18
3018
C. Coelius Caldus. Silver Denarius (3.91 g), 104
BC.
Rome. Head of Roma left, wearing winged
helmet ornamented with griffin’s head.
Reverse:
C
COIL below, CALD in exergue, Victory, holding
reins, driving galloping biga left; above X with two
pellets. Crawford 318/1a; Sydenham 582; Coelia 2.
Boldly struck in high relief and well centered on a
nice wide flan.
Superb Extremely Fine.
The control mark on the reverse of the de-
narii of C. Coelius Caldus consists of a Latin
letter either alone or with up to four pellets.
No control is found on more than one die.
Estimated Value ..............................$1,000 - 1,300
Ex LHS 100 (23-24 April 2007), 384.
3019
Q. Thermus M.f. Silver Denarius (3.91 g), 103 BC.
Rome.
Head of Mars left, wearing crested helmet ornamented with
plume on side.
Reverse:
Q (THE)RMM F in exergue, Roman
and barbarian soldiers fighting, each holding forth a shield
and raising a sword, the Roman soldier on the left protecting
a fallen comrade. Crawford 319/1; Sydenham 592; Minucia
19. Well struck and well centered with attractive light multi-
color toning.
Superb Extremely Fine.
It is likely that the reverse alludes to a specific event of mar-
tial prowess of one of the moneyer’s ancestors, but if so the
precise details have been lost to us. Perhaps it relates to
Quintus Minucius Thermus, consul in 193 BC, who, according
to Livy, distinguished himself fighting the Ligurians: “Before
the consul Lucius Quinctius arrived in his province, Quintus
Minucius, in the neighborhood of Pisa, met the Ligures in a
pitched battle; he killed nine thousand of the enemy, rout-
ed and put to flight the rest and drove them into their camp”
(Livy XXXV, 21.7-8). However, he was not awarded a triumph
by the Senate for this campaign, although earlier he had
received one for fighting the Iberians near Turdo in Spain.
Estimated Value............................................... $1,000 - 1,200
Ex Heritage 3019 (4 April 2012), 23256; M&MDeutschland 9
(4-5 October 2001), 438.
