Triton XVII, Lot: 664. Estimate $5000. Sold for $3750. This amount does not include the buyer’s fee.

Galba. AD 68-69. AR Denarius (16mm, 3.18 g, 5h). African (Carthage?) mint. Struck circa October AD 68–January AD 69. SER SVLPICIVS GALBA IMP AVG, laureate and draped Hispania bust right; to left, two javelins; below, round shield; to right, two grain ears / S P Q R in angles of two crossed spears lying under round shield. RIC I 518; RSC 284; BMCRE 267; BN –. EF, toned. Extremely rare.

Ex Numismatica Ars Classica 64 (17 May 2012), lot 1133.

In the spring of AD 68, Clodius Macer, legatus Augusti propraetore Africae, revolted against Nero, sweeping the North African coast in an attempt to increase his power by cutting off the supply of grain to Rome. Macer refused to acknowledge Galba following his rise to the throne and began striking coinage in his own name from circa June to October of that year. African issues in the name of Galba share certain characteristics with Macer’s coinage and were likely struck at the same mint, probably Carthage, from the death of Macer until the African endorsement of Vitellius, former proconsul of Africa.

Following Macer’s defeat, this extremely rare issue was probably struck to pay off his soldiers when they were disbanded. These same troops, we are told, would soon take up arms in support of Vitellius (see Tacitus, Hist. II.97).