I havent been posting any of my new additions since they hardly get any replies nowadays but I will make an exception just for this one. I acquired this coin here on CT for a reasonable price. I never thought I would own a caesar coin of any sort so this was a nice jewel to add. I still would like a portrait denarius of him but im still young. Originally in a NGC slab as shown, but the next photo is the coin slab free & able to breath, even plastic cant contain caesar. Julius Caesar (Died 44 B.C.) AR Denarius O: CAESAR below elephant right trampling on snake. R: Emblems of the pontificate – culullus (cup) or simpulum (ladle), sprinkler, axe and apex (priest's hat). Military Mint, Traveling with Caesar 49 B.C. 3.96g 18.5mm RSC I 49, SRCV I 1399, Sydenham 1006, Crawford 443/1
Freedom!!!!!!!!! That coin wanted to be cracked out. Nice coin, you guys are going to make me collect ancients one of these days.
Nice Caesar, Mat. A type I do not have. To keep yours company, here is mine, a portrait type by Sepullius Macer. The most common of the type, somewhat weakly struck but nice nonetheless.
Oddly enough, I have one just like it, from Forum Ancient Coins: Julius Caesar - Denarius - Elephant Elephant right trampling on serpent / CAESAR Emblems of the pontificate: Struck: BC 49-48, Travelling with Caesar Size: 18.7mm Weight: 3.99gm Catalog: RSC I 49
Sweet pickup Mat. Its a coin that non-collectors will love. I have a few like that intentionally, mainly bought to actually interest a non-collector. Cleo VII, Antony, Nero are other types that have the same name recognition factor with the general public. I love seeing it breathe fresh air. Good for you man.
Lol, I owe it to the ancient collectors here tempting me to their side, its a satisfying drug that U.S. didnt fill
Lets not even go about your collection. You have an exceptional eye for these "dark side" beauties....LOL
Lol, thanks. But there is several collectors here who out do mine by leaps and bounds, I collect on a fairly tight budget, which U.S. coins didnt allow unless it was all VG based or problem Plus each ancient is unique since their hand struck, whereas moderns dont have that luxury unless its a error or something :/
Interest in ancients here on CT seems to have been falling off. Perhaps this nice Caesar thread will help. Probably the easiest Antony portrait to find is the two headed issue with Octavian. Mine is a fourree and not at all nice but solid ones turn up regularly but are not cheap. If you want an Antony portrait that is even more expensive, get the two headed one with Cleopatra.
I wonder about the symbolism in the coin. The most famous example of Ancient elephants used in battle was by the Carthaginian general Hannibal, as far as my reading goes, Rome never used elephants in battle. In modern days the elephant is the symbol of the Republican party, but Caesar to all intents and purposes was the death knell for the Roman Republic. The snake is a pretty universal symbol of something low and reptillian, was the coin produced after the Civil war, or before during Caesars Gallic campaigns. I am not conversant with the pontifical symbols on the coin, I had read that Caesar was made Pontiff, more or less as a sort of way for Sulla to dispose of a person from the political scene. But as to the symbolisms depicted I would like to learn more.
Nice one Doug, I would be happy with any portrait of Antony. Saw one of him & Octavian just posted on a dealers site in the $400s but thats too much for me at this time. Oh and the reason there hasnt been much ancient talk is some of us are discouraged by the lack of replies when we make them @Chip This is what is written about the elephant/caesar coin:
