Bookmark and Share Ancient Roman gold brings $203,150, five times estimate, to lead $1.5+ million Heritage Auctions eventFollow the link for details about the other coins sold.
BEVERLY HILLS, CA.- A magnificent gold Aureus of the Roman Emperor Macrinus, dated to 218 AD – and pedigreed to the prestigious Metropolitan Museum of Art Collection – shattered pre-auction expectations on Sept. 5 at the Long Beach Convention Center, selling for $203,150 against a $40,000 estimate as a part of Heritage’s auction of the Shoshana Collection of Judaean Coins, Part 2. The entire offering brought just more than $1.5 million and was held in conjunction with the Long Beach Coin and Collectibles Expo. All prices include a 19.5% Buyer’s Premium.
“Though not strictly speaking a Judaean-related coin, the brief reign of Macrinus took place entirely in the neighboring province of Syria,” said David Michaels, Director of Ancient Coins at Heritage Auctions. “Macrinus assumed power after arranging for the murder of the hated previous emperor, Caracalla. His reign was brief, lasting slightly more than a year before he lost the support of the military and was executed.”
Gold coins of Macrinus are exceedingly rare, and this is a magnificent example, struck in high relief from dies of fine style and fully lustrous, grading choice extremely fine.
[...]
Background here and links.