Lot 95. Maiorianus, AR 1/2 Siliqua

Time left: Bidding closed (Sunday, November 23rd, 19:47:30 CET) Current time: Sunday, November 24th, 07:05:48 CET Price realised: CHF 1'150.00 (4 bids) Approx. EUR 1'235.32 / USD 1'286.96 / GBP 1'027.18 Bid history Amount Bidder Date CHF 1'150.00 Bidder 3 * 2014-11-23, 19:46:35 CHF 1'100.00 Bidder 2 * 2014-11-23, 19:47:19 CHF 950.00 Bidder 2 * 2014-11-23, 19:47:09 CHF 850.00 Bidder 1 * 2014-11-23, 00:45:43 * User names of other bidders are replaced by Bidder 1, 2, and so on. High bidder: Bidder 3

Maiorianus (457-461 AD). AR 1/2 Siliqua (12-13 mm, 0.70 g), uncertain mint in Northern Gaul.
Obv. D N MAIORIANVS C, pearl-diademed, draped and cuirassed bust right.
Rev. VITO-CCC (retrograde), Victory standing left, holding long cross.
Ex. *•*
RIC X 2651 var. (obverse legend).

Extremely rare. Old edge chip but stable, otherwise, nicely toned and very fine.

This coin belongs to a very rare issue of half siliquae attributed to a Gaulish mint due to its known find spots (France and Switzerland). It is likely that it was struck by the magister militum per gallias, Aegidius, who ruled in the name of Majorian over the parts of Gaul that were still under Roman control. When Ricimer murdered Majorian in 461, Aegidius, controlling the remains of the Gaulish army, established an independent rule in Northern Gaul before he was himself murdered in 464/465. His son and successor Syagrius remained in control of a small area around the city of Novidunum (Soissons) until as late as 486/487, thus constituting the last remnant of Roman Rule in the Northwest before it was conquered by the Frankish king Clovis.