Finally got myself a coin that portrays Julius Caesar! This denarius was minted under Augustus celebrating the Secular games (Ludi Saeculares) in 17 BC. It's also a bonus that this coin features the famous 'Caesar's Comet', right above Caesar's head. Obv: M SANQVINIVS (moneyer) III VIR, youthful laureate head of the deified Julius Caesar right, above, a comet with four rays and a tail. Rev: AVGVST DIVI F LVDOS SAE, herald or ludius standing left, wearing long robe reaching to ankles and helmet with two long feathers, and holding winged caduceus upright in right hand and round shield with a six pointed star. 2.48g, 17 mm. RIC 340; BMCRE 70; RSC (Julius Caesar) 6; BN 273-4; FFC 4. In the book Natural History, Pliny the Elder talks about how this comet signified a new era when it appeared during the games held in honour of Venus Genetrix, the patron deity of the Julii, and how this event cemented the notion of Augustus claiming himself the 'son of god' or DIVI FILIVS. In the book he quoted Augustus saying "On the very days of my games a comet was visible for seven days in the northern region of the sky. It used to raise about an hour before the dark and was bright and visible from all lands. The general populace believed that this signified Caesar's soul recieved among the spirits of the immortal gods, and this gave rise to the addition of a star to the bust of Caesar that we dedicated soon after in the forum". I was lucky to have come across this coin being listed new in Vcoins from the dealer Marcantica, and although the coin has seen better days, I still snatched it up to satisfy my need for a JC portrait coin that wouldn't make me take a loan Post your coins of JC, or a coin with the Caesar's Comet!
You can never go wrong with a portrait of Caesar. Julius Caesar (February-March 44 B.C) AR Denarius Lifetime Issue O: Wreathed head of Caesar right; CAESAR downward to right, DICT PERPETVO upward to left. R: Venus Victrix standing left, holding Victory in outstretched right hand and vertical scepter in left; L • BVC[A] downwards to right. L. Aemilius Buca, moneyer. Rome Mint 3.92g 17mm Crawford 480/8; Alföldi Type XIV, 62–3, 67, and 69 (A13/R22); CRI 105; Sydenham 1061; RSC 23; RBW 1683.
JULIUS CAESAR AR Denarius OBVERSE: CAESAR IMP, laureate head right, lituus & simpulum behind. REVERSE: M METTIVS, Venus standing left with Victory & scepter, shield resting on globe; control letter G to left Rome January-February 44 BC 3.81g, 18mm RSC 34 ex. Andrew McCabe plugged and ex-mount JULIUS CAESAR AR Denarius OBVERSE: Diademed head of Venus right. REVERSE: CAESAR - Aeneas advancing left, carrying Anchises and palladium Carthage or military mint with Caesar in North Africa, 47 to 46 BC 4.0g, 17mm CRI 55, Sydenham 1013, RRC 458/1, S 1402
Great coin, and I like to comet reference too. I don't have that type, this is my only portrait coin: