Celebrating Independence - Julius Caesar Denarius Military Mint.

Great OP Caesar Elephant!! And nice too see the great herd following!! I agree there ain't no bad JC's

 

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Someone mentioned Skinny elephants before. Then I remembered this post above and below. I was always a big fan of this one. Also one of the best of types I have seen.

https://www.cointalk.com/attachments/caesar-denarius-elephant-nac-5-2012-jpg.545196/

 

..if no one answered ya, the "skinny" elephant ones were minted in Iberia,(and possibly other places) where the peeps weren't familiar with the critter

 

Great coins everyone! Happy 4th to those celebrating... and if you're not well I hope you have a nice day all the same. Maybe get a little festive and eat something "American" grab a beer and shoot off some fireworks!

Heck or just go @4to2centBC 's route and pick up a J.C. denarius!

 

i'm tellin' ya i could kick my azz for not being in the know about these types when i had the money and the chance to get one!

 

Thanks, @gregarious!

 

I went the other route and got myself a portrait denarius. Then I got a Venus/Trophy type, and now it's going to be some time before I can bring myself to shell out for an elephant. Big mistake... they seem to be getting pricier all the time. Yours is a really fantastic example. I see you went with "gallic carnyx" description. Do I dare suggest we see a discussion here about carnyx vs serpent like we did for the T. Carisius Vulcan's cap vs reverse die punch ?

My portrait denarius is from the collection of the late scholar of Parthian coinage, David Sellwood. I like to think he acquired it as a representative example of the coins Caesar was striking in Rome in preparation for the massive campaign against the Parthians he was planning to launch just prior to his murder.

 

Ha! I thought about that...........but decided against it.......it's a holiday.

 

Damn, I thought this was so, so , so familiar. Now I know why. Potator.... I had no idea

http://www.forumancientcoins.com/gallery/displayimage.php?album=302&pos=6

 

@zumbly

Makes sense to me.

https://www.theguardian.com/science/2012/dec/11/france-gaul-carnyx-instrument-find

 

Well not to be completely left out; this isn't a denarius but it is a legitimate Julius Caesar portrait, abeit one struck postumously in 38 BC. The denomination is variously called an As or a Sestersius: I don't know the state of current research. The reverse [obverse?] of the coin is Octavian and it was struck to boster his claim as Caesar's adopted son and heir to his estate. It has a much stronger pix of Octavian than the childish looking ones struck by Marc Anthony (which I also have).

This one I bought years ago as a cost savings way to avoid an expensive portrait denarius. This is ex. Numismatic Fine Arts auction, 1990, for which I paid $950. [don't recall if that's with or without commission]. It has the advantage of having good clear legends both sides with no damage, completely original surfaces, but is not one of the killer high grade pieces which exist and occasionally appear at auction. Also Roman bronze has kind of died price-wise so this coin never really appreciated. I need to find the exact province; if anyone knows where I can research NFA catalogs I'd really appreciate it.

 

Is that an imitation issue? I have not seen one with the devices that crude.

 

No, it is official and of style that has been linked by hoard and find evidence to a mint location in northern Spain or southern France, but it has some flattening due to it having been test cut and damaged apparently shortly after it was minted. Unlike the Romans who generally took care when applying banker's marks, the Iberians seemingly used big chisels and in many cases broke the coin or cut completely through it. In this case the coin survived intact but with severe flattening

 

Here is another

AUGUSTUS (OCTAVIAN)
AE Dupondius
OBVERSE: CAESAR DIVI F, bare head of Octavian right
REVERSE: DIVOS IVLIVS, wreathed head of Julius Caesar right
Gallic or Italian mint 38 BC
30mm; 17.90 g
CR535/v1, RPC620v

 

Congratulations on your new elephant, 4to2!

I have 4 of them; one for each main style type as I see them. I see you also posted my one of my favorite coins (and favorite elephant ex RBW). I also have one that reminds me a lot of yours as you'll see...



Happy 4th!!

 

4to2 and all, awesome JC coins!

~Doug

 

you are a reason these things cost so much. you hoard some of the best examples.....

btw I will bury this story here, for those who want a completely unrelated story about Roman concrete technology. A mini diversion for those who have kept coming back to this thread.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news...t-to-stop-rising-seas/?utm_term=.2d367ae1adea

 

Here are my JC military mint denarii, elephants and all....

 

Great coins all

 

A follow up Well, Ritter does it right. I forgot that they did the laminated card.



And to address the topic of how a photo can enhance or detract from a coins 'look' and what you are willing to pay. I can unequivocally state that I would have paid the full price of this coin if I had seen it in hand. Probably a lot more. I thought the coin might have a slightly porous surface and/or slightly weak strike. But the surfaces are perfect and the strike is strong except for the tip of the trunk, but you need a loop to notice it.

Dealer made money and they have a very happy customer.

Win-win

Btw they are I-Phone photos.