Sale: Triton XII, Lot: 538. Estimate $3000.  Closing Date: Monday, 5 January 2009.  Sold For $7750. This amount does not include the buyer’s fee.

Augustus. 27 BC-AD 14. Æ Dupondius(?) or As (10.96 g, 11h). “Triumphal Coinage” issue. Rome mint. M. Maecilius Tullus, moneyer. Struck 7 BC. CAESAR [•] AVGVST [•] PONT • MAX  • TRIBVN IC • POT •, laureate head left, globe at point of bust; behind, Victory, touching fillet of laurel wreath and holding cornucopia / M • MAECILIVS • TVLLVS • III • VIR • A • A • A • F • F around large S • C. RIC I 434; BMCRE -; BN 650. Good VF, black-green patina. Choice for issue. Rare.

Ex Bourgey (5 April 1954), lot 121.

This coin, unusual because of its obverse, has been the subject of scholarly speculation. The obverse clearly shows Augustus as a victorous commander. By 7 BC, however, when this coin was struck, Augustus, now in his 50s, no longer personally commanded Rome’s armies; instead, he acted as commander-in-chief, while it fell to his stepsons, Drusus and Tiberius, to actually take the field. Drusus died in 9 BC from complications resulting from a fall. Thereafter Tiberius became Rome’s main commander until his retirement to Rhodes in 4 BC. This issue may then commemorate Tiberius’ victories in Germania, as well as his subsequent triumph and assumption of the consulship for that year (Vell. Pat. 2.97).