A serious candidate for yearly top 10

Discussion in 'Ancient Coins' started by ambr0zie, May 23, 2022.

  1. ambr0zie

    ambr0zie Dacian Taraboste

    Hello ladies and gentlemen,

    After a short hiccup from FedEx, the coin I was eagerly waiting arrived.
    A perfect example of a coin with a low degree of rarity but big historical importance and very desirable (at least for me), even if the coin condition is not perfect (but not bad at all, again in my opinion).

    I saw this coin 2 weeks before the auction and tried to approximate a hammer price. These are desirable for obvious reasons, but the imperfect condition made me hope it will remain under radar. And I had a pleasant surprise - there was almost no competition for it so I won it with a very convenient price.

    upload_2022-5-23_9-36-55.png


    Q. Servilius Caepio (M. Junius) Brutus 54 BC. Rome
    Denarius AR
    20 mm, 2,74 g
    [LIBERTAS], bust of Libertas to right / Consul L. Junius Brutus, between two lictors, preceded by accensus, all walking to left; [BRVTVS] in exergue.
    Crawford 433/1; BMCRR Rome 3862; RSC Junia 31.

    I don't think you will find too many people unfamiliar at least a little with Brutus. He remained in the popular culture as the symbol of treason. Some consider him a republican role model, opposing tyranny.
    But anyway he was a key person in 1st century BC history of Rome, being first a triumvir monetalis (one of the three persons responsible for producing coins) and left us iconic coins - he designed a denarius with the portraits of his paternal ancestor Lucius Junius Brutus and maternal ancestor Gaius Servilius Ahala, both of whom were widely recognised in the late Republic as defenders of liberty (expelling the kings and killing Spurius Maelius). And also the denarius I bought, with the same Lucius Junius Brutus, the 6th century BC consul who expelled Tarquinius Superbus.

    Another reason I wanted this coin is the reverse - this was copied on another coin I like a lot (that will mostly remain just a dream) - the Koson gold stater.

    upload_2022-5-23_9-56-36.png

    Please post Brutus coins, favorite RR coins, heavy symbolism coins or anything you feel relevant.
     
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  3. Mr.MonkeySwag96

    Mr.MonkeySwag96 Well-Known Member

    I’ve yet to own a coin of Brutus. If I was to own a coin of his, it would be the consul and lictors type. Obviously the consul and lictors type is the least expensive of Brutus’s coins. However that reverse type is iconic and depicts Brutus’s ancestor, the founder of the Republic. Not everybody has the wallet to own an Eid Mar denarius, but a person of modest means can save up for a consul/lictors denarius.

    Here are some relevant coins from the Imperatorial period:

    Julius Caesar, the tyrant that Brutus assassinated on the Ides of March:

    [​IMG]

    3.16g, 17mm Diademed head of Venus right Aeneas advancing left, holding plladium and carrying Anchises on his shoulder. "CAESAR" RSC 12

    Marc Antony, one of Brutus’s opponents at the Battle of Philippi:

    [​IMG]

    Mark Antony Legionary Ar denarius, 32-31 BC. Military mint moving with Antony. ANT AVG[III] VI R.R.P.C, praetorian galley to r., rev., Aquila between two signa; LEG XXI across fields (RSC 58). 3.5g, diameter 1.8g

    Octavian/Augustus, another of Brutus’s opponents at the Battle of Philippi:

    [​IMG]

    AUGUSTUS 27 BC - AD 14 AR Denarius. 3.51g, 19.3mm MINTED: Lugdunum (Lyon) mint, 15 BC REF: RIC I 167a; Lyon 19; RSC 137 OBVERSE: AVGVSTVS DIVI F, bare head right. REVERSE: Bull butting right, left forefoot raised, lashing his tail; IMP • X in exergue.
     
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  4. Al Kowsky

    Al Kowsky Well-Known Member

    Ozie, The popularity & high prices of the Brutus denarii, Crawford 433/1, have been driven by the Koson staters. High grade Crawford 433/1 denarii will cost as much or more than a Koson stater :mad:. Heritage auctioned the example pictured below for $780.00 two years ago, & on the current market would probably sell for considerably more. I think the NGC grade is very generous :smuggrin:.

