Freeman & Sear - Gemini I, Session 2



      ancient classic artifacts coins numismatic roman greek 



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                        Lot: 614

                        (click on image to enlarge)
                        ROMAN IMPERIAL: Hadrian and Divus Trajan. . Orichalcum 
                        sestertius (24.45 gm).

                        ROMAN IMPERIAL. Hadrian and Divus Trajan. Orichalcum 
                        sestertius (24.45 gm). Rome, AD 118. IMP CAESAR TRAIANVS 
                        HADRIANVS AVG, bust of Hadrian, laureate, right, seen 
                        from front, with fold of cloak on left shoulder and 
                        sword belt running across bare chest / DIVVS TRAIAN AVG 
                        PARTH PATER S C, togate statue of Divus Trajan seated 
                        left, holding branch and scepter. Strack 510 (5 
                        specimens). RIC 627b (R2). Bust variant of Cohen 552 (60 
                        Fr.). Very rare: probably fewer than ten specimens 
                        known. Brown patina. Excellent pedigree. Bold fine 

                        Ex Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, acquired in 1965 through 
                        the Theodora Wilbour Fund in Memory of Zoe Wilbour. 
                        Accompanied by Baldwin's ticket bearingprovenance number 
                        ""52,"" signifying that Baldwin's bought it at 
                        Christie's Earl Fitzwilliam Sale of 1948, the dispersal 
                        of an English nobleman's collection formed ca. 1750. 

                        Strack records five museum specimens, three with the 
                        same bust type as ours and two with a laureate, 
                        cuirassed bust. That means only four official specimens, 
                        however, since Strack includes BMCRE 1832, pl. 97, 7, an 
                        ancient imitation. Cohen cites a specimen in Paris, 
                        which Strack does not record; moreover, the American 
                        Numismatic Society has one, and there was one in Berk 
                        Buy or Bid Sale 103, 1998, lot 587 (with cuirassed bust 
                        on obverse, but from the same reverse die as the present 
                        piece). That makes seven recorded specimens, with ours 
                        the eighth. Not in HCC, Mazzini, Trau, Hall, Vierordt, 
                        Niggeler, Ryan, Sternberg, Friedrich, or Benz 
                        Collections; none in H.J. Berk photofile. The reverse 
                        probably depicts the cult statue of Divus Trajan 
                        dedicated by Hadrian in his temple at Rome. 
                        Estimated Value: $ 750 




...Sold for $1,200 USD [ approx 912 EUR, 636 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).