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<p>[QUOTE=&quot;rrdenarius, post: 2256457, member: 75525&quot;]My only slabbed coin. I wanted this coin because the statue on top of the column is almost visible. </p><p>[ATTACH=full]447268[/ATTACH] </p><p><br /></p><p>[ATTACH=full]447269[/ATTACH] </p><p><br /></p><p><b>Roman Republican AR denarius, Rome, 82 BC</b></p><p><b>L.Censorinus 3.90 gm (hope that weight was pre-slab, I could not check)</b></p><p>Obv - Laureate head of Apollo right </p><p>Rev - Marsyas walking left, shouldering wine-skin, right arm raised, naked except for tall column bearing statue (of Minerva, draped figure, Victory or ?) behind. Before L.CENSOR</p><p>The seller&#039;s attribution -RCV 281; NGC AU 5/5 - 3/5.</p><p>My attribution - Cr 363/1d (no control marks);</p><p>BMCRR - Rome 2657 - 2659; Syd - 737</p><p>VF/gVF with environmental damage to obverse, well centered and well struck</p><p>I picked this coin because the reverse is well struck and centered. I can almost see the statue on the column that is given several different names. </p><p><br /></p><p>I like the story of Marsyas and how it relates to the moneyer Censorinus. In Greek mythology Marsyas was a satyr who challenged Apollo to a music contest. The winner could do as he pleased to the loser. Marsyas lost and Apollo tied him to a tree and killed him. (Those of you who want a more graphic account can google Marsyas.) The Romans considered Marsyas the inventer of augery (interpreting omens), a proponent of free speech and was considered one of the gods who looked after the Plebs (common people). The first Plebe elected as Censor erected a statue of Marsyas in the Forum. This coin shows the statue. L Censorinus issued the coin at the time Sula &quot;recaptured&quot; Rome for the Patricians (aristocrats or old families) from Marius (hero of the new families). Censorinus was killed in the proscriptions that followed.[/QUOTE]</p><p><br /></p>

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