FrizzyAntoine's Top 10 (+1) Roman Republican Coins of 2021

So, it’s that time of year again. The snow is falling and the trees have swapped their thick autumn coats for a pale frosty glaze (in most places anyways) and it’s time to recap a year numismatically (and otherwise) well-spent. I have two lists to share this year, of which this is the first, as my purchases were split roughly 60/40 between two major categories in 2021 – Greek and Roman Republican, respectively. This was largely the result of two major forces in my life. The first is a desire to explore, for the first time in a numismatic capacity, this incredibly interesting area which I have an otherwise relatively firm grasp upon historically, and which mirrors our own times so well. The second driving force is a tad more mundane and material – the prices of Greek coins have been nothing short of spectacular this year (and not necessarily in a positive way), so I was forced to be more judicious when partaking in that market, with good opportunities in large Greek silver fewer and farther between than republican denarii. This list will detail my top 10+1 Roman Republican Denarii, most of which are of important individuals and events in the history of the Republic, with the majority minted under the direct authority of such individuals at far-flung (from Rome) military mints. Some of these are empirically beautiful and some are quite far from it, but they are all very nearly equally intriguing, and so the list proved quite tough to put in order. The eleventh meanwhile is a something of an eyesore, but the historicity is second to none. Concerning the list itself, I have had much less free time in recent days to craft a list than I did in 2020, so each coin will have a rather scanty blurb in lieu of the write-up it would otherwise merit. I hope you enjoy, and please vote on your personal favourites and comment with your thoughts and coins below.


+1. P. Sepullius Macer Julius Caesar Portrait Denarius (44 BCE)

+1 Caesar Dictator In Perpetuity by FrizzyAntoine posted Dec 15, 2021 at 4:01 PM

Related to perhaps the most important persona of the whole list, this coin is the ugliest denarius I purchased this year, yet also one of the most important and significant types historically. Minted in the final few weeks of Julius Caesar’s tenure as Perpetual Dictator (and life), and being the first roman coin minted within the city to feature a living ruler’s face, this type captures perfectly the political maelstrom that defined the final decades of the Roman Republic. When considering it only set me back $100, I really can’t complain about the condition, and the intrinsic historicity more than makes up for the superficial shortcomings.

10. L. Cornelius Sulla Military Mint Denarius (Italy, 83 BCE)

10. Sulla Marches on Rome by FrizzyAntoine posted Dec 15, 2021 at 4:01 PM

Minted within Italy at a mobile mint accompanying Sulla’s legions as he marched on Rome, this coin is one of the first in a series of military issues that would come to dominate Roman coinage over the following half-century. Throwing away any notion of loyalty to the Republic, this type sends a very clear message to the soldiers who would have been paid with it - they owe their allegiance to Sulla, and he is the one paying their wages.

9. Gnaeus Nerius Consular Issue Denarius (49 BCE)

9. Nerius Urban Quaestor by FrizzyAntoine posted Dec 15, 2021 at 4:01 PM

Minted as Caesar crossed the Rubicon, this type was part of a very short-lived and urgent issue intended to pay newly-mustered Pompeian recruits as Caesar marched south to Rome with his Thirteenth Legion. Mirroring the strangeness of the times, the coin is unique in a number of ways. It uses the consular dating scheme, does not refer to a moneyer, and instead notes the authority of Gnaeus Nerius the Urban Quaestor in charge of the Roman treasury within the Temple of Saturn – which coincidentally would have been where the silver needed to make these was sourced from.

8. P. Cornelius Lentulus Marcellinus Marcellus Portrait Denarius (50 BCE)

8. Marcullus Portrait by FrizzyAntoine posted Dec 15, 2021 at 4:01 PM

A more traditional and normal late-Republican type, this one is intriguing for the wonderful portrait of Marcus Claudius Marcellus, a great hero of the Republic who served Rome through the First Punic War, The Gallic War of 225 BCE, and the Second Punic War. Marcellus was the only Roman recorded to have undoubtedly achieved the Spolia Opima – when a Roman general slays the enemy general in single combat – and went on to serve as consul for an unprecedented five terms, steering Rome through the aftermath of the disaster of Cannae alongside his colleague Quintus Fabius Maximus.

7. Q. Cassius Longinus Denarius (55 BCE)

7. Cassius Vesta by FrizzyAntoine posted Dec 15, 2021 at 4:01 PM

While this coin doesn’t relate to an important individual it was almost certainly the most beautiful republican coin added to my collection this year. Despite being minted under the authority of a less important moneyer and within the city itself at a comparatively mundane point in time (though, frankly there was never a dull day in Roman history, certainly not in the final century of the Republic) this type is still quite interesting. The obverse shows a beautifully rendered portrait of Vesta, meanwhile the reverse shows her temple as it would have stood in the centre of the Roman Forum at the time.

