Augustus Denarius (might be my new favorite)

Thanks @John Anthony !

 

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Nice lookin’ specimen, with an attractive portrait. Here’s a write-up I did for my coin of this type:

This coin is one of my favorites: Augustus Caesar (born Octavian) silver denarius. (Mine appears to be dipped in chocolate. This is what happens when you don’t polish your silver for 2000 years.) Augustus ruled from 27 BC (in effect, from the Battle of Actium in 31 BC) until his death in AD 14—some 45 years. Plenty of persons in the Mediterranean world would have been born, lived, and died knowing only Augustus as emperor. The fact that this coin circulated widely up until Augustus’ death, portraying an eternally youthful Emperor, meant that he probably seemed an ageless god to the Roman people. However, Augustus’ claims for himself are a bit more modest. He doesn’t claim to be a god, just the son of a god. The obverse legend of the coin reads (counterclockwise starting at 5 o’clock): CAESAR AVGVSTVS DIVI F PATER PATRIAE: “Caesar Augustus, son of the deified (filius divi), father of his country.” The deified, of course, is Augustus’ adoptive father Julius Caesar, who by this time had been apotheosized. The reverse reads: AVGVSTI F COS DESIG PRINC IVVENT C, L CAESARES: “Augusti Filii Consules Designati Principes Juventutis Caius et Lucius Caesares.” This coin announces grandsons Caius and Lucius to be the heirs of Augustus since he did not have a son. These teenage boys were “princes of youth” (Principes Juventutis) and were nominated to be consuls—high Roman office. Caius and Lucius are standing in front with shields & spears; in the field above, a lituus left and simpulum right. These are priestly instruments. A simpulum was a ladle used in making sacrifice. The lituus was used in augury—a form of Roman political fortune telling—and may be the forerunner of the bishop’s crozier. The boys apparently were pretty bad augurs since they didn’t see their own imminent deaths. Lucius dies of illness at 19; Caius dies the following year from a battle wound.

 

That is sweet!!

 

Thank you for this excellent text, Professor Richardson!

 

@Deacon Ray Nothing rare about them, but this is a type I have always liked.

 

These are common but sought by most collectors of Roman coins. If you notice, the simpulum & lituus in mine is in "Pd" formation, while yours is opposite. I don't recall which is more common. There is also one with an "X" in between which I'm fairly certain is more hard to come by.

 

Your is a scarcer type. You can tell because the right shield is in front of the left shield.

 

Sweet coinage, Deacon Ray!

I read somewhere that this coin, at one point, was also in running for the Tribute Penny. I'm not sure if that's the case now or not. I still consider the Tiberius denarius to be the Tribute Penny.

Erin

 

A very nice coin and a great writeup!

Here is my only example of an Augustus denarius.

Augustus (27 BC-AD 14), Denarius, Uncertain Spanish mint (Colonia Patricia?), 17-16 BC, (19 mm 3.73 g).
Obv: Bare head right
Rev: Augustus, Capricorn right, holding globe attached to rudder between front hooves; cornucopia above its back.
RIC I 126; RSC 21 SRCV (2000) 1592.
Purchased October 28, 2016 from vcoins store London Coin Galleries Ltd.

 

Very nice coin with strong features on both sides.

Mine is broken, sadly, but has pretty good features and toning:

 

Mine is Sinister...


RI Augustus AR Denarius struck 2 BC-14 AD Caius and Lucius Caesars stdg shield spear Sear 1578 NGC4276216-007

 

Great score @Deacon Ray - So you were the guy who got the Augustus coin!

Congrats. I almost bid on it. Great presentation by the way.

On another topic, how can we be sure that the tribute penny was Tiberius and not Augustus - I'm sure a vast number of Augustus coins were in circulation at the time the parable was composed?

 

A year ago your writeup caused me to add it to my GET ONE list (still haven't found mine though). Before that, I had dismissed them as only of moderate interest, blinded by the type's vast numbers.

 

It is one of my favorites as well.

Here is mine

 

Thanks, @ancient coin hunter ! I honestly had never seen one before. I'm glad to hear that they're relatively common because I may purchase a few as gifts for some folks.

 

I like your Augustus denarius, @Alegandron ! Particularly the worn die (stressed?) lettering on the reverse.

 

At the top of my list for 2018 is Augustus Denarii and As.
I'm off to a rough start as I've only bought one Trajan from Roma auction, for 2018.
I love all the examples shared in this thread, thanks for sharing and reminding me to keep my eye on the prize

 

Well that’s high praise indeed. I forgot I had already posted it. But maybe the repetition might inspire another coin hunter…

 

totally on my "to get list"! nice score DR!

 

There is no way to be sure. People go with Tiberius because he was in power at the time and his Denarii are quite common, but it could have as easily been an Augustus.