The Most Expensive: Aurei
Aurei, the gold coins of ancient Rome, are a popular field of collection. Here you can see what collectors with limited budgets can only dream of: the most expensive aurei ever auctioned off. (Since two coins share the 4th place, there is no 5th place.)
02image03499Augustus, ca. 27–18 BC, unknown mint. Extremely fine. From Dix Noonan Webb auction 126 (2014), 3499.
03image01403Allectus, 293–296, London mint. Found at Dover, Kent, in March 2019. Almost mint state. From Dix Noonan Webb auction 160 (2019), 1403.
04image00033Clodius Albinus, 194 or later. Third known specimen. Almost mint state. From Numismatica Ars Classica auction 91, 2016, 33.
05image00312Carausius, AD 286–287, unknown mint. Unique. About extremely fine. From Áureo & Calicó auction 241 (2012), No. 312.
06image20531Titus as Caesar, ca. AD 70, Judaea or Antioch. Extremely fine +. From Heritage World Coin Auctions auction 3003 (2012), 20531.
07image01053Pescennius Niger, AD 193–194, Caesarea in Cappadocia. Previously unknown variety of a type, of which only one specimen was known. Almost mint state. From Numismatica Ars Classica auction 84 (2015), 1053.
08image00509Cn. Domitius Ahenobarbus, 41 BC, moving mint. Extremely fine. From Numismatica Ars Classica auction 83 (2015), 509.
09image00192Quintus Labienus Parthicus, 40 BC, moving mint. Extremely fine +. From Numismatica Ars Classica auction 70 (2013), 192.
10image00023M. Iunius Brutus, 43–42 BC, moving mint. Almost mint state. From Numismatica Ars Classica auction 86 (2015), 23.
10M. Iunius Brutus, 42 BC, moving mint. Near mint state, NGC MS★ 5/5 – 3/5. The third known example of the EID MAR in gold. From Roma Numismatics auction XX (2020), 463.