Coins and Antiquities Consignment Shop
  10% Off Store-Wide Sale Until 2 April!!! All Items Purchased From Forum Ancient Coins Are Guaranteed Authentic For Eternity!!! Please Call Us If You Have Questions 252-646-1958 Expert Authentication - Accurate Descriptions - Reasonable Prices - Coins From Under $10 To Museum Quality Rarities 10% Off Store-Wide Sale Until 2 April!!! All Items Purchased From Forum Ancient Coins Are Guaranteed Authentic For Eternity!!! Internet Challenged? We Are Happy To Take Your Order Over The Phone 252-646-1958 Explore Our Website And Find Joy In The History, Numismatics, Art, Mythology, And Geography Of Coins!!!

×Catalog Main Menu
Fine Coins Showcase

Antiquities Showcase
New & Reduced


Show Empty Categories
Shop Search
Shopping Cart
My FORVM
Contact Us
About Forum
Shopping at Forum
Our Guarantee
Payment Options
Shipping Options & Fees
Privacy & Security
Forum Staff
Selling Your Coins
Identifying Your Coin
FAQs
zoom.asp
   View Categories
Home ▸ Catalog ▸ |Themes & Provenance| ▸ |Quality| ▸ |Masterpiece Portraits||View Options:  |  |  |   

Superb and Masterpiece Portraits

We define a superb portrait as one that appears that it could come to life. Most coin portraits actually lack this trait. A masterpiece portrait not only appears that it could come to life, but also makes an impression of what the subject was like, what they were thinking or how they felt. Of course, an abstract Celticized portrait may also be a masterpiece of a different kind. For the most part, we define a portrait as depicting a real person, not a god, personification or mythical hero, but we will make an exception here when the depiction is especially amazing. In addition to portraits of the finest style, on this page we include rarer bust types and portraits that we just find attractive or interesting.

Pertinax, 31 December 192 - 28 March 193 A.D.

|Pertinax|, |Pertinax,| |31| |December| |192| |-| |28| |March| |193| |A.D.||sestertius|
Pertinax was the son of a humble charcoal-burner. After a successful career in the military, as a senator and then as praefect of the city of Rome, he reluctantly accepted the throne offered by the murderers of Commodus. After a reign of only 86 day he was murdered by mutinous guards.
SH08958. Orichalcum sestertius, RIC IV 24 (R2), BMC V p. 9, 44; Cohen IV 58, Hunter III 17; SRCV II 6056, VF, weight 25.04 g, maximum diameter 32.3 mm, die axis 180o, Rome mint, 1 Jan - 28 Mar 193 A.D.; obverse IMP CAES P HELV PERTINAX AVG, laureate head right; reverse VOTA DECEN TR P COS II, Pertinax, veiled, standing left, sacrificing out of patera over tripod, S - C (senatus consulto) across field; ex John Aiello; ex Edgar L. Owen; ex NFA Feb 27 - 28, 1979, lot 745; very rare; SOLD


Vespasian, 1 July 69 - 24 June 79 A.D.

|Vespasian|, |Vespasian,| |1| |July| |69| |-| |24| |June| |79| |A.D.||aureus|
Nemesis, the winged balancer of life, is the goddess of revenge, the avenger of crimes and punisher of wicked doers. She distributes fortune, good or bad, in due proportion to each according to what is deserved.
SH30320. Gold aureus, RIC II-1 1130, Calico 655, BMCRE II 399, Hunter I -, Choice aEF, nice centering on a full flan, rev. slightly flat, weight 7.277 g, maximum diameter 19.2 mm, die axis 180o, Lugdunum (Lyon) mint, 71 A.D.; obverse IMP CAES VESPASIAN AVG P M TR P P P COS III, laureate head right; reverse PACI AVGVSTI, Nemesis advancing right, winged, drawing drapery from top of gown with right, caduceus in left, snake right at feet on right; scarce; SOLD


Trajan, 25 January 98 - 8 or 9 August 117 A.D.

