ESSEX, UK.- TimeLine Auctions is the modern-day incarnation of a venerable antiques dealership that originated in 1858. Of the many categories featured in their high-profile sales over many decades, one of the most popular has always been precious metals, whether in the form of coins, ingots or jewelry.

TimeLine’s fully-vetted March 4-9 auction presents the opportunity for collectors to acquire some of the finest earth treasures the company has ever handled. The array of rare coins includes examples from the earliest Middle Eastern civilizations as well as Roman, Greek/Mediterranean, Near Eastern, Celtic Britannian, Viking, and Medieval productions.

It may surprise some to know that ancient coins weren’t just a form of currency; they also served as the “newspapers” of their day. In ancient Rome, to cite just one example, news was spread through coins, each carrying a message, propaganda, or an important announcement.

Even beginners with little knowledge of ancient coinage can start a historically meaningful collection with pieces offered in the March sale. The catalog descriptions are written by noted industry experts who examine and assess each entry, providing both new coin enthusiasts and seasoned numismatists with the knowledge they need in order to bid confidently. In addition to thorough descriptions, the provenance – or line of previous ownership – is shown in as detailed a manner as possible.

Let’s look at a few highlights in the upcoming auction, starting with a Roman coin struck 129-130 AD and depicting Hadrian AE Sestertius. A bust of Hadrian, draped and bare-headed, is shown on the obverse, while the reverse bears an image of Justitia on her throne, holding a patera in her right hand and a long scepter in her left. “S C” is shown in the exergue. Graded extremely fine with a brown patina and green highlights, this very rare coin’s ownership can be traced as far back as a 1930 auction conducted by Arts Classica, with a subsequent (2013) sale by Stack’s Bower. Highlighting the coins section of TimeLine’s March auction, it is expected to sell in the vicinity of £1,800-£2,400 ($2,270-$3,025).

Imagine the thrill of finding a pre-Viking gold ingot while scouring for treasures in the historical Midlands region of England. That actually happened in December 2022 when a woman named Anita Malin was searching with her metal detector in the Harborough district of Leicestershire. Her lucky discovery turned out to be a 5.86-gram Anglo-Scandinavian gold bar, rectangular in shape and equal in weight to 4.5 tremisses. A tremiss is a small, pure gold coin from Late Antiquity worth one-third of a solidus, the primary gold coin of the Roman Empire during its time.

Ms Malin reported her find to the proper authorities, who declared it a “Treasure” and returned it to her. The ingot will convey together with a copy of the Report of Potential Treasure from HM Coroner, Froleswoth, Leicestershire; a copy of the British Museum’s Portable Antiquities Scheme (PAS) Report, and an illustrated lot declaration signed by the Head of TimeLine’s Antiquities Department, Dr Raffaele D’Amato. The auction estimate is £400-£600 ($500-$760).

TimeLine’s auction of ancient art, books, natural history rarities and coins will start on Tuesday, March 4 and conclude on Sunday, March 9. All forms of remote bidding will be available, including live online either through TimeLine’s bidding platform or LiveAuctioneers. TimeLine Auctions accepts payments in GBP and ships worldwide. Questions: call +44 7494 866514 or email Aaron Hammond at ah@timelineauctions.com. Website: https://timelineauctions.com.