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Lot 165. Augustus AE As, with Varus countermark

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Varus countermark
Augustus AE As, with Varus countermark

Time left: 		Bidding closed (Sunday, September 11th, 20:22:30 CEST)
Current time: Sunday, November 24th, 20:32:45 CET
Price realised: CHF 1'000.00 (1 bid)
Approx. EUR 1'074.19 / USD 1'119.09 / GBP 893.10
High bidder: Bidder 1

eAuction #50, Lot 165. Estimate: CHF 1'200.00

Augustus (27 BC - 14 AD). AE As (24 mm, 9.96 g), Lugdunum (Lyon), c. 15-10 BC. Countermarked by Publius Quinctilius Varus as governor of Germania in 7-9 AD.
Obv. CAESAR [PONT MAX], laureate head right.
Rev. Altar of Lugdunum, Victory on each pedestal; [below, ROM ET AVG]; two countermarks: AVG and VAR in ligature.
RIC I, 230; for countermark: BN 1623.

Very rare. Host coin fine, countermark very clear and extremely fine.

Publius Quinctilius Varus was one of Augustus' most celebrated generals. In 9 AD, while leading an army of three legions (the XVII, XVIII and XIX through northwestern Germany, he was abushed by German tribes under the Cheruscian king Arminius. After a hard-fought battle that lasted four days and three nights - the famous Battle of the Teutoburg Forest - the Roman army was annihiliated and Varus and his officers commited suicide. The Romans lost all of their legionary eagles and some 15-20'000 men, including many important officers and an unknown number of civilians, which lead to their retreat from Germania.




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