Exceptionally Rare Aureus, Certified by NGC Ancients, Realizes $312,000 in August Sale

A highly desirable coin minted to commemorate a doomed emperor, certified by the Ancients division of Numismatic Guaranty Corporation® (NGC®), realized $312,000 in a Stack’s Bowers August sale. Four other ancient coins certified by NGC Ancients also realized prices over $100,000 in Session D and Session E of Stack’s Bowers' American Numismatic Association Auctions, both held August 21, 2021.

The Roman Empire, Macrinus (A.D. 217-218) Gold Aureus graded NGC Ancients Ch MS★, 5/5 Strike and 5/5 Surface with Fine Style (Session E, lot 43133) realized $312,000. It features a portrait of the Roman emperor on the obverse, while the reverse depicts the emperor and his son, Diadumenian, distributing cash to the Roman populace. Macrinus ruled for a little over a year before his predecessor's aunt instigated a rebellion against him that left him and his son dead.

Roman Empire, Macrinus A.D. 217-218 Aureus graded NGC Ancients Ch MS★, 5/5 Strike and 5/5 Surface with Fine Style. Realized: $312,000. Click images to enlarge.

Another top performer — also commemorating an emperor with a very short reign — was a Roman Empire, Otho A.D. 69 Gold Aureus graded NGC Ancients Ch XF, 4/5 Strike and 4/5 Surface (Session E, lot 43118), which realized $204,000. Roman Emperor Otho ruled from January to April in A.D. 69 following Emperor Nero’s suicide. Otho himself committed suicide after his army’s defeat by legions claiming Aulus Vitellius to be the true emperor.

Roman Empire Otho A.D. 69 Gold Aureus graded NGC Ancients Ch XF, 4/5 Strike and 4/5 Surface. Realized: $204,000. Click images to enlarge.

Three other rarities certified by NGC Ancients also realized six figures, each far exceeding their pre-auction estimates:

• a Roman Empire Florian A.D. 276 Gold Aureus graded NGC Ancients MS, 5/5 Strike and 3/5 Surface with Fine Style (Session E, lot 43136) that realized $144,000
• a Roman Empire Vitellius A.D. 69 Gold Aureus graded NGC Ancients Ch XF, 5/5 Strike and 3/5 Surface (Session E, lot 43120) that realized $120,000
• a Ptolemaic Kingdom Arsinoe II (d. 270/68 B.C.) Gold Octodrachm issued after c. 193/2 B.C. graded NGC Ancients Ch MS, 5/5 Strike and 4/5 Surface (Session D, lot 42195) that realized $108,000

Other rarities certified by NGC Ancients in the sale included:

• a Roman Empire Galba A.D. 68-69 Gold Aureus graded NGC Ancients XF, 5/5 Strike and 3/5 Surface (Session E, lot 43117) that realized $87,000
• a Calabria, Taras circa 334-330 B.C. Gold Stater graded NGC Ancients Ch VF, 4/5 Strike and 4/5 Surface with Fine Style (Session D, lot 42022) that realized $84,000
• a Kingdom of Macedon Alexander III 336-323 B.C. Gold Distater graded NGC Ancients Ch XF, 5/5 Strike and 4/5 Surface (Session D, lot 42071) that realized $69,000
• a Siculo-Punic circa 264-260 B.C. Silver 5 Shekels (or Decadrachm) graded NGC Ancients Ch XF, 5/5 Strike and 2/5 Surface with Fine Style (Session D, lot 42065) that realized $69,000
• a Caria, Island of Rhodes circa 125-88 B.C. Gold Hemistater graded NGC Ancients Ch XF, 5/5 Strike and 4/5 Surface (Session D, lot 42172) that realized $57,600
• a Sicily, Syracuse circa 405-395 B.C. 100 Litrai graded NGC Ancients Ch AU★, 5/5 Strike and 5/5 Surface with Fine Style (Session D, lot 42047) that realized $55,200
• a Calabria, Taras circa 280-272 B.C. Gold Stater graded NGC Ancients XF, 4/5 Strike and 3/5 Surface with Fine Style (Session D, lot 42027) that realized $48,000
• a Roman Empire, Maximian A.D. 286-310 Gold Aureus graded NGC Ancients Ch AU, 5/5 Strike and 4/5 Surface (Session E, lot 43140) that realized $40,800

Prices realized include buyer's premium.