|Trajan|, |Trajan,| |25| |January| |98| |-| |8| |or| |9| |August| |117| |A.D.||aureus|
Fortuna (equivalent to the Greek goddess Tyche) goddess of fortune, was the personification of luck. Fortuna Redux brought one safely home, in this case the emperor. The Romans believed that Fortuna, after deserting the Persians and Assyrians, took flight over Macedonia and saw Alexander perish as she passed into Syria and Egypt. At last arriving on Mount Palatine, she threw aside her wings and casting away her wheel (the wheel of fortune), entered Rome where she took up her abode forever.
SH30319. Gold aureus, Woytek 525t+-12 var. (no stops, same rev. die), Calicó 1025 var. (same), RIC II 320, Cohen II 152, BMCRE III 576 var. (globe under bust), Choice VF, elegant bust type, nice style, excellent strike, weight 7.224 g, maximum diameter 19.5 mm, die axis 180o, Rome mint, 114 - 116 A.D.; obverse IMP CAES NER TRAIANO OPTIMO AVG GER DAC, laureate bust right, bare chest, wearing aegis visible front and back; reverse FORT RED P M TR P COS VI P P S P Q R, Fortuna seated left on chair without back, rudder in right hand, cornucopia in left hand; very scarce; SOLD


Antoninus Pius, August 138 - 7 March 161 A.D.

|Antoninus| |Pius|, |Antoninus| |Pius,| |August| |138| |-| |7| |March| |161| |A.D.||aureus|
Victory or Nike is seen with wings in most statues and paintings, with one of the most famous being the Winged Victory of Samothrace. Most other winged deities in the Greek pantheon had shed their wings by Classical times. Nike is the goddess of strength, speed, and victory. Nike was a very close acquaintance of Athena and is thought to have stood in Athena's outstretched hand in the statue of Athena located in the Parthenon. Victory or Nike is also one of the most commonly portrayed figures on Greek and Roman coins.
SH30323. Gold aureus, RIC III 281c, Calico 1680, Cohen II 1032, BMCRE IV 912 var. (laureate head right), Choice aEF, weight 7.197 g, maximum diameter 18.6 mm, die axis 180o, Rome mint, 157 - 158 A.D.; obverse ANTONINVS AVG PIVS P P IMP II, laureate and draped bust left; reverse COS IIII, Victory walking left, extending wreath in right hand, palm frond in left hand; superb high-relief bust, well centered, great style; rare; SOLD


Trajan, 25 January 98 - 8 or 9 August 117 A.D.

|Trajan|, |Trajan,| |25| |January| |98| |-| |8| |or| |9| |August| |117| |A.D.||aureus|
SH30330. Gold aureus, Woytek 525, Calico 1026, RIC II 319, BMCRE III 569, Cohen II -, Choice EF, well centered and struck on a full broad flan, nice style, minor scratches, weight 7.355 g, maximum diameter 18.8 mm, die axis 180o, Rome mint, 116 A.D.; obverse IMP CAES NER TRAIANO OPTIMO AVG GER DAC, laureate, draped, and cuirassed bust right, seen from behind; reverse FORT RED P M TR P COS VI P P S P Q R, Fortuna seated left on chair without back, rudder in right hand, cornucopia in left hand; SOLD


Hadrian, 11 August 117 - 10 July 138 A.D.

|Hadrian|, |Hadrian,| |11| |August| |117| |-| |10| |July| |138| |A.D.||aureus|
Certificate of Authenticity issued by David R. Sear.
SH51587. Gold aureus, Calico 1333/1334b (same rev die), RIC II 77c, BMCRE III 133, Hill 232, cf. Cohen II 1104, aEF, ex jewelry, weight 7.279 g, maximum diameter 19.6 mm, Rome mint, 119 - 122 A.D.; obverse IMP CAESAR TRAIAN HADRIANVS AVG, laureate, draped, and cuirassed bust right; reverse P M TR P COS III, Roma seated left on cuirass, shield at her side, Victory in right and vertical spear in left, shield bow and quiver behind; SOLD


Claudius, 25 January 41 - 13 October 54 A.D.

