Sale: Triton VI, Lot: 873. Estimate $15000.  Closing Date: Monday, 13 January 2003.  Sold For $10000. This amount does not include the buyer’s fee.

Bracelet of Six Antonine Aureii. Bracelet dates circa 1946. Includes the following coins: Antoninus Pius. 138-161 AD. ANTONINVS AVG PI-VS P P TR P COS IIII, bare head right / Roma seated left, holding palladium and spear; shield below. RIC III 103 var. (obverse bust); BMCRE pg. 39, * var. (same); Cohen - // Diva Faustina Sr., wife of Antoninus Pius. Died 140 AD. DIVA FAVSTINA, draped bust right / AVGV-STA, Ceres, veiled, standing left, holding torch in right hand, sceptre in left. RIC III 356 (Pius); BMCRE 395 (Pius); Cohen 95 // Marcus Aurelius. 161-180 AD. M ANTONINVS AVG ARMENIACVS, laureate head right / P M TR P XX IMP III COS III, Felicitas standing left holding caduceus and cornucopiae, right foot on globe. RIC III 153; BMCRE 393 note; Cohen 489 // Faustina Jr., wife of Marcus Aurelius. FAVSTINA AVGVSTA, draped bust right / SALVTI AVGVSTAE, Salus seated left, feeding from patera a serpent arising from altar. RIC III 716 (Aurelius); BMCRE 151 (Aurelius); Cohen 198 // Lucius Verus. 161-169 AD. L VERVS AVG ARMENIACVS, laureate and cuirassed bust right, seen from behind / TR P IIII IMP II COS II, Victory standing right, placing a shield inscribed VIC/AVG in two lines on palm. RIC III 524 (Aurelius); BMCRE 296; Cohen 247 // Lucilla, wife of Lucius Verus. LVCILLAE AVG ANTONINI AVG F, draped bust right / PIE-TAS, Pietas, veiled, seated left, raising right hand and holding perfume box; lighted altar before. RIC III 777 (Aurelius); BMCRE pg. 428, * (Aurelius); Cohen 56. All coins enclosed in solid gold bezel rings, connected by solid gold links. Functional clasp and safety pin, both solid gold. Coins average VF condition. Includes original maroon leather case with satin and velour interior. (See color enlargement on plate 12.) ($15,000)

This impressive piece of jewelry is from the estate of Antonio Manuel de Guadán y Lascaris, the prominent Spanish numismatist. It is reportedly the engagement bracelet made as a present for his future wife, whom he married in 1946. It was made by a jeweler in Bilboa, Spain from pieces in Guadán's personal collection. Guadán was not only a famous numismatist, he was also a descendant of the Byzantine royal house of Comnenus-Lascaris, rulers of Nicaea after 1204. This choice piece of artwork has multiple numismatic connections!