Printed Auction 43

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Closed March 20, 2024
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  15. Winning Losing Won Lost Watching Available in aftersale  
    "Venus of the beautiful buttocks"
    A43, Lot 128:

    Julia Titi. Augusta, A.D. 79-90/1. AR denarius. 3.3 gm. 19 mm. Rome mint. Struck under Titus, A.D. 80-81. Her draped bust right, wearing stephane, hair in long plait at back; IVLIA AVGVSTA TITI AVGVSTI F / Venus standing right, seen half from behind, naked except for drapery around hips, resting elbow on column, holding helmet and transverse spear; VENVS AVGVST. RIC II.1 388. RSC 14. Near Very Fine; attractive old tone. Rare.

    Ex Russell C. Hollingsworth Collection (CNG XXXIV, 6 May 1995, lot 312).

     

    Julia Titi, daughter of the emperor Titus who helped conquer Judaea and in 70 A.D. looted and destroyed the Temple in Jerusalem, was known for her hot temper and wild nature. After her husband’s death she had a scandalous affair with her uncle, the emperor Domitian.

    In A.D. 79 Vespasian died and Titus became sole emperor. One of his first official acts was to raise his daughter Julia to the rank of Augusta, or Empress, the first woman in more than a decade to hold that exalted position. He struck this lovely coin for the occasion. Julia thus became the first reigning Roman empress to be honored with a regular issue of Roman coins struck solely in her own name.

    Venus on the reverse is probably modeled after the late First Century B.C. Roman marble statue "Aphrodite Kallipygos (Callipygian Venus)," which itself is thought to be a copy of an older Greek statue and literally means "Venus (Aphrodite) of the beautiful buttocks.”
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  16. Winning Losing Won Lost Watching Available in aftersale  
    Extremely Rare - Titus's daughter
    A43, Lot 129:

    Julia Titi. Augusta, A.D. 79-90/1. Æ dupondius. 12.54 gm. 27.5 mm. Uncertain Balkan mint. Struck under Titus, circa A.D. 80-81. Her draped bust right; IVLIA IMP T AVG F AVGVSTA / Ceres standing left, holding scepter and two grain ears; CERES AVGVST S C. RIC II.1 514 pl. 116 (same dies). RPC II 509 (7 examples). H. Cahn, "An Imperial Mint in Bithynia," INJ 8 (1984-5), 9. BMCRE 255. BN 266 (Titus). Cohen 2. Very Fine; attractive green and brown patina; small area of pitting at top of head on obverse, old and fully patinated; attractive portrait; well centered and pleasing. Extremely rare.

    Ex Harlan Berk BBS 165 (28 July 2009) lot 454. ("The letter forms, particularly the long serifs, show that this coin belongs to the auxiliary mint for bronzes in Thrace, possibly situated at Perinthus.")

     

    Julia Titi is the daughter of the emperor Titus, who served under his father Vespasian in Judea during the First Jewish-Roman War, commanding a Roman legion that captured and destroyed Jerusalem in 70 C.E. As emperor for just two years, he is best known for completing the Colosseum and for his generosity relieving suffering caused by the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in AD 79 and a fire in Rome in 80. His daughter was known for her hot temper and wild nature. After her husband’s death she had a scandalous affair with her uncle, the emperor Domitian. In A.D. 79 when Vespasian died and Titus became sole emperor, one of his first official acts was to raise his daughter Julia to the rank of Augusta, or Empress, the first woman in more than a decade to hold that exalted position.

    This rare provincial bronze presents a lovely portrait of the elusive Empress, her strong features suggesting an almost uncanny resemblance to her father.
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  18. Winning Losing Won Lost Watching Available in aftersale  
    A43, Lot 131:

    Hadrian. A.D. 117-138. AR denarius. 3.15 gm. 17.5 mm. Rome mint. Struck A.D. 128-circa 129. His laureate head right; HADRIANVS AVGVSTVS P P / Seven pointed star within large crescent; COS III. RIC II.3 924 (RIC II 355). RSC 458. Very Fine; attractive gray tone with iridescence; well centered; porosity. Scarce.

