9:00 AM ET.

Winning bids are subject to a 22.5% buyer's fee for bids placed on this website and 25% for all others.

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