6. M. Porcius Cato Military Mint Denarius (Africa, 47-46 BCE)

6. Cato Uticensis by FrizzyAntoine posted Dec 15, 2021 at 4:06 PM

Minted in Africa under the authority of Cato the Younger, a stalwart traditionalist like his Grandfather and namesake, this type is somewhat difficult to find with a complete legend, a criterion that was paramount to me. A stoic and Caesar’s most formidable opponent after Pompey Magnus, Cato waged an ultimately unsuccessful campaign to preserve the old Republic, a dream which finally died on the plains near Thapsus. A short while later Cato, who was stationed nearby with the garrison of Utica, took his own life rather than accept a pardon from Caesar, trading his life in place of his principles. This act of fortitude earned him the cognomen Uticensis, meaning ‘The Utican’, an honour that was normally reserved for a victorious general, for example Scipio Africanus.

5. Q. Caecillius Metellus Pius Scipio Military Mint Denarius (Africa, 47-46 BCE)

5. Metellus iin Africa by FrizzyAntoine posted Dec 15, 2021 at 4:06 PM

Less well-known and certainly not as well-regarded as Cato, his primary ally in Africa was Quintus Caecilius Metellus Pius Scipio, the last great Scipio in history, and something of a dimmed candle compared to his illustrious forebears. This issue was minted as part of a series of very interesting denarii, many which illustrate interesting local African deities. The obverse of this coin depicts Jupiter with an interesting and aesthetically pleasing series of braids through his hair and beard. On the reverse we see a war elephant, a design meant to evoke his rich family history while also making note of the sixty elephants under his own command.

4. M. Junius Silanus Marcus Antonius Military Mint Denarius (Athens, Summer 32 BCE)

4. Antony in Athens by FrizzyAntoine posted Dec 15, 2021 at 4:06 PM

Minted in the greatest centre of the Hellenic world – Athens – in the summer of 32 BCE, this coin shows Marcus Antonius in the final months before his final confrontation with Octavian, as he was no doubt preparing for what should have been a great victory. The portrait of this type is not the most realistic depiction of Antony, but it does have a certain charm, and this type is made even more interesting by the signature ‘P·’ which can be found subtly worked into the hair behind the ear. The reverse of this type is normally a little boring, so having an incuse of the portrait certainly doesn’t hurt things, and it also speaks to the rushed nature and massive quantities of coinage which were needed to fund the conquest of Rome.

3. L. Servilius Rufus Marcus Junius Brutus Portrait Denarius (43 BCE)

3. Brutus Portrait by FrizzyAntoine posted Dec 15, 2021 at 4:06 PM

Well, it’s certainly not FDC, and it’s no EID MAR, but when a portrait of Brutus himself presents itself at the cost of a dollhouse and not an actual house there’s little else needs saying. While not minted by him, and not explicitly labelled as Brutus, this type was minted in 43 BCE at the height of his power by a partisan of the Liberatores and supporter of Brutus. The portrait is incredibly similar to the portrait of Brutus on the EID MAR series, and I believe it may have been a wise play on part of the moneyer in question to leave some ambiguity as to who it was he depicted on the coin, given the course of the war in the following year.

2. Octavian Military Mint Denarius (Italy, 31-30 BCE)

2. Octavian Brundusium by FrizzyAntoine posted Dec 15, 2021 at 4:06 PM

Love him or hate him, it’s hard to argue that Augustus, née Octavian, was among the most successful rulers in history. This coin is part of a series likely minted in the southern port city of Brundusium, most likely on his victorious return from Actium. The reverses of this series celebrate the victory in a myriad of ways through symbols, trophies, and seated deities, however this one is far less subtle, simply showing Nike, the goddess of victory, standing proud over the globe, and the legend ‘Caesar, Son of the Divine’ makes it very clear whose victory it was. Meanwhile the obverse is breathtaking, with a stunning portrait of the man who would very soon be hailed Augustus, Pater Patriae, Primus Inter Pares. Also noteworthy is that the obverse is anepigraphic – speaking to the fact that there was no need to clarify the subject being portrayed when everyone alive knew there was now a singular victor who held Rome firmly in his grasp at the close of a century of Civil Wars.