    Hadrian was one of "the most capable emperors who ever occupied the throne and he devoted his whole life to the improvement of the state. His rule was firm and humane and he was also a patron of the arts." (David Sear) He was a philosopher who is renowned for his "Meditations" and inspired Marguerite Yourcenar's "Memoirs of Hadrian." Known as the third of "The Five Good Emperors," Hadrian was a humanist who aspired to create a civil society across the Empire based on Greek philosophical ideals. Throughout his reign he was a patron of the arts, especially invested in architecture and the construction of many beautiful buildings. He spent much of his reign traveling throughout the Empire, dispensing generous handouts to construct new public buildings, projects and settlements. His policy was to strengthen the Empire from within by improving infrastructure, rather than waging wars and conquering enemies without. This policy is clearly seen in Britannia, where in response to a major rebellion, in 122 C.E. he began the construction of Hadrian's Wall to prevent repeat invasions from the fierce tribes inhabiting the harsh terrain and highlands of Caledonia (modern day Scotland) to the north. Today the ruins of Hadrian's Wall still span many miles across the English countryside.​​​​​​​
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  19. Winning Losing Won Lost Watching Available in aftersale  
    Exceptional artistic dies
    A43, Lot 132:

    Hadrian. A.D. 117-138. AR denarius. 3.16 gm. 17 mm. Rome mint. Struck circa A.D. 130. His laureate head right; HADRIANVS AVG COS III P P / Romulus, wearing military attire, advancing right, holding trophy over shoulder and spear; ROMVLO CONDITORI. RIC II.3 1424 (RIC II 266). RSC 1316. Near Extremely Fine; beautiful gray tone with underlying iridescence highlighting design; some light marks, fully toned. Well struck from artistic dies. Exceptional piece.

    Ex Pegasi BBS 128 (2003) lot 289.

    Hadrian was one of "the most capable emperors who ever occupied the throne and he devoted his whole life to the improvement of the state. His rule was firm and humane and he was also a patron of the arts." (David Sear) He was a philosopher who is renowned for his "Meditations" and inspired Marguerite Yourcenar's "Memoirs of Hadrian." Known as the third of "The Five Good Emperors," Hadrian was a humanist who aspired to create a civil society across the Empire based on Greek philosophical ideals. Throughout his reign he was a patron of the arts, especially invested in architecture and the construction of many beautiful buildings. He spent much of his reign traveling throughout the Empire, dispensing generous handouts to construct new public buildings, projects and settlements. His policy was to strengthen the Empire from within by improving infrastructure, rather than waging wars and conquering enemies without. This policy is clearly seen in Britannia, where in response to a major rebellion, in 122 C.E. he began the construction of Hadrian's Wall to prevent repeat invasions from the fierce tribes inhabiting the harsh terrain and highlands of Caledonia (modern day Scotland) to the north. Today the ruins of Hadrian's Wall still span many miles across the English countryside.
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  20. Winning Losing Won Lost Watching Available in aftersale  
    Hadrian's Travel Series
    A43, Lot 133:

    Hadrian. A.D. 117-138. AR denarius. 3.31 gm. 18 mm. Travel series. Rome mint. Struck circa A.D. 130-133. His bare head right; HADRIANVS AVG COS III P P / Asia standing left, foot on prow, holding reaping hook and rudder; ASIA. RIC II.3 1507 (RIC II 301). RSC 188. Very Fine+; beautiful old minty tone with slight blue iridescence. Attractive coin.

