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Obolos 43

With selections from the collections of John Aiello and a French specialist

Webauction, 5 July 2026
overview

Extremely Rare and unusual

Starting Price: 75 CHF
Hammer Price:  240 CHF
Lot 996

Time of Domitian to Antonius Pius, AD 81-161. Quadrans (Bronze, 15.5 mm, 2.47 g, 6 h), Rome. Galley, with oars out and with a full sail, traveling to left. Rev. Dolphin swimming to right. Cohen VIII, p. 272, 58 var (galley sailing to right with two crewmen). A. Mlasowsky, Die antiken Tesseren im Kestner-Museum Hannover (Hannover, 1991), p. 44, 38. RIC -. Extremely rare. Back patina. Rough surfaces, otherwise, very fine.

Aside from all the normal coins produced in Rome, the mint also struck quite a few strange and unusual items, usually without inscription and basically anonymous. They were surely thought of as money, though they may well have served as tokens for exchange or donative purposes (they could be tossed to crowds on festive occasions and then be exchanged for food or gifts, or be retained as souvenirs). This small piece, which must have been valued as a quadrans, is nautically related: a speeding galley and the dolphin that leapt in the waves before it.

Online bidding closes: 5 Jul 2026, 22:18:00 CEST Current Date & Time: 10 Jul 2026, 20:43:38 CEST Remaining Time: Closed Hammer Price:240 CHF by bunclag (5 bids)
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