1. Sextus Pompeius Pompey Magnus Portrait Denarius (Sicily, 37-36 BCE)

1. Sextus Pompey Portait by FrizzyAntoine posted Dec 15, 2021 at 4:09 PM

The man who would have been Caesar, if there had been no Caesar. Pompey Magnus was a personality more than simply a man, and he certainly grew to be worthy of a cognomen that started as a jest. This coin was minted nearly a decade after Pompey’s own untimely death, under the authority of his son Sextus Pompeius who was at this time the undisputed ruler of Sicily and a veritable thorn in the backside of the Second Triumvirate. The reverse meanwhile depicts the myth of the Catanian Brothers, two pious brothers who saved their elderly parents from a volcanic eruption, and despite being too slow to outrun the lava flows they were spared by the Gods, while the impious people who had ran to save themselves and left their ailing parents and other family behind were burned by the gushing lava. This no doubt is meant to refer directly to Sextus and his brother, who took up the torch of their father’s crusade, a duty which fell solely on Sextus’ shoulders after the death of his elder brother Gnaeus in 45 BCE.

 

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Fantastic additions, I like Pompey Magnus, temple on 7 and 8.

 

Very nice, Frizzy! A great selection of RR coins in 2021.

I voted for numbers 9, 8 & 6, but they're all great.

ATB,
Aidan.

 

Wow! Your list definately needs more attention. I'm glad I look at page 2 too, because you've really acquired some magnificent pieces and of the main characters of the late Roman republic too.
And my favorite by far is the Brutus portrait. Sure, whether or not it is him can be debated, and it's not in best condition, but even the slightest chance of owning a Brutus portrait should be taken without a doubt.
Your other coins are might fine too

 

Thank you both!

Thank you for the kind words, I felt that mid-december would be a good time to post, and it seems so did most others! There are so many other amazing posts at the moment though that I can hardly fault how fast they're moving down from the first page. And I agree fully on the Brutus, it may not be pretty, and it may not be a bulletproof ID, but it's definitely been a standout for me this year.

 

Nice coins, @FrizzyAntoine.

I like your #5,6 and 8. Great to see the coins in video.

 

I too, voted for 7 (absolutely fantastic example) & 8

thanks for sharing

 

Wow, what a magnificent group, and of course they're all in my favorite category of ancient coin! I voted for the beautiful Cassius Vesta/Temple "voting" denarius (high up on my personal want list) (#7), the Metellus Pius Scipio elephant (#5), and the Sextus Pompey Catanaean Brothers (#1) (one of the very few I've seen that comes really close to having the entire design on the flan; the majority are entirely missing one of the two brothers). If I could have voted for a fourth, it might have been #8 for it's wonderful portrait.

My own recently-acquired Metellus Pius Scipio -- he was a descendant of Scipio Africanus, and a Metellus by adoption; his daughter was Pompey's fifth wife, and was previously married to Crassus's son until the unfortunate incident at Carrhae, so he was certainly well-connected despite all the aspersions cast on his military competence! -- probably isn't quite as nice as yours (not that it's a competition!). But I'm very happy with it, and it's definitely going to be on my own final top RR list whenever I get around to posting it:

 

Top notch selections! Hard to argue with your 1, 2, 3, but I like the Cassius Vesta alot too. And that $100 lifetime JC portrait denarius is an excellent score. Congrats!

 

I will echo Z with my choices. In addition to the great coins, I loved the succinct information about each and the in-hand videos. Thanks for putting such effort into the list and congratulations on the your fabulous year .

 

Missed your thread first time around!....Wonderful looking coins and love the little videos bringing each one to life thanks!....Really like #8 Wow what cheek bones and clever engraving (when you look up close)...Obviously #1 and #2 are amazing but I'm with you on the beauty of #7, the Vesta is stunning!...Congrats on a very impressive and beautiful selection.

 

Thank you Donna! You're right that it's not a contest, but if it were I'd say you have me beat! That's an amazing elephant on your example (and the portrait too), and I'm excited to see the rest of your list.

Thank you all for the kind words! I love being able to share my love of ancient coins with others, and this community is such an incredible place to do so. It's been amazing being able to share the joy of collecting with all you fine folks, and I'm hoping there are many more such years ahead!

 

Great coins and way of displaying them : congrats

Q

 

This has been the hardest top 10 to choose from for me. Can't pick just three.

 

A very interesting group, all have diverse strong qualities. The Cassius Vesta is a stunning denarius.

 

Frizzy, You scored some great coins this year , & I like your novel presentation. My favorite is #7, with the breathtaking portrait of Vesta, followed by #1 & 9 .