First Portrait of Commodus in Gold

CNG 111, Lot: 734. Estimate $10000. Sold for $9500. This amount does not include the buyer’s fee.

Commodus. As Caesar, AD 166-177. AV Aureus (20mm, 7.29 g, 5h). Rome mint. Struck under Marcus Aurelius and Lucius Verus, AD 175. COMMODO CAES AVG FIL GERM, bareheaded, draped, and cuirassed bust right / PR INC • IVVENT, Commodus, wearing military tunic and cloak, standing left, holding olive branch in right hand and grounded reversed spear in left, trophy of arms to right. RIC III 600 (Aurelius; corr. omits bust cuirassed); MIR 309-12/17; Calicó 2314 (same obv. die as illustration); BMCRE 637 (Aurelius and Verus; corr. omits bust cuirassed); Biaggi –; Jameson –; Mazzini –. Near EF, underlying luster. Well struck on a broad flan. Rare.

From the Brexit Collection. Ex Palombo 16 (21 October 2017), lot 50 (realized 30,000 CHF); Vinchon (30 November 1993), lot 40; Vinchon (23 April 1976), lot 250.