Traditional Iron Ring

Triton XIX, Lot: 403. Estimate $10000. Sold for $7500. This amount does not include the buyer’s fee.

Imperatorial Period. Circa 41 BC. FE ring with jasper intaglio. Solid iron ring with flat bezel inset with oval jasper intaglio of a bare male head (Octavian [?]) left. Dimensions: 30mm overall length; 19mm overall width; 22mm overall height; 12.51 g overall weight. Dimension of intaglio: 12x15mm. Cf. Crawford 513/2-3 (denarius; for portrait). As made, complete, iron completely oxidized, but stable.

While the portrait on the intaglio of this ring is similar to a denarius issue of M. Arrius Secundus (see previous lot), it is unlikely that the image is of Secundus himself. Like the portrait issues of his contemporaries, Numonius Vaala and Servius Rufus, which featured living and deceased political figures, the Secundus portrait bears a more than passing similarity to Octavian.