Second Known

Sale: CNG 79, Lot: 1262. Estimate $2000.  Closing Date: Wednesday, 17 September 2008.  Sold For $4700. This amount does not include the buyer’s fee.

Julius Nepos. AD 474-475/480. AV Tremissis (1.48 g, 12h). Mediolanum (Milan) mint. Pearl-diademed, draped, and cuirassed bust right / Cross within wreath; CONOB. Cf. RIC X p. 206; cf. Lacam pl. CLXXIII (both referencing lot 301 of Hess-Leu 4 April 1963 sale). Good VF, a few scrapes. Extremely rare, the second known.

From the Gordon S. Parry Collection. Ex Credit de la Bourse (19 April 1995), lot 682.

The appearance of the mintmark CONOB, rather than COMOB, on a coin of Nepos is exceptional. Only the Hess-Leu coin has been published with this mark, which is referenced by both Lacam and Kent (in RIC). Lacam attributed the coin as a late official issue at Milan, but his analysis is based solely on style, and does not address the mintmark at all. Kent, on the other hand, clearly marks the coin as a contemporary imitation. While Kent may be correct to dismiss the coin as imitative, the style is clearly within the bounds for an attribution to the official mint. The military activity in northern Italy at the time presents numerous possibilities; perhaps it was struck at a military mint employing a die cutter who had worked at Milan? In any event, the current body of evidence is inconclusive.