Page 57 - Best Bid 7 | 2017

41 A.C. AuREO DI ANTONIO E OTTAVIANO
41 B.C. ANThONY AND OCTAVIAN AuREus

VENDuTo a
SolD aT
€ 14.400

43-42 A.C. DENARO DI BRuTO,
ZECCA DELLA gRECIA sETTENTRIONALE

43-42 B.C. BRuTus DENAR,
NORThERN gREECE mINT

COLLEZIONE PRIVATA PRIVATE COLLECTION

The second and most important aspect Yet again, coins be the Imperial monetary system, which

was without a doubt the introduction of prove themselves would also see the appearance of bronze (or
the portrait onto coins. While Caesar’s face to be faithful chroniclers aurichalcum) among the metals used.
did not appear on coins until after his death

(contrary to what most people think, he was of historical events however, the most symbolic coin of this
a firm believer in Republican institutions and age is the Ides of march denarius. The year

traditions), coins bearing the profiles of the is 43 B.C. and the conspirators have just

various political and military protagonists stabbed Julius Caesar to death, triggering

of the time would later proliferate. There are many examples yet another civil war. Brutus and Cassius are at the head of a

of mark Antony, whose deeds are extraordinarily narrated large army and the legionaries have to be paid somehow, so

by the coins that depict him: with Julius Cesar on the denari the two generals organise a travelling mint to transform silver

issued immediately after the death of the Dictator; together into cash. Brutus naturally made the most of the opportunity to

with Octavian during the Triumvirate; with Octavia, his wife and bear testimony to his role in the murder of his adopted father

Octavian’s sister when his relationship with the future Augustus and in what he considered the liberation of Rome; he minted a

seemed to have deteriorated definitively; and, perhaps the coin with his profile on the obverse and a genuine political and

most famous, with Cleopatra when his split with Caesar’s heir propaganda manifesto on the reverse: two daggers, the murder

became irreconcilable. weapons, the famous pileus hat of freedom, and the date of the

conspiracy. These features are what make this coin the most

The same was true of Octavian, who initially seized the famous in history.

opportunity to use coins to remind the public of his family ties

with Julius Caesar and in this way legitimise his ascent to power. Yet again, coins prove themselves to be faithful chroniclers of

There are numerous releases that see him along with his adopted historical events, if not protagonists themselves. The examples

father only for him to distance himself when he alone became that we present at auction are certainly a chance to enrich any

the representation of the Roman spirit and coins became the collection but also to read and relive history in a different and

best and most incisive propaganda tool for the future emperor. exciting way. The next appointment on 7 and 8 June will carry

most importantly, it was under Octavian that the aureus on this tradition with a series of prestigious coins that will once

became a regular coin and constituted the heart of what would more enable us to ‘experience’ distant ages.

55b 7.2017 highlights