The Actian Arch

237, Lot: 391. Estimate $200. Sold for $1100. This amount does not include the buyer’s fee.

Octavian. Autumn 30-summer 29 BC. AR Denarius (20mm, 3.47 g, 1h). Italian (Rome?) mint. Bare head right / Octavian’s Actian arch (arcus Actianus): single-span arch surmounted by Octavian in facing quadriga; IMP • CAESAR across architrave. RIC I 267; CRI 422; RSC 123. VF, toned, a little porous.

From the Collection of Professor L. Fontana.

The single-span arcus Actianus, celebrating Octavian’s victory at Actium, was replaced in 19 BC by the arcus Augusti, a triple-span arch built to celebrate the recovery by Augustus of the famous standards lost by Antony and Crassus.