Four Roman Coins Certified by NGC Ancients Realize Over $100,000 Each

Four coins from ancient Roman rulers that were certified by Numismatic Guaranty Company™ (NGC®) each sold for over $400,000 in a pair of auctions presented by Numismatica Ars Classica. They were among dozens of coins certified by NGC Ancients in the sales, Auction 131 and Auction 132, which were held on May 29-30, 2022.

The top NGC-certified coin in the auctions was a Roman Empire Otho, AD 69 Gold Aureus graded NGC Ancients Ch XF★, 5/5 Strike and 4/5 Surface (Auction 132, lot 519). Otho ruled for only three months in AD 69, a turbulent year that saw four emperors, three of whom died violently. This coin realized CHF 338,800 (about $354,000).

Roman Empire Otho, AD 69 Gold Aureus graded NGC Ancients Ch XF★, 5/5 Strike and 4/5 Surface. Realized: CHF 338,800 (about $354,000) Click image to enlarge.

The auction also features a rare coin struck over a century earlier for the man who later became the first Roman Emperor. The Roman Imperatorial Octavian, circa 43 BC Gold Aureus graded NGC Ancients Ch XF, 3/5 Strike and 4/5 Surface (Auction 132, lot 463) realized CHF 229,900 (about $240,000).

Roman Imperatorial Octavian, circa 43 BC Gold Aureus graded NGC Ancients Ch XF, 3/5 Strike and 4/5 Surface. Realized: CHF 229,900 (about $240,000) Click image to enlarge.

The coin was struck during the power struggle after the assassination of Julius Caesar in 44 BC. Octavian was on the winning side, and eventually became the first Roman Emperor, Augustus, in 27 BC. Like several other coins in the sale, NGC certified it with an NGC Photo Certificate, meaning it was not encapsulated in an NGC holder.

Other NGC Ancients-certified highlights in the auctions included:

• a Roman Empire Septimius Severus, AD 193-211 Gold Aureus graded NGC Ancients Ch MS★, 5/5 Strike and 5/5 Surface with Fine Style (Auction 131, lot 57), which realized CHF 127,050 (about $132,600)
• a Roman Empire Maximian, AD 286-310 Gold Aureus graded NGC Ancients MS, 5/5 Strike and 4/5 Surface with Fine Style (Auction 131, lot 123), which realized CHF 96,800 (about $101,100)
• a Roman Empire Nerva, AD 96-98, Gold Aureus graded NGC Ancients AU★, 5/5 Strike and 5/5 Surface (Auction 132, lot 531), which realized CHF 84,700 (about $88,400)
• a Roman Empire Vitellius, AD 69 Gold Aureus graded NGC Ancients Ch XF, 5/5 Strike and 3/5 Surface (Auction 132, lot 520), which realized CHF 78,650 (about $82,100)
• a Roman Empire Augustus, 27 BC-AD 14 Gold Aureus graded NGC Ancients Ch XF, 5/5 Strike and 4/5 Surface (Auction 132, lot 494), which realized CHF 75,625 (about $79,000)
• a Kingdom of Macedon Alexander III, AD 336-323 Gold Distater graded NGC Ancients Ch FX, 5/5 Strike and 3/5 Surface (Auction 132, lot 250), which realized CHF 60,500 (about $63,200)
• a Roman Empire Numerian, 283-284 Gold Aureus graded NGC Ancients Ch AU, 5/5 Strike and 4/5 Surface (Auction 132, lot 608), which realized CHF 55,660 (about $58,100)
• a Roman Empire Septimius Severus, AD 193-211 Gold Aureus graded NGC Ancients AU★, 5/5 Strike and 5/5 (Auction 132, lot 571), which realized CHF 54,450 (about $56,800)
• a Roman Empire Vespasian, AD 69-79 Gold Aureus graded NGC Ancients MS, 5/5 Strike and 4/5 Surface (Auction 132, lot 523), which realized CHF 53,240 (about $55,600)
• a Roman Empire Commodus Augustus, 177-193 Gold Aureus graded NGC Ancients Ch MS, 5/5 Strike and 5/5 Surface (Auction 132, lot 565), which realized CHF 48,400 (about $50,500)

Prices realized include buyer's premium. The $ symbol represents US Dollars.