* * *
4974. C. Caecilius Metellus Caprarius, 125 BC. Denarius, Caecilia14. Hd. Roma r. /Jupiter in Elephant biga l. Punic war reference. EF with a little weakness on the edge. Scarce.
4975. SOCIAL WAR, MARSIC CONFEDERATION, 91-87 BC. Bovianum mint, 89 BC. AR Denarius (3.29 gm.) Laureate hd. of Italia l./Soldier with spear and forepart of bull. Campana 143 (these dies), Sydenham 627. Nicely toned VF. Very rare.
4976. Mn. Cordius Rufus, 46 BC. Denarius, Cordia 3. Diademed hd. Venus r./Cupid on dolphin. VF. Nice type.
4977. P. Fonteius R.f. Capito, ca. 55 BC. Fonteia 17. Bust Mars. r., trophy behind/Warrior on horseback thrusting his spear at Gaul who is about to slay an unarmed Roman, his shield and oval shield below on r. Sharp EF+. This type records the exploits of Mn. Fonteius who was governor of Narbonese Gaule 76-73 BC.
4978. Q. Cassius Longinus, ca. 55 BC. AR Denarius, Cassia 7. Hd. Bonus Eventus r., scepter behind/Eagle r. on thunderbolt between lituus and capis. VF+. Old cabinet toning. Provenance: Ex. Vatican collection.
4979. Q. Cassius Longinus, ca. 55 BC. AR Denarius, Cassia 8. Hd. Liberty r./Curule chair within circular temple of Vesta between urn and voting tablet inscribed AC (Absolvo Condemno). VF+. Scarce. This coin refers to the investigation held in 113 BC over which an ancestor of the moneyer presided, into certain cases of incest, becase the pontiffs were thought to have improperly aquitted two vestal virgins, while they condemned one.
4980. A. Plautius, 55 BC. Denarius, Plautia13. Hd. Cybele r./Bacchius kneeling with camel at side surrendering Judaea to Rome. VF+.
4981. Q. Pompeius Rufus. 54 BC. Denarius, Pompeia 4. Bare hd. of Sulla r./Bare hd. of the consul, Quintus Pompeius Rufus r. Struck by the Sulla's grandson. AVF. Rare portrait coin of Sulla.
4982. Albinus Bruti f., 48 BC, Denarius, Postumia 10. Hd. Piety r./Clasped hands with caduceus. EF for wear. Struck by one of the assassins of Caesar.
4983. L. Plautius Plancus, 47 BC. Denarius, Plautia 14. Hd. Medusa facing/Aurora flying with the horses of the Sun. EF. Old cabinet toning.
4984. L. Livineius Regulus, 42 BC. Denarius, Livineia 8. Portrait of Praetor L. Livineius Regulus r./Curule chair between two fasces.VF+. Fine old cabinet toning with iridescence. Early example of Roman portrait coinage.
4985. AN EXCESSIVELY RARE SILVER TETRADRACHM OF MARC ANTONY AND CLEOPATRA, CIRCA 39 BC. Obverse: Bust of Cleopatra facing right attired in her royal robes and diadem, wearing a necklace probably of large pearls which supports a pendant, the bust surrounded by Greek legend BACILICCA KLEOPATRA THEA NEOTERA = 'The Younger Queen Goddess Cleopatra'. Reverse: Bare head of Marc Antony facing right, surrounded by Greek legend ANTWNIOC AYTOKPATWP TPITON TPIWN ANDPWN = 'Antony Imperator Third Proclamation'. This excessively rare silver tetradrachm is believed by numismatic scholars to have been struck sometime between 36 and 34 BC, most
likely at a mint in Syria where they often Summered. Michael Grant
thinks it most likely that it was struck in 34 BC in connection with the
great Donations of that year, in which Antony conferred much of the
Eastern Mediterranean in a whole series of titles, territories and
overlordships upon Cleopatra and her children. References: Michael Grant,
Cleopatra, 1992, Barnes & Noble, pps. 168, 175 where he discusses the facts surrounding the issuance of this
coin. Also, Burnett, Amandry & Ripolles, Roman Provincial Coinage, Volume I, # 4094, published jointly by
the British Museum Press and the Bibliotech National, 1992. Grade: Fine. The tragic love story of Marc Antony and Cleopatra has been told
and retold since antiquity by everyone from Plutarch through
Shakespeare to Hollywood. The suicides of Antony and Cleopatra in
August, 30 BC brought an end not only to the Ptolemaic Dynasty in
Egypt, but to the entire Hellenistic age. Thenceforth Rome was
master of the whole Mediterranean and the great age of Imperial
Rome commenced. (see the coin of Octavian listed directly below for the victorious Roman ruler's commemoration of their defeat!)
