Description
A Remarkable and Near Complete Collection of Mark Antony’s Legions.
Issued from 32-31 BC, likely from a military mint at Patrae, Mark Antony’s Legionary Denarii are some of the most instantly recognisable coins from the time of the Roman Imperators. Depicting a ship on one side and an imperial eagle flanked by military standards on the other, they were struck in the run-up to the Battle of Actium in September of 31 BC. Each coin was struck to celebrate one of Antony’s many legions – 23 of them to be precise, with two extra coins celebrating additional cohorts. Struck in a lower-purity alloy of silver and copper, these denarii remained in circulation for centuries. Often completely worn down, they have been discovered in hoards buried as late as the 3rd Century AD.
Aside from the excessively rare ‘LEG PRI’ (of which only a handful are known), each of Antony’s legions is represented here. The named legions; Antiquae, Classicae and Libicae appear with their more common, ‘unnamed’, varieties, bearing merely their respective legionary numbers. In addition to the 22 legions the two scarcer issues celebrating Antony’s Praetorian Cohort and Chortis Speculatorum are both present, taking the total up to 24 coins.
Mark Antony (32-31 BC), Silver Denarii 25, mint of Patrae(?). ANT AVG / III VIR R P C, galley right. Rev. Legionary eagle (Aquila) between two standards, LEG II-XXIII.
Legio II (CRI 349), 3.64g. Very Fine.
Ex. Spink Numismatic Circular (February 1984) lot #68.
Legio III Gallica (CRI 350), 3.65g. Very Fine. 22
Legio IV Scythia (CRI 352), 3.62g. Good Very Fine. Weakly struck in places.
Ex. Spink Numismatic Circular (May 1978) lot #6239.
Legio V Alaudae (CRI 354), 3.51g. Good Very Fine. Pleasing tone.
Legio VI Ferrata (CRI 356), 3.57g. Good Very Fine.
Ex. Spink Numismatic Circular (May 1984) lot #2651. Original ticket included.
Legio VII (CRI 357), 3.43g. Good Very Fine. A couple of marks and graffito on reverse.
Bt. Spink. Original ticket included.
Legio VIII (CRI 358), 3.81g. Very Fine.
Bt. Spink. Original tickets included.
Legio VIIII (CRI 360), 3.64g. Very Fine. Scarce.23
Legio X Gemina (CRI 361), 3.27g. Good Very Fine.
Legio XI (CRI 362), 4.10g. Nearly Extremely Fine.
Legio XII Antiquae (CRI 365), 3.71g. Good Very Fine. Weakly struck.
Ex. Spink Numismatic Circular (May 1988) lot #3524.
Legio XIII (CRI 367), 3.25g. Extremely Fine and lustrous. Weakly struck in places.
Legio XIIII (CRI 370), 3.46g. Very Fine.
Bt. Spink. Original ticket included.
Legio XV (CRI 371), 3.82g. Very Fine. Banker’s marks.
Legio XVI (CRI 372), 3.64g. Very Fine or better.
Bt. Spink. Original ticket included.24
Legio XVII Classicae (CRI 374), 3.64g. Good Very Fine. A couple of marks. Rare.
Bt. Spink. Original ticket included.
Legio XVIII Lybicae (CRI 376), 3.67g. Very Fine or better.
Legio XIX (CRI 378), 3.71g. Good Very Fine. Iridescent tone.
Legio XX (CRI 380), 3.73g. Very Fine.
Bt. Spink. Original ticket included.
Legio XXI (CRI 381), 3.45g. About Fine. Countermark to reverse. Rare.
Legio XXII (CRI 382), 3.49g. Good Very Fine. One or two scratches. Rare.
Legio XXIII (CRI 383), 3.68g. Good Very Fine. Graffito H to reverse. Rare.25
Praetorian Cohort (CRI 385), 3.38g. Very Fine. Pleasing tone. Scarce.
Bt. Spink. Original ticket included.
Chortis Speculatorum (CRI 386), 3.58g. Good Very Fine. Rare.
Bt. CNG. Original ticket included.
It is very unusual to see such a selection of Mark Antony denarii in one place and as such, the cataloguer has opted to offer the collection as a group.
