Ex Mazzini and de Sartiges Collections

Triton XIX, Lot: 682. Estimate $50000. Sold for $60000. This amount does not include the buyer’s fee.

Petronius Maximus. Usurper, AD 455. AV Solidus (21mm, 4.46 g, 6h). Rome mint. D N PETRONIVS MA-XIMVS P F AVC, pearl-diademed, draped, and cuirassed bust right / VICTORI A AVCC, Petronius standing facing, holding long cross in right hand and Victory set on globe in left, right foot on human-headed serpent; R-M//COMOB. RIC X 2201; Depeyrot 48/1; Lacam Groupe, Pl. XVIII, 5 = Mazzini 1 (this coin); DOCLR –; Biaggi 2362; Triton XII, lot 795 (same obv. die). Good VF, toned, die rust in devices. Very rare.

Ex Giuseppe Mazzini Collection; Vicomte de Sartiges Collection (Ars Classica XVIII, 10 October 1938), lot 540 (purchased by Santamaria for Mazzini); Egger XXXIX (15 January 1912), lot 1464 (purchased by Jacob Hirsch for de Sartiges).

Following the assassination of Valentinian III in AD 455, Petronius Maximus seized the throne and immediately married Valentinian’s wife, Licinia Eudoxia. Licinia, believing that Petronius was responsible for her late husband’s death, was not happy with the new arrangement, and she appealed to the Vandal king of Carthage, Gaiseric, for help. Gaiseric responded to Licinia’s plea and quickly sailed for Italy. Fearing for his life, Petronius decided to flee, but was abandoned by his bodyguard. While riding out of Rome on 31 May, he was stoned and killed. His reign lasted for only seventy days.