Rare Republicans: Dextans, Imperatorial silver etc

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Many rare coins from my Roman Republican coin collection are to be sold at the end of May. The coins are of an importance and likely interest to collectors that I’ve prepared three dedicated web-pages on my own website to describe them, with added notes. In many cases this sale might be the only chance in decades to buy certain key rarities at collector-level prices: most of the rarities start at GBP 40. It’s not “RBW collection” in terms of quality and coverage, but many rarities are represented whose only appearance in the last two decades was at the RBW sale.

Roman Republican coins of the third century BC:
http://andrewmccabe.ancients.info/ROMAMay13.html

Roman Republican coins of the second century BC:
http://andrewmccabe.ancients.info/ROMAMay13b.html

Roman Republican and Imperatorial coins of the first century BC:
http://andrewmccabe.ancients.info/ROMAMay13c.html

Highlights (most coins start at GBP40 including many rarities, these are some exceptions), include
- Dextans of Luceria. The few examples on acsearch range from $1000 to $7500 with a median of about $3000 (GBP320)
- Minerva / Eagle Republican bronze from the first Punic war, struck at Messana, RRC 23. A classic rarity (GBP240)
- Hercules and Centaurs triens, one of the most attractive large bronzes from the ancient world, this example is from the 2011 RBW sale (GBP240)
- Early rostrum tridens denarius RRC 62/1, a very great rarity (GBP40), not to be confused with the prolific early second century BC type
- Lepidus and Mark Antony denarius, RRC 489/2. Of the same type as the relatively common quinarius but very rare indeed in the denarius denomination (GBP80)
- Lollia Palikanus denarius with the rostrum on the Forum with captured enemy prows underneath, offstruck but otherwise in wonderful condition and beautifully toned (GBP120)
- Quinarius of Brutus with standing victory, on a large flan with full legends (GBP120)
- POPVL IVSSU denarius of Octavian, an attractive example (GBP120)
- L.Pomponius Molo As, none except the RBW example sold in the last 15 years or so (GBP40)
- Facing quadriga of Sol rising from the waves on attractive denarius of A. Manlius Q. f. Sergianus (GBP120)
- Curved Knife or Falcata denarius of the second Punic war (GBP40)
- Rainbow toned and wonderfully attractive last Dioscuri issue denarius of about 150BC (GBP60)
- Galley, on which stands Victory, a ships pilot with rudder, masts and flags on a very rare and unusual quadrans type of P.CALP, the first non-standard bronze since the prow series was introduced (GBP120)
- Fighting Gladiators with different weapons and armour, a popular type on a denarius of Didius (GBP60)
- Lightweight As of P Luceria, RRC 99/10. So far as I know this is the first example offered for sale with this identification, but in style it unmistakeably matches the P series (GBP40). And another lightweight As that matches the CA series in style, unpublished as such (GBP80)
- Croton CROT Victoriatus (GBP40)
- A trio of wonderful condition Sardinian bronzes of the C, MA and AVR series (GBP40 or GBP60). Crawford notes “it should not escape notice that the Praetors of Sardinia in 211-209BC were a Cornelius, a Manlius and an Aurunculeius”.
- For the specialist there are many very rare bronze fractions of the Punic war period and early second century BC, typically with only 1 or 2 examples in the Paris collection, all starting at GBP40. A one time only offering. Yes there was a wider selection in the RBW sale, but at starting prices several times this level.

Many of the actual coins on offer are to be seen in my Crawford “red-tray” arrangement on my normal website, http://andrewmccabe.ancients.info/ with the Crawford arrangement starting here: http://andrewmccabe.ancients.info/RRC001.html and continuing through 20 sequential pages. A comment on this disposal: as a result of stroke a couple of years back I found difficulty to concentrate and focus on coins which were not clear or clearly arranged. Thus I decided to simplify and reduce my collection size, to upgrade to clearer coins where I could afford it, and to let go of many rarities. In some cases these coin types are going for ever – I don’t have a replacement and probably won’t ever find one. In other cases I have a better coin in view, or I think I might get a better coin in time. I hope you support this sale.

Roman Republican coins of the third century BC:
http://andrewmccabe.ancients.info/ROMAMay13.html
Roman Republican coins of the second century BC:
http://andrewmccabe.ancients.info/ROMAMay13b.html
Roman Republican and Imperatorial coins of the first century BC:
http://andrewmccabe.ancients.info/ROMAMay13c.html

The sale is by ROMA numismatics on 21st May, online closes midnight 20 May PST or 8am 21st May BST.

Andrew McCabe