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Augustus. 27 BC-AD 14. Æ Sestertius (33mm, 26.20 g, 12h). Lugdunum (Lyon) mint. Struck AD 10-14. CAESAR AVGVSTVS DIVI F PATER PATRIAE, laureate head right / ROM ET AVG in exergue, the Great Altar of Lugdunum: altar enclosure with panels decorated with corona civica flanked by figures holding laurel branches; decoration along roofline; altar flanked by columns surmounted by statues of Victory standing vis-à-vis, each holding palm frond in left hand over left shoulder and wreath in right hand. RIC I 231a; Lyon 95 (D453/R– [unlisted rev. die]); BMCRE 565; BN 1695-1706; Elkins, Monuments Figure 66. Brown patina. Good VF. Bold portrait of Augustus and an unusually detailed reverse composition. Very rare and among the finest specimens known of this difficult issue.
From the PLZ Collection. Ex Gasvoda Collection (Part I, Numismatica Ars Classica 86, 8 October 2015), lot 83; Triton XVII (7 January 2014), lot 630.
One of the few upgrades in my 12 Caesars, I jumped at the chance to acquire this coin and to this day have never seen a better one available. (PLZ)
The cult of worship for the ruling king was long established among the ancient Greeks. The expansion of the Roman Empire to include the entire Greek world left a void in ruler-worship that Augustus was quick to exploit. While he officially styled himself as “first citizen” and refused attempts to form a cult in his name, outside of Italy he was more open to the idea. In central Gaul, he commissioned a large temple complex to be built in a grove near the city of Lugdunum (modern Lyon), which also contained one of the empire’s official mints. Known as the Sanctuary of the Three Gauls, the complex was centered on a massive altar atop a stepped platform flanked by columns topped by winged Victories, with an inscription reading ROM ET AVG, dedicating it to the goddess Roma and to Augustus himself as a semi-divinity.
The temple complex was first planned in 15 BC and dedicated in 10 BC by Nero Claudius Drusus. The altar would become part of an annual gathering of the tribes of Gaul. The altar and “ROM ET AVG” legend would appear on various coin types for some time. Interestingly, the mint at Lugdunum would issue the altar type in five bronze denominations: Sestertius (as seen here), Dupondius, As, Semis, and Quadrans. The Dupondius and Sestertius denominations are both rather rare while the smaller denominations are quite common.
This would be the only appearance of Augustus’ portrait on a Roman-mint sestertius, making the coin a must-have for collectors trying to add this denomination to their Twelve Caesars set. It was recognized for its rarity as far back as Renaissance times. In fact, demand for the type among collectors then so outstripped supply that the workshop of Giovanni Cavino, a 16th century Paduan medalist, began producing its own replicas of the type that remain collectible to this day.
A difficult coin to find in any grade above Fine. Thus, the present coin is at the top tier of surviving examples for this issue.
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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