Sale: CNG 72, Lot: 1404. Estimate $25000.  Closing Date: Wednesday, 14 June 2006.  Sold For $23500. This amount does not include the buyer’s fee.

Clodius Macer. Usurper, AD 68. AR Denarius (3.11 g, 6h). Carthage mint. L. CLODI. MACRI, S-C, Bust of Victory right, wings closed / LI-B above, AVG to right, LEG III below, aquila between two signa. RIC I 17; Hewitt 26-27 (same dies); RSC 4a. Good VF, medium gray toning, a few marks under tone. Extremely rare. Only four examples were known to Hewitt, three of which were in museums.

Clodius Macer was propraetor in Africa, and as opposition to Nero grew and the power of the central government dwindled, Macer acted as little more than a pirate, sweeping the north African coast hoping to increase his power by cutting into the grain supplies of Rome. By April of 68, Macer had decided not to support Galba, and in June when Nero committed suicide, Macer began striking coins in his own name. All of Macer’s coins are of rather crude style, an indication of the lack of skilled die engravers and the haste at which they were produced. By October, Galba had solidified his power in Rome and ordered Macer’s execution. All of Macer’s coins are extremely rare, with fewer than 85 coins of all types known.