At the end of the 3rd century and the beginning of the 4th, Roman coins changed from having actual por-
traits of the reigning emperors to having more generic male portraits used as symbols of power (if you were
walking on the street you could recognise Caracalla, Balbinus, Gallienus or Tacitus from the portraits on his
coins, if he happened to pass by; but you certainly could not identify members of the Tetrarchy or the House of
Constantine). As illustrated by the excellent coins of the Bollen Collection, by the 5th and 6th centuries, after
the division of the Empire into Western and Eastern halves, all the portraits had become identical ageless and
beardless military leaders. The only change was that between the older style helmeted and cuirassed busts to
the newer fully facing ones. There was a marginal return to “accurate” portraiture with Phocas, whose heads
on coins were that of a real person, rather than an ideal. This trend continued with the following Heraclian
Dynasty: we see Heraclius himself changing from a young man with a short beard to an elderly one with a very
long one. The coinage of his son Constans II parallels his: in fact, they both end up looking like precursors of
ZZ Top! His grandson Constantine IV returns to the styles of the 5th century with two forms of facing busts,
one being particularly rococo (as lots 61-62); but his great-grandson Justinian II initiated a characterless fa-
cing bust style that would continue to the end of the Empire: busts of younger rulers - or empresses - would be
beardless, older ones would be bearded, with the beards sometimes growing longer; but without any real sense
of individuality. The last attempt at real portraiture came with the Isaurian usurper Leontius who overthrew
Justinian II in 695: his round face and short beard (lots 71-74), was unlike anything seen before or since - other
than with Bud Spencer.
The bulk of the sale, lots 151 (an apparently unique gold half stater of the Carnutes)—414 (a denarius of Juba II),
consists of coins from the Greek World: some highlights include an extremely rare drachm of Theodoseia in the
Bosporos (207); an equally rare tetradrachm from Samothrace (210); a rare and exciting drachm of Aristarchos
of Kolchis (267), two very rare tetradrachms imitating Athens but with Persian symbols, probably issued by Cy-
rus the Younger (333-334); and an extensive series of coins from Barke, Euhesperides and Kyrene, including
some great rarities (381-413). As one would expect, these are followed by coins from the Roman World, lots
415 (a RomanoCampania didrachm)—471 (an extremely rare siliqua of Priscus Attalus minted in Narbonne).
Among the highlights are two rare aurei of Marc Antony (424-425) and a wonderful aureus of Postumus with
a reverse of Minerva Fautrix. But, of course, these are only a few of the exciting coins in this sale! If you look
carefully you will find quite a few treasures and surprises. Good luck! Nomos AG
Dr. Alan Walker, PhD
Dimitrios Gerothanasis MA
Johannes Stelzhammer MA
Rex Gao