    Hadrian was one of "the most capable emperors who ever occupied the throne and he devoted his whole life to the improvement of the state. His rule was firm and humane and he was also a patron of the arts." (David Sear) He was a philosopher who is renowned for his "Meditations" and inspired Marguerite Yourcenar's "Memoirs of Hadrian." Known as the third of "The Five Good Emperors," Hadrian was a humanist who aspired to create a civil society across the Empire based on Greek philosophical ideals. Throughout his reign he was a patron of the arts, especially invested in architecture and the construction of many beautiful buildings. He spent much of his reign traveling throughout the Empire, dispensing generous handouts to construct new public buildings, projects and settlements. His policy was to strengthen the Empire from within by improving infrastructure, rather than waging wars and conquering enemies without. This policy is clearly seen in Britannia, where in response to a major rebellion, in 122 C.E. he began the construction of Hadrian's Wall to prevent repeat invasions from the fierce tribes inhabiting the harsh terrain and highlands of Caledonia (modern day Scotland) to the north. Today the ruins of Hadrian's Wall still span many miles across the English countryside.
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  21. Winning Losing Won Lost Watching Available in aftersale  

    Hadrian's Travel Series

    A43, Lot 134:

    Hadrian. A.D. 117-138. Orichalcum sestertius. 26.45 gm. 31 mm. 'Travel series' issue ('Provinces cycle'). Rome mint. Struck A.D. 130-138. His bareheaded and draped bust right; HADRIANVS AVG COS III P P / Hadrian standing left, holding volumen and raising up kneeling Hispania who shoulders olive branch; rabbit between them; RESTITVTORI HISPANIAE around, S C in exergue. RIC II.3 1866. RIC II 954. Near Very Fine; bold portrait; brown patina; cleaning marks below bust; old marks on Hadrian's bust, with a few similar marks on reverse (a contemporary political statement/damnatio memoriae?). Pleasing example. Scarce.

    From a collection of high quality ancient coins formed in the American Midwest in the 1950s, carefully sourced from Spink & Son in London, NFA (Edward Gans) in NYC, and Earle Stanton in LA., among others.

    Hadrian was one of "the most capable emperors who ever occupied the throne and he devoted his whole life to the improvement of the state. His rule was firm and humane and he was also a patron of the arts." (David Sear) He was a philosopher who is renowned for his "Meditations" and inspired Marguerite Yourcenar's "Memoirs of Hadrian." Known as the third of "The Five Good Emperors," Hadrian was a humanist who aspired to create a civil society across the Empire based on Greek philosophical ideals. Throughout his reign he was a patron of the arts, especially invested in architecture and the construction of many beautiful buildings. He spent much of his reign traveling throughout the Empire, dispensing generous handouts to construct new public buildings, projects and settlements. His policy was to strengthen the Empire from within by improving infrastructure, rather than waging wars and conquering enemies without. This policy is clearly seen in Britannia, where in response to a major rebellion, in 122 C.E. he began the construction of Hadrian's Wall to prevent repeat invasions from the fierce tribes inhabiting the harsh terrain and highlands of Caledonia (modern day Scotland) to the north. Today the ruins of Hadrian's Wall still span many miles across the English countryside.
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  31. Winning Losing Won Lost Watching Available in aftersale  
    Sacred stone of Emesa
    A43, Lot 144:

    Elagabalus. A.D. 218-222. AR denarius. 3.18 gm. 19 mm. Uncertain eastern mint. Struck A.D. 218-219. His laureate, draped, and cuirassed bust right; ANTONINVS PIVS FEL AVG / Slow quadriga right, bearing the sacred stone of Emesa on which is an eagle, surrounded by four parasols; SANCT DEO SOLI around, ELAGABAL in exergue. RIC IV.2 195 (R2). RSC 268. Good Very Fine; crisp and attractive with good surfaces and slightly lustrous tone. Rare.

    Ex Harlan Berk BBS 139 (4 August 2004) lot 339.

