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The Triumvirs. Mark Antony and Octavian. Spring-early summer 41 BC. AV Aureus (19.5mm, 8.12 g, 12h). Ephesus mint; M. Barbatius Pollio, quaestor pro praetore. Bare head of Mark Antony right; M • ANT I(MP) (AV)G III VIR • R • P • C • M BARBAT • Q • P around / Bare head of Octavian right, with slight beard; CAESAR • IMP • PONT • III • VIR • R • P • C • around. Crawford 517/1a; CRI 242; Sydenham 1180; Bahrfeldt 77; Calicó 109; Biaggi 66; BMCRR East 98; Kestner 3792; RBW 1797. Bankers’ marks on reverse. Good VF. Very rare.
From the PLZ Collection, purchased from Antiqua. Ex Künker 124 (16 March 2007), lot 7553; Giessener Münzhandlung 67 (2 May 1994), lot 388; Münzen und Medaillen AG 44 (15 June 1971), lot 24.
Following the murder of Julius Caesar, power fell into the hands of Marc Antony, Caesar’s loyal lieutenant and commander of cavalry. Antony’s position was soon challenged from an unexpected direction when Caesar’s 18-year-old grand-nephew, Gaius Octavianus, arrived in Rome to claim his legacy as Caesar’s heir. The youth proved unnaturally canny at securing the loyalty of Caesar’s followers and undermining Antony’s authority. By 43 BC, Octavian had actually induced the Senate to declare Antony a public enemy, but quickly reversed himself and struck a deal with Antony by which they would share supreme power with a third broker, Lepidus, with the ultimate aim of hunting down Caesar’s assassins. This task accomplished, Lepidus soon faded into the background, leaving Octavian and Antony to rule the Roman world jointly for the better part of a decade until their inevitable falling out. This aureus, struck in mid-41 BC in the eastern half of the Empire ruled by Antony, puts the political situation in stark terms, with Antony and Octavian, still sporting youthful long sideburns, on opposite sides. While Antony occupies the dominant obverse, Octavian calls himself by the magical name Caesar, which would soon become a title for all Roman emperors. Minted under Antony, his portrait is not only larger, but it is also more refined than his youthful colleague. Even the obverse legends are more carefully created.
With respect to the offering here, there is likely no more important “thirteenth” coin in a set of twelve Caesars than that of Mark Antony. Much of the time between the fall of Julius Caesar and the naming of Augustus was focused on the rivalry between Antony and Octavian to determine who would be the ultimate survivor. Had things gone differently, we might today be completing this set with Mark Antony being our “2nd Caesar.” Thus, this is a coin of significant historical importance with a properly pugilistic portrait of Mark Antony.
The final winners of all CNG Feature Auction 132 lots will be determined at the live online sale that will be held on 18-19 May 2026.
CNG Feature Auction 132 – Session One – Lot 1-318 will be held Monday morning, 18 May 2026 beginning at 9:00 AM ET.
Winning bids are subject to a 22.5% buyer's fee for bids placed on this website and 25% for all others.
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