Maximianus. First reign, AD 286-305. AV Aureus (18.5mm, 5.44 g, 12h). Rome mint. Struck AD 294. MAXIMIA NVS P F AVG, laureate head right / VIR TVS AVG G, Hercules, nude but for lion skin draped across left shoulder, standing right, grabbing the centaur Nessus by the hair with his left hand and brandishing club in right hand; Nessus struggling against Hercules to right; PROM. RIC VI –; Depeyrot 9/15; Calicó 4740 (this coin cited and illustrated); Adda 549 (this coin); Biaggi –; Mazzini –. Toned, a few faint marks. Near EF. Extremely rare. Only one cited by Depeyrot. This coin the second known. A wonderful reverse composition recounting Hercules’ battle with Nessus.
Ex Rauch 90 (4 June 2012), lot 883 (hammer €32,000); Gilbert Steinberg Collection (Numismatica Ars Classica, 16 November 1994), lot 752; Victor A. Adda (†1965) Collection (as Property of a Lady, Christie's, 9 October 1984), lot 147, purchased from E. Bourgey; possibly 1922 Arras – Beaurains Hoard (not recorded in Bastien and Metzger; however, purchased from Bourgey [who owned a portion of the hoard] along with other aurei and multiples confirmed to be from Beaurains).
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