Triton XXVIII – Sessions 5 & 6
Date: 2025-01-22 16:00:00 (1 month from now)
Lots: 1402
Total starting: $ 322,887.00
In this auction, Numistats has matched 129 coins, providing AI-powered purchase recommendations and detailed analysis. View more.
Classical Numismatic Group, LLC - Triton XXVIII – Sessions 5 & 6 . 6179
AI Rec
Constantius II. AD 337-361. AV Solidus (21.5mm, 4.42 g, 6h). Antioch mint, 2nd officina. Struck AD 347-355. Pearl-diademed, draped, and cuirassed bust right / Roma seated facing, holding spear, and Constantinopolis seated left, holding scepter and resting foot on prow, supporting between them a shield inscribed VOT/ XX/ MVLT/ XXX in four lines; SMANB. RIC VIII 83; Depeyrot 6/3. Toned, a few marks, light scuff, a couple areas of edge filing. Good VF. Somewhat scarce from this officina.
From the Collection of an Alexandrine Numismatist, formed before 1955, purchased from Michel Dürr.
From the Collection of an Alexandrine Numismatist, formed before 1955, purchased from Michel Dürr.
Classical Numismatic Group, LLC - Triton XXVIII – Sessions 5 & 6 . 6187
AI Rec
Honorius. AD 393-423. AV Solidus (20.5mm, 4.43 g, 6h). Ravenna mint. Struck AD 402-423. Pearl-diademed, draped, and cuirassed bust right / Honorius standing right, holding standard and Victory on globe left, foot on bound captive seated left; R|V//COMOB. RIC X 1321; Ranieri 13; Depeyrot 7/1. Vibrant golden-orange toning, light hairlines. VF.
From the Bernard Victory Collection.
From the Bernard Victory Collection.
Classical Numismatic Group, LLC - Triton XXVIII – Sessions 5 & 6 . 6190
AI Rec
Theodosius II. AD 402-450. AV Solidus (21.5mm, 4.48 g, 6h). Constantinople mint. Struck AD 443-450. Pearl-diademed, helmeted, and cuirassed bust facing slightly right, holding spear over shoulder and shield / Constantinopolis seated left, holding globus cruciger and scepter, foot on prow; shield to right; star to left; COMOB. RIC X 293; Depeyrot 84/1. Toned with some underlying luster, trace deposits, hairlines and thin scuff. EF. A wonderful strike from detailed dies.
From the Bernard Victory Collection.
From the Bernard Victory Collection.
Classical Numismatic Group, LLC - Triton XXVIII – Sessions 5 & 6 . 6194
AI Rec
Valentinian III. AD 425-455. AV Solidus (21mm, 4.43 g, 6h). Ravenna mint. Struck AD 426-455. Rosette-diademed, draped, and cuirassed bust right / Valentinian, wearing military attire, standing facing, foot on human-headed serpent coiled below, holding long cross and Victory on globe left; R|V//COMOB. RIC X 2018; Ranieri 96; Depeyrot 17/1. Toned and lustrous, bend in flan, area of obverse die rust. EF. A very attractive example.
From the Bernard Victory Collection. Ex Classical Numismatic Group Electronic Auction 300 (10 April 2013), lot 311.
From the Bernard Victory Collection. Ex Classical Numismatic Group Electronic Auction 300 (10 April 2013), lot 311.
Classical Numismatic Group, LLC - Triton XXVIII – Sessions 5 & 6 . 6195
AI Rec
Leo I. AD 457-474. AV Solidus (20mm, 4.29 g, 6h). Constantinople mint, 7th officina. Pearl-diademed, helmeted, and cuirassed bust facing slightly right, holding spear over shoulder and shield / Victory standing left, holding long jeweled cross; star to right; Z//CONOB. RIC X 605; Depeyrot 93/1. Toned, clipped. Near EF.
Classical Numismatic Group, LLC - Triton XXVIII – Sessions 5 & 6 . 6196
AI Rec
Leo I. AD 457-474. AV Solidus (19.5mm, 4.39 g, 6h). Constantinople mint, 9th officina. Pearl-diademed, helmeted, and cuirassed bust facing slightly right, holding spear over shoulder and shield / Victory standing left, holding long jeweled cross; star to right; Θ//CONOB. RIC X 605; Depeyrot 93/1. Toned with some luster, lightly clipped. Near EF.
