Rounding of my purchases at NYINC are three denarii: 1. CN LENTVLUS Lentulus struck these SC coins as quaestor, probably in Spain as part of Pompey's campaign. He was later Consul in 56. Obverse: Male bust r. (Genius Populi Romani), draped hair tied with band, and scepter over shoulder. G.P.R above head. Beaded border. Reverse: Scepter with wreath, globe and rudder; on l., EX; on r., SC; below, CN.LEN.Q. Border of dots Mint: Spain? Weight: 3.92 gm. Reference: RRC393/1a; Provenance: CNG private purchase Jan. 17, 2020 2. Q POMPONIVS MVSA - Urania, Muse of astronomy Obverse: Head of Muse of Astronomy r. Star behind. Reverse: Urania stdg l., holding rod in r. hand and pointing to globe resting on tripod; on r., Q.POMPOI downwards; on l., MVSA downward with pronunciation apex over V. Weight: 4.09 gm. Reference: Crawford 410/8 Provenance: Herb Kreindler purchased Jan. 17, 2020. Ex Roma Auction 18, 9/29/2019 Ex CNG Triton XXII January 2019 lot 882 Ex Alan J Harlan Collection, privately purchased from A.H. Baldwin & Sons LTD. Crawford and others identified the obverse head as Apollo, but others convincingly argue it is the head of the muse, Each with its identifying symbol behind the head. L. SCRIBONIVS LIBO - Tongs at the base of the well head Era: 62 BC Metal: AR Obverse: LIBO BON.EVENT; Head of Bonus eventus r. Reverse: PVTEAL. Above well head (puteal). Well head is decorated with lyres, festoon and Tongs. SCRIBON in exergue. Mint: Rome Weight: 4.09 gm. Reference: Crawford 416/1b Provenance: Sovereign Rarities. Purchased Jan. 18, 2020 My very first ancient coin was a denarius of L. Scribonius Libo with hammer symbol ( see below with black background). Libo struck coins with 3 minting implements: Hammer, Tongs, and Anvil. The hammer is by far the most common, perhaps 90% of extant specimens. The Tongs symbol is scarce, and the anvil is by far the least common.
@Bing, Lovely Bonus Eventus style on your Scribonius. When I first bought mine from Tom Mckenna, it was style that won over all other attributes. It still is.
I have had this coin for many years. I can't recall what attracted me to it, but I still love the coin. Yours has better style and detail overall.
Beautiful.. I love the obverse (especially the beard) on the CN LENTVLUS and certainly the Q POMPONIVS MVSA is in very fine style. Excellent additions to say the least!
Below is my anvil example. Not up to my usual condition standards, but I make exceptions for rarity/scarcity. I'll upgrade, if I ever find a better one! There is a little known fourth symbol - cap of Vulcan - often confused with the anvil, but discernable by its conical or rounded shape vs. my anvil above which is clearly square.
Absolutely stunning! I've often toyed with the idea of collecting a set of Musa's denarii depicting each of the Muses, but I don't have that kind of patience or cash to do so, for I'd have to buy coins infrequently so as to keep in-budget and I'd go into withdrawal during the months between purchases.
@Fugio1 ... very nice!!! Lotsa circulation here! Roman Republic L Scribonius Libo 62 BCE AR Denarius Puteal Scribonianum Sear 367 Craw 416/1 RR Cn. Cornelius Lentulus Marcellinus, moneyer. AR Denarius minted in Spain, 76-75 BC. Diademed, draped, bearded bust right of the Genius of the Roman People, scepter over right shoulder. Reverse : Globe between wreathed scepter and rudder. Sear 323; Cornelia 54; Craw. 393/1a
. Yours is a very nice representative example. I had never heard this and never seen an example. . Thanks Carthago, most impressive.