The largest Roman gold coin offered at auction in more than a century, a unique 10-aureus gold medallion of the Emperor Diocletian, tops the ancient and world coin offerings in Classical Numismatic Group LLC's Triton XXVI auction slated for January 10-11 in conjunction with the New YorkInternational Numismatic Convention.

The huge gold piece, termed a denio by specialists, is nearly 40mm in diameter and weighs 53.65grams, larger in diameter and nearly twice the weight of a U.S. It is believed to have beenstruck in AD 294 to mark Diocletian's tenth anniversary of rule, according to Paul Hill, Senior Numismatist forCNG's London office. It will be offered as Lot 830 in Triton XXVI, with an estimate of $500,000.

The Diocletian denio has been graded by Numismatic Guaranty Corporation with an extraordinaryChoice AU?, Strike: 5/5, Surface 5/5, Fine Style. It is easily the largest Roman gold piece ever certified by NGC,said David Vagi, NGC's Director of Ancient Coins. "NGC Ancients is pleased to have handled this exciting piece,which stands out as one of the finest Roman medallions in existence," Vagi added.

Hill said.

saidMichael Gasvoda, Managing Director.

Diocletian, who reigned AD 284 - 305, is famous as the emperor who restored order to the RomanEmpire after decades of anarchy, and as the ruler who launched the Great Persecution, a last-ditch effort toexterminate Christianity. The 10-aureus medallion, struck at the midway point of his two-decade rule, wascreated as a special handout to an important military officer or politician as a reward for loyalty and service. Hill noted.

The medallion depicts a bare head of Diocletian on the obverse, with close-cropped hair and beard inthe military style of the third century AD with the legend IMP C G VAL DIOCLETIANVS AVG(). The reverse depicts the god Jupiterseated left on a throne, holding a thunderbolt in his right hand and a scepter in his left, with an eagle at hisfeet, clutching a laurel wreath in its beak. The legend reads IOVI CONSERVATORI - Theletters A Q beneath the throne indicate the coin was struck at the mint of Aquileia, an ancient city on thenorth-eastern coast of Italy.

Hill said.

Gasvodaadded.

Only a handful of other ten-aurei medallions are known to exist, all of them in museums orinstitutional collections. Hill said.

Sessions One through Four of Triton XXVI, comprising 1,316 lots of Ancient, World, and British coinagewith a total estimate of $7.5 million, will be held live at the InterContinental Barclay Hotel in New York City onJanuary 10 and 11, 2023, and webcast live on CNG's website, www.cngcoins.com.

To receive a printed copy of the full-color catalog of Triton XXVI, or to inquire about consigning tofuture Classical Numismatic Group auctions, write to CNG@cngcoins.com, or call (717) 390-9194.

For more information, see:
https://cngcoins.com/