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Research Coins: Electronic Auction

 
347, Lot: 367. Estimate $150.
Sold for $130. This amount does not include the buyer’s fee.

PHRYGIA, Eumeneia (as Fulvia). Fulvia, first wife of Mark Antony. Circa 41-40 BC. Æ (18mm, 7.43 g, 12h). Zmertorix, the son of Philonides, magistrate. Bust of Fulvia (as Nike) right; c/ms: two monograms / Athena standing left, holding shield and spear; [ΦOYΛOYIANON] in right field, [Z]MEPTOPIΓOΣ/[Φ]IΛΩNIΔOΥ] in two lines in left field. RPC 3139; SNG München –; BMC 21 (with same c/ms); SNG Copenhagen –. Fine, earthen green patina, evidence of ethnic erased in antiquity.


Purchased from Tom Vossen, 2010.

Fulvia married Mark Antony in 44 BC, and became an outspoken defender of his interests in Rome while he campaigned in the East. The city of Eumenia was re-named Fulviana in her honor by Antony's partisans. By 40 BC Fulvia's strident attacks on Octavian caused a great deal of trouble of Antony, who upbraided her for antagonizing Octavian, with whom he was trying to maintain a semblance of cordial relations. Fulvia died at Sicyon shortly thereafter. Sometime afterward these coins struck at "Fulviana" had their ethnic scratched off, and two countermarks were applied: one may be resolved as Eumeneia; the other as Philonidos, although Zmertorix himself has been suggested). These countermarks suggest that, rather than melting down the coinage of Fulvia and striking new coins, a more expeditious solution was required to keep needed currency in circulation.