The Most Beautiful: Roman Coins Selected by Yves Gunzenreiner
10_00823q00Uncertain Germanic Tribes, Pseudo-Imperial coinage. Mid 3rd-early 4th centuries. Gold “Quinarius”. A highly unusual and most interesting coin, with a wonderful and unparalleled reverse. About extremely fine.
09_00207q00Hadrian, 117-138. Denarius, 132-134, Rome.
Very rare. Beautifully toned and with a wonderful portrait of exquisite style.
08_00430q00Troas. Alexandria Troas. Gallienus, 253-268. “Aureus”. Struck north of the Danube with dies stolen from the mint of Alexandria Troas, after 262.
Of the highest rarity, by far the best of just three known examples. A lustrous and very attractive coin, and without the hole that was applied to all other extant examples of this fascinating series.
07_00310q00Victorinus, Romano-Gallic Emperor, 269-271. “Denarius”. An “offstrike” from aureus dies, Treveri, early to mid 270.
Unpublished and unique, a spectacular issue of great importance. Struck in unusually good silver and with one of the most impressive portraits of the Romano-Gallic series.
06_00119q00Lydia. Sardis. Antinoüs, died 130. Medallion. P. Cornelius Cornutus, strategos, 131.
Unpublished and unique, an issue of tremendous historical importance and of exceptional beauty. Attractive natural olive-green patina and with an enchanting portrait of magnificent style. An extraordinary piece, undoubtedly among the finest and most interesting medallions of Antinoos known.
05_00315q00Divus Julius Caesar, † 44 BC. Denarius. Q. Voconius Vitulus, moneyer, 40, Rome.
A superb piece, lightly toned, very well centered and with a spectacular portrait of outstanding artistry.
04_00244q00Septimius Severus, 193-211. Aureus, 201, Rome.
Very rare and in exceptional condition. A lustrous and sharply struck example with two wonderful portraits of magnificent style. Virtually as struck.
03_00588q00Mark Antony and Cleopatra. Tetradrachm. Antiochia on the Orontes or a mint further to the South, circa 36 BC.
Very rare and undoubtedly among the finest known. A boldly struck and beautifully toned piece with two exceptionally sharp and attractive portraits.
02_00173q00Claudius, 41-54. Cistophorus, 41-42 (?), Ephesus.
Rare and undoubtedly the finest example of this prestigious issue known. A spectacular piece with a noble and impressive portrait of the very best style and an exceptional rendering of the Artemision. Tiny flan flaw on neck, otherwise, virtually as struck.
01_00372q00Hadrian, 117-138. Sestertius, 134-138, Rome.
A stunningly beautiful coin, perfectly centered on a broad and heavy flan and with an absolutely delightful untouched green patina. With a superb left-facing portrait of the finest style and undoubtedly among the finest, if the not the finest known.
Here I present my personal highlights of the Roman coins that I came across over the course of all the years that I’ve been working as numismatist. Almost all of them are of extraordinary quality and – as I mention in the descriptions – they are of great importance for history and monetary history for various reasons.
Find out more about Yves Gunzenreiner and the auction house on the website of Leu Numismatik.
