A touch of class: another A+ experience with Tauler & Fau/3 RRs w/ 3 gods!

Always excited when a new package arrives. But there are only a few that I always get a little more excited for, expect a little more from, due to time and again the firm impressing me. Tauler & Fau is one such place. Many of my favorite coins come from them.

Today I recieved a package with three more:


Top notch and a certificate of authenticity from a highly respected firm.
That's class.

As good as the beauties look on the old coin cabinet, they will look twice as sweet inside said cabinet

The flatness of the obverse w/Hercules in hand appears to be due to an uneven strike more then wear from ancient use, as witnessed by the detail on the lower half.
But it was the reverse that grabbed my by the gotcha
Facing Roma! Being crowned by the essence of the Roman people:

Cornelius. Pub Cornelius Lentulus Marcellinus. Denarius. 100 BC. Auxiliary mint of Rome. (Ffc-617). (Craw-329 / 1b). (Rsc-478). Anv .: Bust of young Hercules right, turned from spectator, wearing lion's skin, club over shoulder, shield and Latin letter K and dots behind. ROME, below. Rev .: LENT MAR F, (NT and MAR interlace), in exergue. Roma standing facing, being crowned by the Genius of the Roman People, same letter K between them, all within laurel-wreath. Ag. 2.95 g. VF. Purchased from Tauler & Fau 4/2021
"The bust of Hercules must be identified with that of Hercules Respiciens which perhaps underlines the origin of the gens Cornelia (in this case, the father of our monetary) is not unlike the denarius of Tiberius Quinctius ( RCV. 174). For the law, there are two varieties, the second with P E S C for “pecunia erogata senatus consulto” which translates as (currency paid with the agreement of the Senate) which would seem to demonstrate a partition in this monetary issue. Monetary, Publius Cornelius Lentulus Marcellinus, son of Marcus Claudius Marcellus is also the father of Cn و us Lentulus (RRC. 397). On the reverse, the unusual representation of Rome crowned by victory will be repeated later in 74 BC, this time associating the Genius of the Roman people crowned by Victory in the name of Publius Cornelius Lentulus Sphinter.
History: In 100 BC Marius was consul for the sixth time with Lucius Valerius Flaccus. Marius restores order in Rome with the 'ultimum decretum'. Marcus Aquillius triumphs over the second slave revolt in Sicily. July 13, 100 BC is the traditionally accepted date of the birth of Julius Caesar."

100 BCE also being the birth of Julius Caesar. Meaning the first possible year the salad dressing was invented (wait for the punchline. Totally worth it):

(Giving back is the onus of the Novus homo)

Certainly, ever since I first heard about a coin with winged Cupid riding a horned goat I had to have one... but what I didn't expect is such a beautiful obverse portrait. Note the Greek style ROMA monogram:

Fonteius. Mn. Fonteius C.F. Denarius. 85 BC. Auxiliary mint of Rome. (Ffc-717). (Craw-353/1a). (Cal-589). Anv.: Laureate head of Vejovis right, mongram (of ROMA?), below chin, thunderbolt below head. MN. FONTEI. C.F. (MN y NTE interlace), behind. Rev.: Infant winged Genius seated on goat right, caps of the Dioscuri above, thyrsus below, all within laurel-wreath. Ag. 3,68 g. Centered struck. Almost VF. Purchased from Tauler & Fau 4/2021
"The moneyer is perhaps the brother of the moneyer M. Fonteius (see Crawford 347) and not inconceivably the tribune featured on the reverse of Crawford 429/1 (see the coin of P. Fonteius P.f. Capito below).The reverse recalls that the god Jupiter was suckled by the she-goat Amaltheia on Mt. Ida during his infancy, and depicts a statue that was within the Temple of Vejovis in Rome."

And lastly, as a anyone that knows me will tell you, I ain't thrilled if it ain't got that shield.
Here is a very lovely example of a type I've found exceedingly hard to get in good shape

Acilius. Denarius. 125 BC. Rome. (Ffc-92). (Craw-271/1). (Cal-64). Anv.: Head of Roma right, ROMA below, BALBVS, (interlace AL), behind, if below chin, all in laurel-wreath. Rev.: Jupiter and Victory in quadriga right, round Macedonian shield below horses, MN. ACILI. (interlace MN), in exergue. Ag. 3,71 g. Choice VF/VF. Purchased from Tauler & Fau 4/2021
"About this specimen: For this type, Mr. Crawford found an estimate of 20 right corners and 25 reverse corners. This type seems much rarer than D. Sear (RCV) shows.
The representation of the head of Rome in a crown is unusual. On the reverse, the Victory accompanies Jupiter. The shield placed under the quadriga is special, it makes one think of a wheel. These different symbols must refer to a victory won by an ancestor of monetary as noted by D. Sear (RSC), perhaps linked to the defeat of Perseus at Pydna in Macedonia in 168 BC Monetary is possibly the consul in 114 BC
History: The consuls for this year are Marcus Plautius Hypsaeus and Marcus Fulvius Flaccus. The latter proposed to the Senate to grant the Latins the right to vote. The Senate refuses and a revolt breaks out in Fregellae who is put down. The Romans intervene in Gaul."

