Nomos 23

Constantius I, 305-306. Aureus (Gold, 18 mm, 5.32 g, 5 h), Treveri. CONSTAN-TIVS P F AVG Laureate head of Constantius I to right. Rev. CONCORDIA AVGG ET CAESS NN / TR Concordia seated left on high-backed throne, holding patera in her right hand and double cornucopiae in her left. Bastien, Donativa p.69. Beaurains 396 (this coin). Calicó 4813. Depeyrot 11A/1 (this coin cited). Jameson 529 (this coin). Kent-Hirmer 598 (this coin). RIC 618a (this coin cited). A flawless example with wonderful toning. Virtually as struck.

Sold on behalf of the Compagnie Bancaire Helvétique, Switzerland, ex Numismatica Genevensis 4, 11 December 2006, 256, from the "Perfectionist" Collection, Leu Numismatics 87, 6 May 2003, 108 and the collection of E. von Schulthess (ESR), Hess-Leu 17, 23 March 1961, 396, ex Monnaies et Médailles XI, 23 January 1953 153, from the Jameson Collection and from the Beaurains/Arras hoard of 1922.

One of the best known hoards of Roman gold coins has to be that of Beaurains/Arras of 1922. Not only did it contained an extraordinary group of coins of the late 3rd and earlier 4th centuries, but it also had jewellery and objects as well. And not only that, it contained coins that were beautifully toned, as this one, from their sleep of 1600 years in the gentle soil of northern France. While a good deal of it is in either the British Museum or the Arras Museum, the majority of the coins were dispersed by the two Belgian workmen who found it. In fact, for a long time its exact find spot was thought to either be in Arras itself, or even in Belgium. The present piece is one of the best preserved coins in the find, and is beautifully toned as well. There is a degree of mystery surrounding this hoard since it has long been rumoured that a number of major pieces were in the find but have never appeared. One theory is that the workmen took a number of really big medallions - perhaps of 100-aurei each (!) - to a jeweller who told them they were obviously forgeries and were only worth gold value; so they were melted down (!!). Another theory is that some major pieces went directly into a private collection and will come out someday (of course, another example of the famous reconquest of Britannia medal of Constantius I - now in Arras - did show up a few years ago, but it was, alas, a copy of the electrotype). One never knows!