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The Most Beautiful: Roman Coins Selected by Yves Gunzenreiner.
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Hadrian, 117-138. Sestertius, 134-138, Rome.
A stunningly beautiful coin, perfectly centered on a broad and heavy flan and with an absolutely delightful untouched green patina. With a superb left-facing portrait of the finest style and undoubtedly among the finest, if the not the finest known.
Top 1.A stunningly beautiful coin, perfectly centered on a broad and heavy flan and with an absolutely delightful untouched green patina. With a superb left-facing portrait of the finest style and undoubtedly among the finest, if the not the finest known.

Claudius, 41-54. Cistophorus, 41-42 (?), Ephesus.
Rare and undoubtedly the finest example of this prestigious issue known. A spectacular piece with a noble and impressive portrait of the very best style and an exceptional rendering of the Artemision. Tiny flan flaw on neck, otherwise, virtually as struck.
Top 2.Rare and undoubtedly the finest example of this prestigious issue known. A spectacular piece with a noble and impressive portrait of the very best style and an exceptional rendering of the Artemision. Tiny flan flaw on neck, otherwise, virtually as struck.

Mark Antony and Cleopatra. Tetradrachm. Antiochia on the Orontes or a mint further to the South, circa 36 BC.
Very rare and undoubtedly among the finest known. A boldly struck and beautifully toned piece with two exceptionally sharp and attractive portraits.
Top 3.Very rare and undoubtedly among the finest known. A boldly struck and beautifully toned piece with two exceptionally sharp and attractive portraits.

Septimius Severus, 193-211. Aureus, 201, Rome.
Very rare and in exceptional condition. A lustrous and sharply struck example with two wonderful portraits of magnificent style. Virtually as struck.
Top 4.Very rare and in exceptional condition. A lustrous and sharply struck example with two wonderful portraits of magnificent style. Virtually as struck.

Divus Julius Caesar, † 44 BC. Denarius. Q. Voconius Vitulus, moneyer, 40, Rome.
A superb piece, lightly toned, very well centered and with a spectacular portrait of outstanding artistry.
Top 5.A superb piece, lightly toned, very well centered and with a spectacular portrait of outstanding artistry.

Lydia. Sardis. Antinoüs, died 130. Medallion. P. Cornelius Cornutus, strategos, 131.
Unpublished and unique, an issue of tremendous historical importance and of exceptional beauty. Attractive natural olive-green patina and with an enchanting portrait of magnificent style. An extraordinary piece, undoubtedly among the finest and most interesting medallions of Antinoos known.
Top 6.Unpublished and unique, an issue of tremendous historical importance and of exceptional beauty. Attractive natural olive-green patina and with an enchanting portrait of magnificent style. An extraordinary piece, undoubtedly among the finest and most interesting medallions of Antinoos known.

Victorinus, Romano-Gallic Emperor, 269-271. “Denarius”. An “offstrike” from aureus dies, Treveri, early to mid 270.
Unpublished and unique, a spectacular issue of great importance. Struck in unusually good silver and with one of the most impressive portraits of the Romano-Gallic series.
Top 7.Unpublished and unique, a spectacular issue of great importance. Struck in unusually good silver and with one of the most impressive portraits of the Romano-Gallic series.

Troas. Alexandria Troas. Gallienus, 253-268. “Aureus”. Struck north of the Danube with dies stolen from the mint of Alexandria Troas, after 262.
Of the highest rarity, by far the best of just three known examples. A lustrous and very attractive coin, and without the hole that was applied to all other extant examples of this fascinating series.
Top 8.Of the highest rarity, by far the best of just three known examples. A lustrous and very attractive coin, and without the hole that was applied to all other extant examples of this fascinating series.
Here I present my personal highlights of the Roman coins that I came across over the course of all the years that I’ve been working as numismatist. Almost all of them are of extraordinary quality and – as I mention in the descriptions – they are of great importance for history and monetary history for various reasons.
Find out more about Yves Gunzenreiner and the auction house on the website of Leu Numismatik.