According to Wikipedia: “The sestertius was introduced c. 211 BC as a small silver coin valued at one-quarter of a denarius (and thus one hundredth of an aureus).” I have never seen a Sestertius with Julius Caesar on it. Does anyone know if they exist?
There are sestercii from Julius Caesar's time. http://numismatics.org/crro/results?q=fulltext:sestertius If you ignore the first 10 results, as those are long before Caesar's time, the next ones correspond to 49-44 BC. But if you mean a Sestertius with Caesar's portrait, I am not aware of one like this. There are also coins like https://www.acsearch.info/search.html?id=5430072 https://www.acsearch.info/search.html?id=1077654 But struck much after Caesar's death.
This one was $380 + taxes https://www.numisbids.com/n.php?p=lot&sid=2877&lot=280 So if you want one in an exceptional quality, it will be a little complicated (presuming one will appear someday)
The posthumous issues (Divus Julius Caesar, etc) are interesting. I wonder, if any sestertii, bronze or silver, were minted during the lifetime of Julius Caesar, which have Julius Caesar's portrait on them. I looked in Sear Volume I, and I didn't see any.
It does have the size, weight, tone and metal of a Sestertius of the time of Commodus: CAESAR DIVI F - bare head of Octavian right DIVOS IVLIVS - wreathed head of Julius Caesar right Sestertius (?), southern Italy, 38 b.C. 30,21 mm / 19,73 gr RPC 620; Crawford 535/1; Sear (Roman Imperators) 308; FITA, pp. 49-50 and pl. i, 14; Sydenham 1335; BMCRR Gaul 106; Babelon Julia 98-9; Cohen I, p. 22, 3 Ex Roma Numismatics E-Sale 69, 16.04.2020, Lot 877 Here is my writeup on the type and it´s religious aspects: https://www.cointalk.com/threads/ne...ronze-caesar-divi-filius.361995/#post-4584848
I do not know of a single lifetime portrait bronze coin of Julius Caesar. Here is my example of posthumous issue by Octavian with Julius Caesar portrait . Octavian and Divus Julius Caesar . Æ Sestertius or Dupondius. 38 BC . 30 mm , 20.80 grams . Italian (?) mint . Obverse : CAESAR DIVI F, bare head of Octavian right . Reverse : DIVOS IVLIVS, wreathed head of Divus Julius Caesar right . Crawford 535/1; Sydenham 1335; RPC 620
It is my understanding that the only portrait coins of Julius Caesar minted in Rome during his lifetime were denarii of this type: JULIUS CAESAR 100 - 44 B.C. AR Denarius (4.05 gm) Rome early Mar. 44 B.C. Crawford 480/11 CAESAR DICT PERPETVO Wreathed head of Caesar Rev. P SEPVLLIVS MACER Venus stg. L. holding Victory & scepter resting on star.
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
I think there are some aureus coins with him on them too right? Like this one? I’m not sure if it was minted posthumously or not though.
No, there are no portrait aurei of Julius Caesar minted in Rome during his lifetime. The coin you illustrate above features Pietas or Vesta on the obverse. Here is a portrait aurei of Julius Caesar minted by Octavian after Caesar's assassination: Note that Julius Caesar is on the reverse on this coin. OCTAVIAN & JULIUS CAESAR AV Aureus (8.15 g.) Mint moving w/Octavian late summer-autumn 43 B.C. Crawford 490/2 Bare head of Octavian right; C CAESAR COS PO(NT) (AV)G. Rev. C CAESAR DICT PERP PO(NT) (MA)X around wreathed head of Julius Caesar right
Thankfully they are fairly common. In demand, yes, but availability is pretty high. I have gotten two of them in group lots over the years. Cool coins, nice and hefty like a late 2nd century sestertius.
