Seventh and Finest Known for Type

Sale: Triton XI, Lot: 897. Estimate $20000.  Closing Date: Monday, 7 January 2008.  Sold For $24000. This amount does not include the buyer’s fee.

Clodius Macer. Usurper, AD 68. AR Denarius (3.69 g, 6h). Carthage mint. L CLODI MAC-RI, S C across field, Libertas standing facing, head left, holding pileus in right hand, patera in left / MAC-RIANA LIB, aquila between two signa; LEG I flanking aquila. RIC I 20; Hewitt group D/2, 29-33 var. (O17/R- [unlisted rev. die]); RSC 2; BMCRE p. 286, *; BN 5. Superb EF. Extremely rare, apparently the seventh known, and the finest.

Clodius Macer was propraetor in Africa. As opposition to Nero grew and the power of the central government dwindled, Macer acted as little more than a pirate, sweeping the north African coast hoping to increase his power by cutting into the grain supplies of Rome. By April of 68, Macer had decided not to support Galba, and in June when Nero committed suicide, Macer began striking coins in his own name. All of Macer’s coins are of rather crude style, an indication of the lack of skilled die engravers and the haste at which they were produced. By October, Galba had solidified his power in Rome and ordered Macer’s execution. All of Macer’s coins are extremely rare, with fewer than 85 coins of all types known.