    Elagabalus was 14 years old when he inherited the role of high priest of the sun god El-Gabal at Emesa in Syria. Following his unlikely rise to power in A.D. 218 he brought the cult's baetyl (a sacred conical cult stone, likely a meteorite) with him to Rome. Dedicated to spreading his cult among the Romans, he would make senators watch as he danced around the altar to drums and cymbals. He had some success, and the Syrian deity combined with the Roman sun god Sol to be known as Sol Invictus ("the unconquered sun").

    At the summer solstice he would parade the stone through the city: "a six horse chariot carried the divinity, the horses huge and flawlessly white, with expensive gold fittings and rich ornaments. No one held the reins, and no one rode in the chariot; the vehicle was escorted as if the god himself were the charioteer. Elagabalus ran backward in front of the chariot, facing the god and holding the horses' reins. He made the whole journey in this reverse fashion, looking up into the face of his god" (Herodian). That chariot, complete with baetyl, is depicted on the reverse of this piece.
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  49. Winning Losing Won Lost Watching Available in aftersale  
    Civil War tag; Ex Dr. Alan York Collection
    A43, Lot 348:

    UNITED STATES. Lincoln Emancipation Proclamation Medal. 1862. Bronze Civil war tag (holed). 13.41 gm. 31 mm. Bust of George Washington right; UNION below; thirty-four stars around, denticles at the rim / Legend punched in letter-by-letter: GRATE JOY TO OUR RACE around above running from 9 to 3; in six lines down the center: EMAN / CIPATION / BILL PASSED / APRIL 16 1862 / WASHINGTON / D. C. (Medal) Musante GW- 566 (Musante explains the reason for this issue in detail). Good Fine.

    Ex the Dr. Alan York Collection. Roland Auctions NY. New York. 19th May 2917. (York and his significant Americana collecting efforts are discussed in detail in various online articles.)

    This was created from a Civil War soldier's identification tag (Musante GW-565). The Emancipation Proclamation was signed on the first of January 1863 but Emancipation in Washington D.C. came eight-and-a-half months earlier as celebrated on this piece.

    The Musante examples have individual names as the legend around the top half. Those names may have been names of the original owners of the medals, freed slaves. The sale of the Baker Collection in Nov. 2019 offered a named piece noting that the cataloger was aware of 12 named examples (that piece sold for $14,400). Davissons, Auction 42, February 2023, sold an example without a specific name for $11,000 on an estimate of $1250.
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  51. Winning Losing Won Lost Watching Available in aftersale  
    “I have not yet begun to fight!” (Ex John Adams Collection)
    A43, Lot 350:

    UNITED STATES. John Paul Jones. (Comitia Americana). Silver medal. 85.55 gm. 56 mm. By F. Dupre. Restrike by Paris Mint after 1880. Bust right of John Paul Jones; COMITIA AMERICANA below; JOANNI PAVLO JONES—CLASSIS PRAEFECTO around / The combat with the Serapis; HOSTIVM NAVIBUS CAPTIS AVT FVGATIS around above; AD ORAM SCOTIAE XXIII SEPT MDCCLXXVIIII below; DUPRE F below. Betts 568. BHM 222. Good Extremely Fine.

    Ex John Adams Collection: Stacks Bowers 11/14/2019.

    Captain John Paul Jones (1747-92), commander of the U.S.S. Bonhomme Richard, leading a combined French and American fleet, on September 23, 1779 off the Yorkshire coast near Flamborough Head and the town of Bridlington, engaged a large Baltic merchant fleet escorted by two British ships, the H.M.S. Serapis and the smaller Countess of Scarborough. Early on in the battle, the hull and rigging of the Bonhomme Richard were damaged and the American flag fell, leading Captain Richard Pearson of the Serapis to ask Jones if he wished to surrender. Jones defiantly proclaimed: “I have not yet begun to fight!” and went on to win the day. His rallying cry made him a national hero. The following day the badly crippled Bonhomme Richard sank. 