    HA 97170  NGC slab.jpg
    NGC 4884081-006, Morris Collection.jpg

    If you ever decide to pull the trigger on a Koson stater be sure to get one with the monogram in the left field ;). The example you pictured is not nearly as desirable. Photo courtesy of Heritage.

    There is another important part to the equation of these coins, Crawford 398/1. These denarii are very rare & virtually untouchable :(. The example pictured below was auctioned at Nomos 1 for over $20,000.00 :eek:!

    Nomos 1, lot 133, 5 May 2009, 18,000 CHF.jpg
    Q. Pomponius Rufus, 70 BC. AR Denarius: 3.76 gm, 20 mm, 9 h. Photo courtesy of Nomos AG.
    The reverse of this denarius clearly inspired the design on the reverse of the Koson stater :cool:.
     

    Attached Files:

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  5. ambr0zie

    ambr0zie Dacian Taraboste

    Very interesting! I was not aware of the denarius you posted, so technically speaking the Koson staters are mules.
    I remain a budget collector so many coins are out of my reach. I am perfectly fine with this, there is a large pool to choose from.
    Was also aware that the lictors denarius is not rare, but highly desirable. I paid 80 EUR plus taxes. I consider this more than decent.
     
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  6. Curtisimo

    Curtisimo the Great(ish)

    Nice score @ambr0zie ! That’s a Top 10 type coin for sure.

    Here are my relevant examples.
    6F5BCE38-8D4B-4562-AAB7-4DF1E21EA193.jpeg
    303F44B2-8D83-4D03-B6E2-A5A16AB8B977.jpeg
     
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  7. ambr0zie

    ambr0zie Dacian Taraboste

    Well, @Curtisimo, thank you, you ruined my evening.

    Joking of course. Exceptional examples, thank you for posting them.
    To be honest, I like the Brutus denarius more - I am impressed by the reverse where the facial features of the 4 characters are clear (I think the accensus was one of Nerva's ancestors)
     
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  8. Curtisimo

    Curtisimo the Great(ish)

    Interesting! I didn’t know that.

    Hopefully not! :oops::D You’re new coin is excellent, as are many coins in your collection. You seem to have a soft spot for denarii... I do as well. :) There is lots of interest in the denomination from RR all the way through high imperial IMO.
     
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  9. ambr0zie

    ambr0zie Dacian Taraboste

    It was a joke. On your coin the accensus seems to have quite a nose
    upload_2022-5-24_0-23-4.png

    So the first person with similar features in my mind was Nerva.

    I like denarii, of course (I have 77 denarii and 39 antininani), but I never refuse a bronze. If I analyze the evolution of my purchases, I am trying to get coins with designs as unique as possible. And with interesting meaning.
    My new Brutus is not extraordinary (in regards to condition) but I admit this is not my first criteria when admiring a coin. I am very happy with it because I wanted an example for a long time. For this one my personal estimation was 150-180 EUR. Getting it for 80 was a pleasant surprise.
     
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  10. Michael Stolt

    Michael Stolt Well-Known Member

    Just a question, I see the weight is quite low, are you sure this is not a fourré core? I don't have the coin in hand, but surfaces look more like bronze than silver. I of course could be wrong, and the coin may just be heavily crystallized with find patina.
     
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  11. ambr0zie

    ambr0zie Dacian Taraboste

    The weight was one of my big question marks too as I couldn't find an example of similar weight. I also checked the weight myself and it is correct.
    I also checked for fake coin reports in FORVM but found nothing similar.
    The coin is silver but heavily toned (doesn't appear to be artificial patina). Initially, from the auction house pics, I thought it has horn silver, but in hand it doesn't seem this way. I was intending to clean it with thiosulphate, but I don't want to risk.
     
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  12. Michael Stolt

    Michael Stolt Well-Known Member

    Alright, makes sense. I would t gamble on trying to clean it further either, surfaces looks brittle enough as they are, and the coin will probably look worse if the toning/find patina is removed.
     
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  13. octavius

    octavius Well-Known Member

    2 denarii relating to Brutus ....

    2917_11255_1_md.jpg 2917_11255_2_md.jpg h_5912f604b3965cd5b76c477f3518e070.jpg
     
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