Not an aureus but still an Eid Mar

A wonderful coin! Congratulations!

 

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New jigsaw, thanks @AncientJoe .

 

Joe, congrats on the acquisition. I'm sure I'm not the only one here who slapped their head when reading "my upgraded EID MAR".

 

Wow, words can't describe that, and two to boot! Congrats!

 

@AncientJoe I've been entertaining my relatives recently about my CT correspondent who bought this coin. some are just amazed at the hammer price but most are fascinated by the story as well. Congratulations.

Here's my only JC:

Ex. Superior Pipito Sale, Dec. 1987
RRC 485/1
43 BC - After Caesar's assassination
Bankers mark on wreath and test cut but otherwise pretty nice example.

 

A truly magnificent coin, it will have a lovely"home" in your supberb collection.
John

 

Congrats - an amazing coin to own & Thanks for letting us all gawk. Here's my most recent Brutus:

Q. Servilius Caepio (M. Junius) Brutus, 54 BC, AR Denarius, Rome mint
Obv: Head of Libertas right
Rev: The consul L. Junius Brutus walking left between two lictors, each carrying axe over shoulder, preceded by an accensus, BRU[TUS] in exergue
Ref: Crawford 433/1

 

That's an incredible JC portrait on your coin!

 

@AncientJoe, entirely leaving aside the fame and value and historical importance of your coin, it's truly beautiful. That toning! In fact, between you and me, it's far prettier than the aureus. Which is not by any means the most beautiful ancient gold coin I've seen.

 

If this is your only JC, I think you're doing exceptionally well! The portrait and condition are superb (bankers marks are part of the coin's history and not an issue in my eyes).

 

Presently, it is sitting on my desk but will be locked away soon, unfortunately!

I stopped by the Agora table twice to get more of these at NYINC. I'm disappointed there won't be a show this year!

 

Remarkable AJ, not only the coin itself as a type, but as an individual specimen. It's beautifully preserved, and will make a superb centrepiece of a superb collection.

 

Thank you @AncientJoe, As a young collector I asked Victor England to represent me live at the Pepito auction. I had enough money for maybe one or two coins. At the auction, he examined the lots on my list and highly recommended that I go for this one. His advice was well worth the very small commission I paid him.

 

Congrats @AncientJoe on a fabulous acquisition.
Seeing your pictures, I can't but agree with @DonnaML : it's far better than the aureus, and it will leave you some pocket change to get some other coins as gorgeous as this one !

Sadly, I don't have any Brutus coin yet, but can contribute with a few of Caesar's









Thank you so much for sharing your treasures with us

Q

 

Absolutely stunning coin! Congratulations on your addition to your wonderful collection.

 

Great coin...this is one thread where you won't see that many other examples posted I think.

 

I remember this Pawn Stars episode... link: https://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=EID+MAR+sold+on+pawn+stars&&view=detail&mid=A4C2207ECE08341460D7A4C2207ECE08341460D7&&FORM=VRDGAR&ru=/videos/search?q=EID+MAR+sold+on+pawn+stars&go=Search&qs=n&form=QBFVBC&sp=-1&pq=eid+mar+sold+on+pawn+stars&sc=0-26&sk=&cvid=584CEA1A409E46729C9F24060A598FDF

 

Victor has also been instrumental in shaping my collection and my tastes. He is a wonderful mentor!

 

@AncientJoe - my congratulations also. There has been much written on
whether Brutus putting his portrait on a coin was sheer hyprocracy
- do you have a view ?

My Brutus



Cr. 433.1

 

Thanks, and, that's a beautiful example of the type! Yes, Brutus minting coins in his own image after Julius Caesar's controversial portrait coinage is very hypocritical and in stark contrast to Cassius' coinage.

CNG wrote a nice blurb on this topic recently:

"The Senate's resolution to declare him a 'public enemy' on 28 November 44 BC was soon repealed and in February 43 BC, he was appointed governor of Crete, the Balkan provinces, and later Asia. Suspecting the intentions of Antony and Octavian, Brutus went to Macedonia and won the loyalty of its governor, Hortensius, and there levied an army and seized much of the funds prepared by Caesar for his Parthian expedition.

Successful against the Bessi in Thrace, he was hailed imperator by his troops, but after the establishment of the triumvirate in November 43 BC, he was outlawed again and joined forces with Cassius at Sardes. In the summer of 42 BC, they marched through Macedonia and in October met Octavian on the Via Egnatia just outside Philippi and won the first battle. Cassius, as his conservative coins show, remained true to the old republican cause, while Brutus followed the self-advertising line of Antony in the new age of unashamed political propaganda and struck coins displaying his own portrait.

Brutus' estrangement from Cassius was effectively complete when this remarkably assertive coin was struck extolling the pileus or cap of liberty (symbol of the Dioscuri, saviors of Rome, and traditionally given to slaves who had received their freedom) between the daggers that executed Caesar. In an ironic twist of fate, Brutus committed suicide during the second battle at Philippi on 23 October 42 BC, using the dagger with which he assassinated Caesar."