An Exceptional Eastern Sestertius

Sale: Triton XI, Lot: 874. Estimate $10000.  Closing Date: Monday, 7 January 2008.  Sold For $18000. This amount does not include the buyer’s fee.

Augustus. 27 BC-AD 14. Æ Sestertius (25.98 g). CA coinage. Uncertain mint in Syria. Struck after 23 BC. IMP • AVGVS[T •] TR • POT, bare head right / CIVIS across field within linear border; all within oak wreath; OB above and SERVATOS within double line outer border. RPC I 4101; Butcher Group 1, 38; C. Howgego, "Coinage and Military Finance: the Imperial Bronze Coinage of the Augustan East," NC 1982, -; RIC 549; SNG München -; SNG Copenhagen -. EF, dark green patina with lighter green overtones. Very rare.

From the J.S. Wagner Collection.

The last auction appearance for this type was in the Benz sale, Lanz 94 (22 November 1999), lot 116. That inferior piece sold for 16,000 DM which was approximately $8,400 at the time.