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Stunning Silver Denarius of Augustus
1184
Augustus. Silver Denarius (3.78 g), 27 BC-AD 14. Rome, 19 BC. P. Petronius Turpilianus, moneyer.
AVGVSTVS CAESAR, bare head of Augustus right. Rev. III VIR TVRPILIANVS, Tarpeia standing facing
with both arms extended, buried to waist under shields; below, broken spear. (RIC 299; BN 157-60; BMC
29-31; RSC 494).
Rare.
Attractive iridescent cabinet tone. Extremely fine.
$ 5,000
According to Roman tradition, early in the Republican history of Rome, the city faced a siege by the Sabine king Titus Tatius.
Tarpeia, the daughter of Spurius Tarpeius, the commander of Rome’s defenses betrayed the city in return for “what the Sabines
carried on their left arms,” meaning their golden bracelets. However, once she opened the gates, the Sabines, disgusted by her
dishonorable behavior proceeded to heap their shields rather than their bracelets upon her and thereby crushed her to death. The
hapless Tarpeia appears here in reference to the conspiracy of M. Egnatius Rufus, who was rebuffed for the consulship and whose
supporters began to cause riots. He was accused of plotting against Augustus and executed. Rome could brook no traitors.
1185
Augustus. Silver Denarius (3.80 g), 27 BC-AD 14. Uncertain mint, ca. 17 BC. CA-ES-AR, bare head of
Gaius Caesar (or Augustus?) right within oak wreath. Rev. AVG-VST across field, candelabrum ornamented
with rams’ heads; all within a floral wreath entwined with two bucrania and three paterae. (RIC 540; BN
1013-6; BMC 684-5; RSC 2). Beautiful old cabinet toning with slight iridescence, a little softness on the
highest point of the obverse. A very attractive example. Extremely fine.
$ 3,000
ex Edward J. W. Hildyard, FSA Collection (Baldwin’s 55, 7 May 2008), lot 2013 (originally purchased for £4/15/-).
This coin represents one of the more enigmatic issues of Augustus’ long reign as emperor. Sutherland in RIC I attributes the issue
to an uncertain mint and dates it to 17 BC, noting that it was in celebration of the
ludes Saeculares
held that year. The youthful
portrait on the obverse is uncertain and could be either a “rejuvenated” portrait of Augustus (Mattingly, RIC I, 1
st
ed.) or a portrait