A Mark Antony Denarius has it. but it was before Octavian called himself Augustus Why I know AVG is for augustus but why is it on there predating the first Emperor?
When Marcus Aurelius and Lucius Verus made a commemorative coin for Actium, they spelled out augur because the abbreviation would be associated with Augustus at that point. They did the same thing with Antony’s name.
"After the conquest of Gaul in 50 BC, Caesar, who was head of the Roman religion, appointed Antony as an Augur, an importantly priestly office responsible for interpreting the will of the Roman gods by studying the flight of birds. The next year, Antony was elected as one of the ten People’s Tribunes. He had the power to veto any legislation and he used it to Caesar’s advantage" https://learnodo-newtonic.com/mark-antony-facts
This AR Quinarius of Antony and Lepidus further illustrates the augur position that Antony waived to all that would look. Note the depictions of the bird, and the various priestly implements on Antony's side of the coin. Clearly an honor that Antony wanted people to remember.
Another Anthony quinarius. Has a Raven on the obverse. Mark Antony, 44 - 30 B.C., Silverquinarius, ( 15.29 mm 1.80 g) Obv: Lituus, capis, and raven standing left on ground line; M A(N)T IMP above Rev: Victory standing right, holding palm frond, crowning trophy with wreath. Crawford 489/4, Sear CRI 121, RSC I 82, Sydenham 1159, Kestner-Hannover 3716, BMCRR Gaul 36. SRCV I (2000) 1487. Ex: Forvm Ancient Coins July 19, 2016.
And to further make the point... Mark Antony Sol denarius M ANTONIVS M F M N AVGVR IMP TERT around (MP and RT ligatured) Mark Antony, veiled and wearing the priestly robes of an Augur, standing right, holding lituus in right hand. III VIR R P C COS DESIG ITER ET TERT Radiate head of Sol right Athens Summer 38 BC 3.92g Crawford 533/2, Sear Imperators 267 Ex-ANE, Ex-Seaby with original ticket Antony's third Imperatorial acclimation resulted from Ventidius' victory at Gindarus. Antony's depiction in priestly robes of an augur emphasizes the importance which he placed on the possession of this religious office. The word AVGVR features prominently on most of Antony's remaining coinage right down to Actium. No doubt this was to stress his adherence to Republican traditions. Sol is symbolic of the East and shows Antony's personal concern for eastern affairs after the distraction caused by his extended stay in Italy starting in the second half of 40 BC and running almost the whole of the following year
Here are the both of them as Augur and Caesar on one coin... (Notice the ligature in AVG making it look like NG.) MARK ANTONY and OCTAVIAN. M. Barbatius Pollio, quaestor pro praetore. AR Denarius, 19mm, 3.8g, 12h; Ephesus, 41 BC. Obv.: M ANT IMP AVG III VIR R P C M BARBAT Q P; Bare head of Mark Antony right. Rev.: CAESAR IMP PONT III VIR R P C; Bare head of Octavian right.Reference: Crawford 517/2; CRI 243.
So when it says AVG on most Roman imperial coins with an emperor on it, it also means augur? Not Augustus?
I love seeing everyone’s Mark Antony coins by the way. It doesn’t help that I’m currently reading The Tragedy of Julius Caesar.
Last month PBS had a good show about this history play. Sometimes PBS will re- run them. Of course, all this assumes that you are in the US. Worth watching if you can catch it. https://www.pbs.org/wnet/shakespear...ered-series-iii-julius-caesar-with-brian-cox/