Classical Numismatic Group, LLC - Triton XXVIII – Sessions 5 & 6 . 6197
AI Rec
Leo II, with Zeno. AD 474. AV Solidus (20mm, 4.43 g, 6h). Constantinople mint, 3rd officina. Struck 18 January-17 November. Pearl-diademed, helmeted, and cuirassed bust facing slightly right, holding spear over shoulder and shield / Leo and Zeno seated facing on double throne, both nimbate and holding mappa; star and cross above; Γ//CONOB. RIC X 803; Depeyrot 98/1. Toned, minor marks, light mark at edge, some scratches largely under tone. Good VF. Extremely rare from this officina. The third and finest known. The other two: 1) Fagerlie 544 = Stockholm; 2) Rauch 108, 439.
Leo II’s grandfather and namesake Leo I was not expected to produce an imperial dynasty. In fact, his appointment and expected tenure as emperor which came about through the covert maneuvering of the powerful magister militum and patrician, Aspar, was likely intended to be short. Aspar may well have placed Leo I on the throne in order to bide his time in solidifying his own imperial dynastic ambitions. Writing on Leo I’s appointment, Crawford noted that “such a combination of poor lineage, obscurity, age and close connections to Aspar makes it seem that Leo meant as a place-holder, elevated to allow Aspar to pave the way for the accession of his own family” (Crawford, 45). However, Leo proved to be more strong-willed than Aspar bargained for. Leo I and his wife harbored dynastic ambitions, and managed to produce a son. This potential heir, however, soon died in infancy. Leo I’s daughter, Aelia Ariadne, consequently became an extremely important factor in the imperial succession. Leo was first persuaded to betroth Ariadne to Aspar’s second son Patricius. However, Leo later reneged on the betrothal and instead married her to an Isaurian soldier named Zeno, who had brought about the downfall of Aspar’s eldest son Ardaburius on accusations of treason. Aspar lost control of his puppet and was ultimately eliminated.
If the new Leonid dynasty was to endure, Leo I would need a viable heir. Ariadne and Zeno soon produced a son, Leo II, who became Leo I’s presumptive successor. When the elder Leo’s health began to falter, he raised his eponymous grandson to the rank of Caesar in October AD 473, then Augustus in January AD 474. Leo I died a few days later, and the sickly seven-year-old Leo II became sole emperor. Leo’s widow, Aelia Verina, arranged for Leo II to appoint his own father, Zeno, co-emperor on 9 February AD 474, an arrangement that lasted until Leo II died in November of the same year. Afterwards, Zeno ruled as sole emperor. This solidus was struck during their brief joint-reign.
Leo II’s grandfather and namesake Leo I was not expected to produce an imperial dynasty. In fact, his appointment and expected tenure as emperor which came about through the covert maneuvering of the powerful magister militum and patrician, Aspar, was likely intended to be short. Aspar may well have placed Leo I on the throne in order to bide his time in solidifying his own imperial dynastic ambitions. Writing on Leo I’s appointment, Crawford noted that “such a combination of poor lineage, obscurity, age and close connections to Aspar makes it seem that Leo meant as a place-holder, elevated to allow Aspar to pave the way for the accession of his own family” (Crawford, 45). However, Leo proved to be more strong-willed than Aspar bargained for. Leo I and his wife harbored dynastic ambitions, and managed to produce a son. This potential heir, however, soon died in infancy. Leo I’s daughter, Aelia Ariadne, consequently became an extremely important factor in the imperial succession. Leo was first persuaded to betroth Ariadne to Aspar’s second son Patricius. However, Leo later reneged on the betrothal and instead married her to an Isaurian soldier named Zeno, who had brought about the downfall of Aspar’s eldest son Ardaburius on accusations of treason. Aspar lost control of his puppet and was ultimately eliminated.
If the new Leonid dynasty was to endure, Leo I would need a viable heir. Ariadne and Zeno soon produced a son, Leo II, who became Leo I’s presumptive successor. When the elder Leo’s health began to falter, he raised his eponymous grandson to the rank of Caesar in October AD 473, then Augustus in January AD 474. Leo I died a few days later, and the sickly seven-year-old Leo II became sole emperor. Leo’s widow, Aelia Verina, arranged for Leo II to appoint his own father, Zeno, co-emperor on 9 February AD 474, an arrangement that lasted until Leo II died in November of the same year. Afterwards, Zeno ruled as sole emperor. This solidus was struck during their brief joint-reign.