Search in eAuction


CNG Bidding Platform

Information

Products and Services


Use Old Home Page

eAuction
Electronic Auction 490

Lot nuber 263

Nero. AD 54-68. Æ Sestertius (30mm, 22.96 g, 6h). Rome mint. Struck circa AD 64.


Electronic Auction 490
Lot: 263.
 Estimated: $ 200

Merani Collection – Roman Imperial, Bronze

Sold For $ 750. This amount does not include the buyer’s fee.

Go to Live

Nero. AD 54-68. Æ Sestertius (30mm, 22.96 g, 6h). Rome mint. Struck circa AD 64. Laureate bust right, wearing aegis / DECVRSIO in exergue, Nero on horseback riding right, holding spear; behind him, soldier on horseback riding right, holding vexillum. RIC I 167; WCN 123. Brown surfaces, smoothing. Fine. A protocontorniate, the edges having been tapped to create raised rims. Attractive.

From the Peter J. Merani Collection. Ex Harding Collection (Hans Schulman, 10 October 1972), lot 927 (part of).

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.

Closing Date and Time: 21 April 2021 at 11:27:20 ET.

All winning bids are subject to an 18% buyer’s fee.