A SILVER CISTOPHORUS OF AUGUSTUS, Pergamon, ca. 27-26 BC, 11.971g, 1h. RPC 2212. Old cabinet tone. A portrait of enchanting beauty perfectly centered and struck in high relief. Possibly the finest known. Superb extremely fine. Acquired privately from Tradart; Numismatik Lanz 1992 (62) lot 503; former Howard Coppuck Levis (1859-1935) collection, Naville 1925 (11) lot 203 The cistophorus coinage was inherited by the Romans from the Hellenistic coinage system of the Attalid kingdom, and they maintained it as the principal silver coin circulating in the Roman province of Asia after its annexion in 133 BC. This example shows the emperor himself and his new name, Imperator Caesar Augustus... A remarkable demonstration of the speed with which Augustan iconography came to dominate on the coinage, as in other areas. The wheat ears on the reverse symbolize the peace and prosperity Augustus brought to the Empire.