Sale: Triton IX, Lot: 1156. Estimate $15000.  Closing Date: Monday, 9 January 2006.  Sold For $18000. This amount does not include the buyer’s fee.

[Ancient] INDIA, Kushans. Anonymous imitation of Roman Imperial types. Circa 320s AD. AV Medallion (17.09 g with bezel, 11h). COHSTHHT-S MAX AVC, rosette-diademed and draped bust right / PRINCIPI V-[V]-ENTVTISH, prince, in military attire, standing left, holding legionary standard in extended right hand, left hand on hip; legionary standard to right; flanking him, two captives in attitude of mourning; SNAN•. Cf. KM pl. 175, 13-1 for another imitative medallion from the same period in a similar bezel, now in the British Museum. Near EF, scattered marks, scuff at center of reverse. Unique. ($15,000)

Reportedly found with a group of Kushan gold coins, this remarkable imitation has no direct parallel among official Roman issues, but has elements found on a number of relatively concurrent issues in the 320s-330s AD. The obverse is copied from any number of gold issues of Constantine I with the legend CONSTANTINVS MAX AVG (cf. RIC VII pl. 18, 44). The design of the reverse is most similar to an apparently unique bronze medallion issued from the Rome mint for Crispus, RIC VII 253. Nevertheless, it is more likely that the reverse is an amalgamation of elements from at least two different official issues, none of which are of Constantine I. Its basic type is most similar to a relatively common gold medallion of Thessalonica (RIC VII 138-139). That type has no captives, and the prince holds a transverse sceptre in on his left arm. Captives appear on a number of different contemporary issues of medallions, and usually are featured in the same positions as seen here (cf. RIC VII Thessalonica 163). Perhaps most intriging is the "mintmark", SNAN•, which is clearly an imitation of a mintmark of Antioch, SMAN•, that is found on contemporary solidi (cf. RIC VII 46-47), but not medallions. As Antioch was the most prolific of the eastern mints, and in light of the imitated mintmark, it is possible that this is an imitation of an as yet unknown official issue from that mint.