Tyrants of the Tiber coming to June Long Beach Expo
Coin collectors interested in the “Tyrant Collection” should start booking their plane tickets now. This year, the Long Beach Coin, Currency, Stamp & Sports Collectible Expo will be featuring the “Tyrants of the Tiber,” which will be “the fourth exhibition in a multi-year series of different displays of portions of the extensive Tyrant Collection.” This collection is known as “the world’s most valuable rare coin collection in private hands” and is insured for more than $30 million for its inaugural debut.
Antony and Cleopatra: Shown is a 36 BC tetradrachm of Mark Antony and Cleopatra. (Photo credit: Lyle Engleson, Goldberg Coins & Collectibles)
Brutus EID Mar: One of the finest examples of the famous EID MAR (Ides of March) denarius of 42 BC, depicting Brutus and marking the assassination of Julius Caesar. (Photo credit: Lyle Engleson, Goldberg Coins & Collectibles.)
The collection includes the earliest Roman Republic portrait coins from over 2,200 years ago and spans through the Imperatorial and Empire Periods. It ends with the fall of Rome and the invading tribes. Ira Goldberg, president of Goldberg Coins and Collectibles, states that “since the Vatican practically sits on the Tiber River, the exhibit will include the coinage of the Popes.”
Otho: Formerly in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of New York is a superb 69 AD gold aureus of Otho. (Photo credit: Lyle Engleson, Goldberg Coins & Collectibles.)
Most of the 400 coins exhibited are gold, including the extremely rare set of the 12 famous Caesars, with many of the coins recorded as the finest known. Some highlights of the exhibit include Brutus, Proconsul and Imperator, 42 BC, EID MAR silver denarius; Mark Antony and Cleopatra silver tetradrachm struck in 36 BC in Syria; and an Otho gold Aurerus.
Justinian I: A rare Mint State example of a Justinian I gold solidus of 527-565 struck in Rome. (Photo credit: Lyle Engleson, Goldberg Coins & Collectibles.)
Pope Innocent XII: A Mint State quadruple scudi d’oro of Pope Innocent XII (papacy 1691-1700) is a featured rarity. (Photo credit: Lyle Engleson, Goldberg Coins & Collectibles.)
Pope Innocent XI: Known as the “Savior of Hungary,” Pope Innocent XI (papacy 1676-1689) is depicted on this rare quadruple scudi d’oro. (Photo credit: Lyle Engleson, Goldberg Coins & Collectibles.)
Visitors at the Expo will receive a free, illustrated educational booklet about the display. For those who are really interested, they may purchase a detailed catalog with information and illustrations about each coin in the exhibit for $10. The Expo will be held in the Long Beach Convention Center at 100 S. Pine Ave. The hours are from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Thursday, June 6, and Friday, June 7. The hours on Saturday, June 8, will be from 10 a.m. to 5 p. m.
