Auction Catalogue

3 June 2020

Starting at 11:00 AM

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Ancient & Islamic Coins

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Lot

№ 248

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3 June 2020

Hammer Price:
Withdrawn

Roman Imperial Coinage, Domitian, Sestertius, Rome, 85, imp caes domit avg germ cos xi cens pot p p, laureate bust right wearing ægis, rev. annona avgvst, Ceres seated left, draped and veiled, holding corn ears and torch, facing Annona standing right, holding cornucopia and resting hand on hip, 27.60g (RIC 349; BMCRE 323). Lightly smoothed, otherwise good very fine, reverse better, very rare £400-£500

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, The Antony Scammell Collection of Roman Coins.

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Ceres, goddess of agriculture and grain crops, is closely connected to Annona, the divine personification of the grain supply to the city of Rome. With a vast population, the maintenance of a regular supply of food, water, wine and oil to the people of first-century Rome was of paramount importance. Since not enough food could be grown in Rome’s immediate environs, huge amounts of grain had to be imported, mostly by sea, from all over the empire. This coin was part of the imperial propaganda, reminding citizens, lest they take it for granted, of their good fortune to be living in such a well-run and generous state

Withdrawn