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Lot 21. Domitianus AE35, Nikaia

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Copying an imperial Sestertius
Domitianus AE35, Nikaia

Time left:
Bidding closed (Sunday, March 27th, 19:10:30 CEST)
Current time: Monday, November 25th, 09:23:54 CET

Price realised: CHF 700.00 (7 bids)
Approx. EUR 751.93 / USD 783.37 / GBP 625.17

High bidder: Bidder 4

eAuction #46, Lot 21. Estimate: CHF 500.00

Domitianus (81-96 AD). AE35 (23.96 g), Nikaia, Bithynia.
Obv. AYT ΔOMITIANOΣ KAIΣAP ΣЄB ΓЄP, laureate head to right.
Rev. Mars advancing right, holding spear in right hand and trophy over left shoulder; to left, monogram of NIKA, to right, ΠP (ligate).
RPC 632. SNG von Aulock 539. Rec. Gén. -. BMC -.

Very rare. Green patina. Very fine.

From the François Righetti Collection; ex CNG 64 (2003), 592.

This interesting coin is part of a very rare series of Bithynian coins that copy imperial Sestertii and Asses of 80-82 AD. The imperial S-C is being replaced by a Nikaia-monogram and a ligate ΠP, the latter being an abbreviation for ΠΡΩΤΟN ΒEΙΘYNIAΣ: "the first (i.e. most important city) of Bithynia". The traditional rivalry between Nikaia and the neighbouring city of Nikomedia was so notorious that even the famous philosopher and writer Dion Chrysostomos (also known as Dion of Prusa, ca. 40/45-115/120 AD) tried to interfere in one of his speeches: "So they (i.e. the Romans) treat you like children - they loot you and give you as compensation a word: first!".



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