    This beautiful medal has the distinction of being the only naval medal authorized by the Continental Congress. And John Paul Jones became a Revolutionary War era hero who inspired American school children for generations.
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  54. Winning Losing Won Lost Watching Available in aftersale  
    The War of Jenkins Ear
    A43, Lot 353:

    GREAT BRITAIN. George II. 1727-1760. Copper/copper alloy medal. 5.54 gm. 26.2 mm. Admiral Vernon, three-quarter length, standing half left with ADMIRAL VERNON TOOK PORTO BELLO around / Six ships—three in harbor and three approaching; semicircular harbor with town and forts behind; WITH SIX SHIPS ONLY NOV 22 1739. Adams & Chao PBv 16-M (page 60). Betts 194. Good Very Fine; small bit of edge missing at 4 obverse.

     

    The War of Jenkins Ear

    Admiral Vernon medals were created to commemorate the victories of the eponymous British naval commander in battles that took place between November 1739 and April 1741. The long and complex history of tension between England and Spain eventually came to a head when Spanish privateer coast guards, or guardacostas, boarded a Glasgow ship off Havana in 1731 and allegedly cut off her master's ear, to drive home the point of their anti-smuggling mission. When her captain Robert Jenkins produced his severed ear before Hampton Court in 1739, combined with many other merchant's complaints of lost cargoes and humiliation, the War of Jenkins's Ear was ignited with widespread public support. Admiral Edward Vernon, an experienced naval commander, scored a major military and public relations victory when he took the heavily fortified Portobelo in a single day on December 2nd 1739 with just six ships. This bold action, combined with the tide of positive public opinion, led to the hasty issue of Admiral Vernon pinchbeck medals commemorating the event to capitalize on the moment.

    A thorough and high quality analysis of the history and of the issues can be had in John Adams & Dr. Fernando Chao's 2010 Medallic Portraits of Admiral Vernon, from which this summary is drawn.
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  55. Winning Losing Won Lost Watching Available in aftersale  
    The War of Jenkins Ear
    A43, Lot 354:

    GREAT BRITAIN. George II. 1727-1760. Copper/copper alloy medal. 11.08 gm. 37.2 mm. Duke of Argyll and Sir Robert Walpole contrasted. The Duke of Argyll, standing with his elbow on a pedestal that holds a crown; implements of war and the flag of St. George behind; THE GENEROUS DUKE OF ARGYLL around above; NO •• PENTIONER below / The Devil, pitchfork in his right hand, leading Walpole with a halter into the mouth of Hell; MAKE ROOM FOR SIR ROBERT around above; NO EXGISE below. Adams & Chao NLa 1-A (page 43). Betts 247. Good Extremely Fine; small bit of edge missing at 4 obverse.

    A similar (but not exact) piece sold in a 2022 Sedwick sale for $2400 plus commission. The metal in that piece was 43.31% copper, 49.31% zinc, 5.31% lead.

     

    The War of Jenkins Ear

    Admiral Vernon medals were created to commemorate the victories of the eponymous British naval commander in battles that took place between November 1739 and April 1741. The long and complex history of tension between England and Spain eventually came to a head when Spanish privateer coast guards, or guardacostas, boarded a Glasgow ship off Havana in 1731 and allegedly cut off her master's ear, to drive home the point of their anti-smuggling mission. When her captain Robert Jenkins produced his severed ear before Hampton Court in 1739, combined with many other merchant's complaints of lost cargoes and humiliation, the War of Jenkins's Ear was ignited with widespread public support. Admiral Edward Vernon, an experienced naval commander, scored a major military and public relations victory when he took the heavily fortified Portobelo in a single day on December 2nd 1739 with just six ships. This bold action, combined with the tide of positive public opinion, led to the hasty issue of Admiral Vernon pinchbeck medals commemorating the event to capitalize on the moment.

    A thorough and high quality analysis of the history and of the issues can be had in John Adams & Dr. Fernando Chao's 2010 Medallic Portraits of Admiral Vernon, from which this summary is drawn.
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