Magnetes. Nero. Lot of 4 coins.

Triton XV, Lot: 429. Estimate $200. Sold for $800. This amount does not include the buyer’s fee.

Lot of 4 coins.

(429.1) THESSALY, Magnetes. Nero. AD 54-68. Æ Tetrassarion (23mm, 10.47 g, 7h). ΝΕΡΩΝ l. down, KAICAP r. up, bare head of Nero r. / CEBACTOC r. up, ΜΑΓΝΗΤΩ-Ν l. down, radiate head r., border of dots. RPC 1422A (this coin, unique). Fine, reddish green-brown patina; both portraits a little flat struck. From the collection of Professor Thomas Ollive Mabbott.

Ex Hans Schulman 6 June 1969 (Mabbott) 738, hammer $75.

For this coin see also RPC Supplement II, p. 36, 1422A/1 reconstructing its history from a cast in Winterthur. The coin was found in 1944 at Volos and we can assume that the finder (or buyer) was with the German army that occupied Greece at that time. The coin surfaces again in 1955 when it was sold by Kricheldorf to Herbert Cahn. He in turn sold it to Professor Mabbott from whose auction (see above pedigree) it was acquired by the writer.

(429.2) THESSALY, Magnetes. Nero. AD 54-68. Æ Assarion (18.5mm, 4.61 g, 1h). CЄB[AC] r. down, TOC l. up, laureate head of Nero r., border of dots / ΜΑΓΝΗ l. up, circular, [ΤѠΝ] r. down , the centaur Chiron advancing r., branch over the l. shoulder, r. hand extended forward; all in dotted circle. Rogers 363, fig. 185 var. [same obv. die but rev. inscription differently arranged]; RPC Supp. II, p. 36, 1423/5 (this coin). Good Fine, nice green patina with brown overtones; an attractive and rare coin.

Ex Oslo Mynthandel 18 (14 March 1987) 1132 (part).


(429.3) THESSALY, Magnetes. Nero. AD 54-68. Æ Diassarion (22mm, 8.84 g, 7h). ΝΕΡѠΝ r. down, ΚΑΙ[CAP] l. up, laureate head of Nero r., border of dots / CЄBACT[OC] r. down, ΜΑ[ΓΝΗΤѠΝ] l. up circular, laureate and radiate head of Nero r. RPC Supp. II, p. 36, 1424/3 (this coin). Fine, green patina with brown areas on the high relief parts; very rare. From the collection of Professor Thomas Ollive Mabbott.

Acquired from Christian Blom, November 1973, for $47.50; ex Hans Schulman 6 June 1969 (Mabbott) 739.


(429.4) THESSALY, Magnetes. Domitian. AD 81-96. Æ Diassarion (23mm, 7.56 g, 5h). ΔΟΜΙΤΙΑΝΟC K[AICAP Μ]ΑΓΝΗΤѠΝ from top r., down circular, laureate head of Domitian r. / ΔΟΜΙΤΙΑΝΟC KAIC[AP ΜΑΓΝΗΤ] from top r., down circular, laureate head of unknown prince r. RPC 275/3 (this coin, the third known). Near Fine, brown rough surfaces with some bronze showing through.

Rogers thinks that this coin consists of two obverses, i.e. two portraits of Domitian. This would not be impossible as we have the examples of Nero (see lots 429.1 and 429.3 above); also, Domitian appears with Domitia on the Thessalian League coins. However, the authors of RPC do not recognize anyone on the second portrait and this writer follows this attribution as being the latest (and most authoritative).