Gemini III, January 9th, 2007

 Lot # 418 - Auction is closed.Estimate: US$6500 / Price 
 Realized: US$9000 
 Septimius Severus. Aureus 

 

Septimius Severus. (193-211 AD). Aureus (7.26 gm). Rome, 206 AD. 
SEVERVS - PIVS AVG, laureate head right / COS III in exergue, P P 
above bird’s-eye view from side of the Stadium of Domitian, open end 
on left, large entrance arches in middle of near side and at apex of 
curved end on right, nine figures within: from left to right, 
competitor running left; two boxers fighting; three togate figures, 
the one on the right crowning the one in the middle, the one on the 
left playing a horn; two wrestlers grappling; finally, the emperor 
seated left under canopy (the emperor and one of the wrestlers 
eradicated by a knock on this specimen). BMCRE 319, pl. 35. 4 (same 
rev. die). Cohen 571 (400 Fr., citing BM). RIC 260 (R3). Calico 2518 
(R4). Extremely important architectural type, and very rare: only 
four other specimens recorded, all from this same reverse die but a 
different obverse die. Ex jewelry with two holes in field expertly 
filled. Fine. 

Found many years ago in India. See Ben L. Damsky, “The Stadium 
aureus of Septimius Severus,” AJH 2 (1990), 77-105, pl. 10-13. This 
is the only numismatic depiction of Domitian’s Stadium for athletic 
contests in the Campus Martius, the shape of which is preserved 
today by the Piazza Navona in Rome. 


      © 2006 Gemini, LLC | Email: info@geminiauction.com

  ... Lot 418 sold for high bid of $9000 [ $10350, or approx 8000.55 EUR, 5278.5 GBP including the 15% buyers fee.] 


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