Freeman & Sear - Gemini I, Session 2



      ancient classic artifacts coins numismatic roman greek 



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                        Lot: 317

                        (click on image to enlarge)
                        ROMAN EMPIRE: Britannicus. Died AD 55. AE sestertius 
                        (29.92 gm).

                        ROMAN EMPIRE. Britannicus (son of Claudius I and 
                        Messalina). Orichalcum sestertius (29.83 gm). Uncertain 
                        Thracian mint, AD 51-54. TI CLAVDIVS CAESAR AVG F 
                        BRITANNICVS, bare-headed, draped bust left / Mars 
                        advancing left, holding spear and shield, S C on either 
                        side in field. BMCRE 226, pl. 37, 5 (same dies, worn). 
                        Cohen 2 (BM, 2,500 Fr.). Beautifully struck on both 
                        obverse and reverse with an absolutely marvelous 
                        portrait of the ill-fated Caesar. Undoubtedly the finest 
                        known sestertius of Britannicus 

                        The sestertius of Britannicus was rated by Cohen and 
                        Gnecchi as the most valuable of all Roman bronze coins, 
                        including bronze medallions. Until 1984, only twelve 
                        genuine specimens of this sestertius had been recorded, 
                        nine with portrait left, from a single obverse and two 
                        reverse dies, and three with portrait right, all from a 
                        single die pair (see H.-M. von Kaenel, "Britannicus, 
                        Agrippina Minor und Nero in Thrakien," SNR 63, 1984, pp. 
                        129-133). Mattingly in BMCRE II, p. lxxviii, regarded 
                        the sestertii of Britannicus as a commemorative issue 
                        forming part of Titus' restored bronzes in AD 80, but 
                        von Kaenel shows that they were, in fact, struck in 
                        Thrace, perhaps in Perinthus, towards the end of 
                        Claudius' reign, along with the rare sestertii and 
                        middle bronzes of Agrippina II and Nero as Caesar. At 
                        Rome itself, no coins were struck for Britannicus, for 
                        he was excluded from the succession when Claudius 
                        executed his mother, Messalina, and married Agrippina 
                        II. Claudius ultimately adopted Agrippina's son Nero, 
                        who was four years older than Britannicus, and Nero 
                        alone was proclaimed emperor after Claudius' death in 
                        54. Fearing Britannicus as a rival, Nero had him 
                        poisoned four months later. 
                        Estimated Value: $ 60,000 




...Sold for $70,000 USD [ approx 53200 EUR, 37100 GBP ] plus 15% buyers fee. 

Gemini I Auction Closed Jan 11-12, 2005. 

Re-used by permission of Freeman & Sear (www.freemanandsear.com) 
                      and Harlan J Berk (www.harlanjberk.com).