511
Julius Caesar, Silver Denarius, 4.04g, 42 BC. Mint of Rome. L. Mussidius Longus, moneyer. Wreathed head
of Caesar facing right. Rev.
L MVSS
[
IDIVS LONG
]
VS
, rudder, cornucopiae on globe, winged caduceus, and
apex (Crawford 494/39a; HCRI 116; Sydenham 1096a; RSC 29). Attractive old cabinet toning, extremely
fine.
$ 11,000
512
Sextus Pompey (son of Pompey the Great), Silver Denarius, 3.75g, 6h. Minted in Sicily, struck 42-40 BC.
[
M
]
AG PIVS IMP ITER
, head of Pompey the Great facing right, a jug behind, a lituus before. Rev. [
PRAEF
]
/
CLAS ET ORAE
/
MARIT EX SC
, Neptune standing left, his right foot on a prow, holding aplustre,
the Catanean brothers stand on either side, each bearing a parent on his shoudlers (Crawford 511/3a;
Sydenham 1344; RBW 1785; RCV 1392). With an excellent portrait of Pompey the Great, struck on good
metal, a little soft in part otherwise about extremely fine, in a very good state of preservation.
$ 1,500
ex Noble Numismatics, Sale 98, 22-25 November 2011, lot 5273
Brutus Denarius with Famous Symbolic Reverse
513
Brutus, Silver Denarius, 3.82g, 42 BC. Military mint traveling with Brutus and Cassius in western Asia Minor
or northern Greece. P. Servilius Casca Longus, moneyer.
CASCA
LONGVS
, laureate and bearded head
of Neptune facing right, trident below. Rev.
BRVTVS
IMP
, Victory advancing right, breaking diadem
tied with fillet and holding palm, broken sceptre below (Crawford 507/2; HCRI 212; Sydenham 1298;
RSC 3). Boldly struck and well centred, needle sharp in detail, lustrous and delicately toned, superb
extremely fine.
$ 12,500
ex Helios Auction 2, 25-26 November 2008, lot 221
On this splendid coin the image of Victory trampling upon a broken sceptre and tearing the diadem powerfully evoke
the long tradition of Roman hatred for monarchical rule. It was rumored that Julius Caesar had inclined to become king,
purportedly wearing red boots as the Roman kings had worn and having his statue placed next to those of the kings, and
these were all used by the tyrannicides to justify his assassination. The obverse type of Neptune was an obvious choice
for Casca, who was the commander of Brutus’ fleet.