Not to be confused with the more common Roman soldiers running over the shield.

Here's to silver linings:


So please, post your coins from Tauler y Fau, similar coins, Roman Republic coins are always welcome here and anything else that adds a touch of class (or grey) to this post!

 

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Lovely coins!

 

Spectacular! Fantastic pieces, those cert's are top notch

 

Great acquisitions for the Numophylacium Scoobae!

Here's my Fonteius!


Mn. Fonteius C.f., 85 BC.
Roman AR Denarius, 3.97 g, 21.0 mm, 5h.
Rome mint.
Obv: MN. FONTEI C. F, Laureate head of Apollo-Vejovis right; thunderbolt below; Roma monogram below chin.
Rev: Infant Genius seated right on goat; pilei of the Dioscuri above; below, filleted thyrsus right; all within wreath.
Refs: Crawford 353/1a; Sydenham 724; Fonteia 9; BMCRR 2476; RCV 271; Varesi 290.

 

My example of the Mn. Fonteius type:

Roman Republic, Mn. Fonteius C.f., AR Denarius, Rome Mint 85 BCE. Obv. Laureate head of Apollo* right, MN. FONTEI behind (MN and NT in monograms), C.F below chin, thunderbolt below neck / Rev. Cupid or winged Infant Genius seated on goat right, caps (pilei) of the Dioscuri above, thyrsus of Bacchus below; all within laurel-wreath. RSC I Fonteia 10 (ill.), Crawford 353/1c, Sydenham 724a, Sear RCV I 271 (ill.), BMCRR Rome 2478. 20 mm, 3.93 g.



* Regarding the identity of the obverse portrait, RSC I identifies it as the head of Vejovis; Crawford and Sear disagree and identify the head as Apollo. Personally, I have no idea, although I do wonder: since when is Apollo associated with thunderbolts?

 

Lovely coins.

And I agree, certain dealers up the ante with packaging which makes unboxing them a pleasure.

 

Lol! I see what you did and I like it!
There's something just so adorable about how the little Cupid is leaning back Just like a kid on an amusement park ride having the time of his life
I appreciate both of you posting your examples. As I see my Apollo lacks the Little Lord Fontleroy locks that yours and @DonnaML 's have.

Speaking of Donna's coin, talk about a stunning example

And great question My understanding is that he is another example of the Romans cultural appropriation from their predecessor, the Etruscans. Another Roman Mashup.
"Oh, they had a pretty boy with a lightening bolt. We have a pretty boy. We'll give him a lightening bolt. Aaaaand assimilation complete"


For me, the bigger question is, how is that NOT Cupid?? Often described as "Infant Genius"... of what? And why would it have wings??? Just drink a red bull or something. It's gotta be Cupid... right?

 

Yep! "Scooby's coin cabinet."

 

Three great coins, @Ryro! The reverse scene on the Marcellinus is appealingly bizarre, who can resist that cupid (though I haven't found the one for me yet!), and congrats on the scarce Acilius!

Google translate does tend to have problems with numismatic terminology, eh?

A Macedonian shield coin for you (well, to look at, that is!) from the year before your Balbus:

T. Quinctius Flamininus, 126 BC, Crawford 267/1

 

I've only made good experiences with Tauler&Fau, too. I also agree that their certificates are a nice gimmick. Although they don't make a coin more or less authentic, the certificates certainly are a good way to give a document of the auction provenance. This might come in handy for their customers should they ever decide to sell their auction wins again.

Here is may latest win from Tauler&Fau (from November 2020):

Roman Republic, moneyer: M. Nonius Sufenas, AR denarius, 59 BC, Rome mint. Obv: S·C SVFENAS; head of Saturn r.; behind, harpa and conical stone (baetylus). Rev: PR·L·V·P·F; SEX·NONI: Roma seated l. on pile of armour, holding sceptre in r. hand and sword in l. hand; behind, Victory holding palm-branch in l. hand and crowning Roma with r. hand. Ref: RRC 421/1. 19mm, 3.92g. Ex Tauler y Fau, e-auction 69, lot 2150.

 

I'm glad you like my example of the Fonteius, @Ryro, and I completely agree with you. I don't understand the impulse to identify the winged child on the goat as someone other than Cupid. I have another denarius from less than ten years later for which there's a similar disagreement as to whether the winged child (this time riding a dolphin) is Cupid or a so-called "Infant Genius," and for which I think it should be similarly obvious that the child is simply Cupid:

Roman Republic, L Lucretius Trio, AR Denarius, 76 BCE. Obv. Laureate head of Neptune right, XXXIII above and trident behind/ Rev. Cupid (or Infant Genius) on dolphin right; L LVCRETIVS TRIO. Crawford 390/2, Sydenham 784, RSC I Lucretia, Sear RCV I 322 (ill.), Harlan, RRM I Ch. 16 at pp. 98-103, BMCRR Rome 3247. 19 mm., 3.9 g.


If you zoom in, you should be able to see how much Cupid is enjoying himself -- there's a big grin on his face.

 

Great looking coins!!....I buy from Tauler & Fau a lot and as you've said are a very professional company....They're also just down the road so postage is easy.
Here's a couple of Jaume II from them..