|Claudius|, |Claudius,| |25| |January| |41| |-| |13| |October| |54| |A.D.||aureus|
Pax, regarded by the ancients as a goddess, was worshiped not only at Rome but also at Athens. Her altar could not be stained with blood. Claudius began the construction of a magnificent temple to her honor, which Vespasian finished, in the Via Sacra. The attributes of Peace are the hasta pura, the olive branch, the cornucopia, and often the caduceus. Sometimes she is represented setting fire to a pile of arms.
SH21696. Gold aureus, RIC I 27 (R2), BMCRE I 26, SRCV I 1833, VF, fantastic fine style, some light scratches and marks,, weight 7.620 g, maximum diameter 18.3 mm, die axis 90o, Lugdunum (Lyon, France) mint, 44 A.D.; obverse TI CLAVD CAESAR AVG P M TR P IIII, laureate head right; reverse PACI AVGVSTAE, Pax-Nemesis, winged, advancing right, with left pointing winged caduceus down at snake, right holding out fold of drapery below chin; ex Pegasi; very rare; SOLD


Severus Alexander, 13 March 222 - March 235 A.D.

|Severus| |Alexander|, |Severus| |Alexander,| |13| |March| |222| |-| |March| |235| |A.D.||aureus|
Certificate of Authenticity issued by David R. Sear.

Beautiful Roman gold! RIC in error does not identify the drapery on left shoulder. This type was issued prior to the emperor's expedition against the Sassanid Persians. The type with Annona combined with the legend extolling the emperor's foresight (Providentia Augusti) seems to be intended to reassure that the people's interests would not be forgotten during his absence from the capital.
SH08970. Gold aureus, BMCRE VI p. 196, 812; RIC IV 251 var.; Calico 3133 (R2); Cohen IV 507 var.; SRCV II 7838, Choice EF, weight 5.61 g, maximum diameter 20.4 mm, die axis 0o, Rome mint, 231 A.D.; obverse IMP ALEXANDER PIVS AVG, laureate bust right with drapery on left shoulder; reverse PROVIDENTIA AVG (the foresight of the Emperor), Providentia (or Annona) standing left, holding stalks of grain over modius and anchor; Sear graded as "attractive EF and rare"; very rare; SOLD


Hadrian, 11 August 117 - 10 July 138 A.D.

|Hadrian|, |Hadrian,| |11| |August| |117| |-| |10| |July| |138| |A.D.||aureus|
SH51590. Gold aureus, RIC II 91, Cohen II 1092, Choice VF, weight 7.161 g, maximum diameter 19.7 mm, die axis 180o, Rome mint, 119 - 122 A.D.; obverse IMP CAESAR TRAIAN HADRIANVS AVG, laureate, draped, and cuirassed bust right; reverse P M TR P COS III (Pontifex Maximus, Tribunitia Potestas, Consul Tertium - High priest, holder of tribunitian power, consul for the 3rd time), Genius standing half-left, patera in right, ears of grain in left; attractive bust, ex Edgar L. Owen; SOLD


Augustus, 16 January 27 B.C. - 19 August 14 A.D.

|Augustus|, |Augustus,| |16| |January| |27| |B.C.| |-| |19| |August| |14| |A.D.||denarius|
Magnificent quality. Superb portrait of the finest Greek style. Rare in Greek style because most denarii of this type were struck in "Colonia Patricia" style.
SH16768. Silver denarius, SRCV I 1592, RIC I 541, BMCRE I 664, superb EF, weight 3.850 g, maximum diameter 20.1 mm, die axis 0o, uncertain Asia Minor mint, 27 - 20 B.C.; obverse laureate head right, dot border; reverse AVGVSTVS, capricorn left, holding globe, cornucopia above, rudder below; extraordinary high relief impossible to capture in a photograph, lustrous and nearly as struck; rare; SOLD




  




You are viewing a SOLD items page.
Click here to return to the page with AVAILABLE items.
The sale price for a sold item is the private information of the buyer and will not be provided.




Catalog current as of Thursday, March 28, 2024.
Page created in 1.516 seconds.
All coins are guaranteed for eternity