A coin arrived today of a type I've always found fascinating and that I've long been wanting an example of. This type is the first appearance of Octavian's portrait on a coin - a portrait which would of course come to dominate the obverses of Roman coins for decades to come. Interestingly, this portrait is a little different than most Octavian/Augustus portraits, not just because of the younger appearance but also because of one minor detail you can see on the chin: the beard. Unlike his later clean-shaven portraits, Octavian retains his beard mourning the assassination of Julius Caesar here, but as this type often comes worn you rarely get that detail which makes this coin particularly special. Octavian would retain this beard until the defeat of the Liberators and the remnants of the Pompeians before finally appearing clean shaven, apparently feeling that Julius Caesar had finally been avenged. The reverse likely represents the statue promised to Octavian by the senate after his victory at Mutina, where Octavian first arose as an equal and a challenger to Antony and the type was likely struck soon thereafter. Unlike most Republican denarii, the SC of the reverse, mostly off-flan on my coin, likely refers to the senatorial decree awarding Octavian the statue, rather than the usual meaning of SC on coins indicating Senatorial authority granting their minting. Roman Imperatorial period AR Denarius(3.86g, 18mm), C Caesar Octavianus, mint with Octavian in Cisalpine Gaul, Spring-Summer 43 BC. Bare head of Octavian right, bearded; C·CAESAR·IMP around; border of dots / Equestrian statue of Octavian galloping left, his right hand extended; SC in exergue. Sear HCRI 131; Crawford 490/1; Sydenham 1318 Ex Herakles Numismatics, 27 October 2020, ex Harlan J Berk Buy or Bid sale #61, 20 March 1990, lot 305 Since I'm sharing a new acquisition, I can't help but share this second coin again because it likely depicts the statue promised on the first coin as it was actually erected. This portrait too is bearded, but rather than the simple C·CAESAR·IMP legend of the first coin, we have C·CAESAR·III·VIR·R·P·C, referring to the Octavian's role as a Triumvir alongside Antony and Lepidus. Roman Imperatorial period AR Denarius(3.82g, 16mm), C Caesar Octavianus, mint with Octavian in Italy, 41 BC. Bare head of Octavian right, with slight beard; C·CAESAR·III·VIR·R·P·C around; border of dots / Equestrian statue of Octavian galloping left, his right hand extended; POPVL·IVSSV in exergue and on right. Sear HCRI 299; Crawford 518/2 Numismatica Ars Classica Spring Auction 2020, 25 May 2020, lot 726, ex RBW Collection, Numismatica Ars Classica 63, 17 May 2012, lot 553, ex Jesus Vico sale June 1992, lot 401 As always, feel free to share anything relevant
Incredible op coin (aaand all coins thereafter)! WoWiE What a tumultuous time. This coin representing the rising dawn better known as the pax romana I slightly feel guilty as this is such a hag compared... but, it to is a sign of the times when who would lead us into that beautiful dawn was still in doubt. The fake handshake which would prove to be "The (final) calm before the storm, (after the storm).. a pun on a favorite book on the period leading up to this: Marc Antony & Octavian AR Quinarius. Military mint moving with Octavian, 39 BC. Head of Concordia right, wearing diadem and veil, III VIR R P C around / Two hands clasped around caduceus, M ANTON C CAESAR around. Crawford 529/4b
Beautiful coins! A bearded early Octavian is high on my list, but I've been too busy for the past few years on the imperial series to really focus on the imperatorial. I've always found it fascinating how Augustus, in stark contrast to the fashion of the time, deliberately chose to have his portrait frozen in time at about age 30-35, and always portrayed in an idealized Hellenistic style. I wonder if perhaps he was self-conscious about some flaw that he had in real life but never got captured on coinage, statues, or gems? Also interesting that it wasn't until Claudius that the cycle was broken and everyone stopped looking like each other. Anyway, no Octavian, but this is the earliest Augustus that I own