In spite of their fame, few coins depicting the portraits of both
Antony and Cleopatra were struck, and of those struck the current
type is the finest, the largest and the rarest. Coins with good
portraits of Cleopatra are especially rare. In fact surviving
contemporary portraits of Cleopatra in any medium are rare, and
coins like the current example, engraved as they were during her
lifetime under joint authority with Antony, give us one of the best
representations of how she and Antony actually appeared. Here we
see the strong features of the virile, impetuous Antony, bareheaded
and ready to plunge into some grand new earth-shaking endeavor,
and on the obverse, the stately elegant bust of Cleopatra, attired in
her royal robes and jewelry. An extraordinary face, haughty,
arrogant, ruthless, but clearly of great intelligence and
commanding presence. Without doubt this coin type has one of the finest
numismatic portraits of both Marc Antony and Cleopatra extant. This example though with the wear normally found still has clear portraits of both rulers and as such is worthy of the best collections. An extremely rare coin with only 44 examples known to RPC.
4986. OCTAVIAN, 28 BC. Denarius, 3.31 gm., RSC 3. /AEGYPTO CAPTA, Crocodile r. This is the historic denarius issued by Octavian (later called Augustus) to commemorate his capture of Egypt and the defeat and deaths of Antony and Cleopatra. After the famous Ides of March Denarius issued by Brutus, this is without a doubt one of the most historically significant and sought after of all Roman Imperial coins, and a wonderful complement to the Antony and Cleopatra tetradrachm above. VF.
4987. AUGUSTUS, UNPUBLISHED. AR Denarius, BMC_, Sutherland_, RSC_, HRIC_, Sear_. CAESAR behind his hd. r./AVCVESTVS above bull r. VF. Unpublished. Excessively rare. This appears to be an engraver's error with a superfluous E in the word AVGVSTVS. Neither this error nor this obverse die are recorded by Sutherland in his study of these coins in Revue Numismatique 1974, but the style of this coin on both sides closely matches that of the dies he publishes (pl. V). Note: This coin has been purchased with the intention of eventual donation to the British Museum collection as it is a variety missing from their collection.
4988. CARACALLA, 196-217 AD. AR Denarius, HRIC 73. /Caracalla stg. l. holding spear and parazonium, one bound captive to the l. and two river gods leaning on urns – one to the l. and one to r. This issue refers to Caracalla's bravery in military operations, which probably involved the construction of bridges across several rivers or possibly the erection of forts. The year of issue, 207 AD, he was either along the Danube , or possibly in Britain preparing for the coming campaign. EF. Scarce and interesting type.
4989. GETA, AS CAESAR, 198-209 AD. AR Denarius, HRIC 34/1. /PRINC IVVENT, Geta stg. l. holding branch and spear, a trophy behind him. Choice EF example. Interesting type. Surface considerably better than image shows.
4990. GETA, AS AUGUSTUS, 209-212 AD. AR Denarius, HRIC 12/1. Scarce portrait of Geta wearing heavy beard/Fortuna std. r. EF. Interesting type struck in 211 after his return from the British wars and not long before his murder by his brother Caracalla. He is rarely portrayed with a heavy beard on his coinage. Surface considerably better than image shows.
4991. MAXIMINUS, 235-238 AD. AR Denarius. /Pax stg. EF.
4992. TRAJAN DECIUS, 249-251. Antoninianus. /Dacia stg. l. with dragon headed staff. EF. Choice nicely toned, well centered example with fine detail on rv.
