Lot 480
**Originally Listed At $200**
Roman, Late Imperial period, ca. 350 to 400 CE. A haunting relic of imperial splendor, this pendant unites the cool gleam of ancient silver with the soft, radiant warmth of high-karat gold. At its heart rests a late Roman silver siliqua, dating to the mid- to late 4th century CE, likely struck under the reign of one of the Constantinian or Theodosian emperors. The coin, 93.8% silver with traces of lead and copper consistent with late imperial metallurgy, shows faint vestiges of its original design - possibly a diademed imperial portrait and the faint outline of a wreath enclosing VOT vows on the reverse. Encasing the coin is a delicately hammered gold bezel of approximately 22 karats (91.5% purity), its thin foil carefully folded to embrace the edges of the worn silver disc. Size of pendant: 0.9" L x 0.8" W (2.3 cm x 2 cm); metal quality: coin: 93.81% silver, pendant: 91.5% gold (about 22 karat); total weight: 3.6 grams
A simple loop, fashioned from the same gold sheet, crowns the pendant, worn and slightly twisted by age but still intact - a testament to its survival through centuries of devotion or adornment. The gold's color, a deep honey hue, contrasts elegantly with the subdued, time-softened silver at the center.
The presence of light gilding on the coin's surface hints that it may once have been fully gilt to harmonize with its mount, a common practice in late antiquity when coins were transformed into amulets or devotional pendants. Such pieces were often worn close to the body, their imperial imagery lending both status and protection in an age when faith, power, and superstition intertwined. Objects of this kind mark a liminal space between currency and ornament - a coin that has crossed into sanctity, preserving the shimmer of empire in miniature.
Provenance: private Dayton, Maryland, USA collection; ex-private F. B. collection, Maryland, USA, acquired between 1990 to 2010
All items legal to buy/sell under U.S. Statute covering cultural patrimony Code 2600, CHAPTER 14, and are guaranteed to be as described or your money back.
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#198157
- Condition: Coin is heavily weathered with flaking; iconography nearly impossible to decipher. Bending, surface wear, and fissures to pendant. Wearable as a pendant though suspension loop seems delicate.
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| From: | To: | Increments: |
|---|---|---|
| $0 | $299 | $25 |
| $300 | $999 | $50 |
| $1,000 | $1,999 | $100 |
| $2,000 | $4,999 | $250 |
| $5,000 | $9,999 | $500 |
| $10,000 | $19,999 | $1,000 |
| $20,000 | $49,999 | $2,500 |
| $50,000 | $99,999 | $5,000 |
| $100,000 | $199,999 | $10,000 |
| $200,000 + | $20,000 |