Anonymous, AR Didrachm, Wolf and Twins

AR Didrachm, 7.25g.  20mm. c.275-265 B.C.  Neapolis mint(?).  Diademed head of Hercules to right; lion's skin and club on shoulder.  Rev.  ROMANO in exergue.   Romulus and Remus being suckled by a she-wolf to right.  CR 20/1.  Sydenham 6.  RBW 23.   Fine old collection toning.

Provenance/Pedigrees:
Ex: Adolph Cahn, Frankfurt, Auction 80, Feb. 27, 1933, lot 529.
Ex: Andrew McCabe collection

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good Very Fine $8,500.

Appius Claudius Pulcher et al. c.111-110 B.C.

AR Denarius, 3.85g. 17.5mm.  Helmeted head of Roma to right.  Rev. AP CL T MA Q VR.  Victory in triga to right.  CR 299/1a.  Syd. 570. Lovely toning.

Provenance/Pedigree:
Ex: EJW Ltd inventory, 2019.

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Extremely Fine/good Very Fine $700.

L. Thorius Balbus, 105 B.C.

AR Denarius, 3.88g. 18.5 mm. Head of Juno Sospita to right wearing goat's skin; I S M R behind. Rev. L THORIVS BALBVS. Bull charging to right; Q above. Toned. CR 316/1. Syd. 598. RBW 1168.  Attractive old cabinet toning.

 

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good Very Fine $675.

Social War, Marsic Confederation, c.90 B.C.

AR Denarius, 3.88g.  20mm.  Mint moving with C. Paapius in Campania.  Helmeted head of Mars to left; retrograde Oscan inscription below," mutil embratur= Mutilus Imperator."  Rev.  Oath taking scene with two soldiers flanking a kneeling youth holding a sacrificial pig; retrograde Oscan legend, c paapi" in retrograde; minute flan defect at 1:00 reverse.   Campana 94. Sydenham 640a. RBW 1226. Historia Nummorum, Italy 428.  Toned.     Scarce and with a remarkably complete inscription for the name of C. Paapius C.F, Mutilus Imperator, one of the leading generals in the Italic war against Rome.   

Provenance/Pedigrees:
Ex: Triton III, NY, 1999, lot 897
Ex: Helios, Munich, Auction 4, 2009, lot 88, Lynn collection.

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about Extremely Fine $17,500.

Mn. Fonteius, 85 B.C.

AR Denarius, 4.03g. 20.5mm.  MN FONTEI CF.  Laureate head of Apollo to right; thunderbolt below.  Rev. Cupid riding goat to right; caps of the Dioscuri above; thrysus below; laurel wreath around.  CR 353/1b.  Syd. 724b.   Toned with underlying luster and unusually complete. 

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Extremely Fine $1,500.

L. Sulla imperator, L. Manlius Torquatus, 82 B.C.

AR Denarius, 3.77g. 18mm. L MANLI PRO Q.  Helmeted head of Roma to right.  Rev. L SVLLA IMP in exergue.  Sulla driving quadriga to right and being crowned by Victory from above.  CR 367/5. Syd. 757.  Toned with luster under the toning.

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about Extremely Fine $2,250.

C. Annius and L. Fabius Hispaniensis, 82-81 B.C.

AR Denarius, 3.97g. 19.5mm.  C ANNI T F T N PRO COS EX S C.  Diademed and draped female bust to right; caduceus behind; scales in front. Rev.  L FAVI L F HISP in exergue.  Victory with palm in quadriga to right of spirited horses.   CR 366/1a.  Syd.748.  Some faint hairlines,  Lightly toned with underlying luster.  

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Extremely Fine $1,750.

L. Cassius Longinus, c.78 B.C.

AR Denarius, 3.95g. 19mm. Head of Liber to right wearing ivy wreath; thrysus over shoulder. Rv. L CASSI Q F. Head of Libera to left wearing vine wreath. CR 386/1. Sydenham 779. Fine old cabinet toning.

Provenance/Pedigree:
Ex: Tom McKenna, Colorado, 1990.

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good Very Fine/about Extremely Fine $750.

C Calpurnius Piso Frugi, 67 B.C.

AR Denarius, 3.92g. 17mm.  Laureate head of Apollo to right; arrow behind.  Rev. C PISO L FRVG.  Rider galloping to right holding whip; helmet with plume above.  CR 408/1a. Syd. 850c.  Some hairline scratches in obv. field.  Lightly toned with the obverse in very high relief. 

Provenance/Pedigree:
Ex: Peus, Frankfurt, Auction 406, 2012, lot 217.

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about Extremely Fine $1,200.

L Marcius Philippus, 56 B.C.

AR Denarius, 3.93g. 19mm.  ANCVS.  Diademed head of Ancus Marcius to right; lituus behind head.   Rev.  L PHILIPPVS.  Equestrian rider on aquaduct to right; flower below.  AQVA MAR within arches of the aquaduct.    CR 425/1. Syd. 919.  Lovely multi-hued toning, fully centered, and with a superb portrait

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about Extremely Fine $1,500.

Q. Cassius Longinus, 55 B.C.

AR Denarius, 3.88g.  19mm.  Head of Genius to right with scepter over shoulder.   Rev. Q CASSIVS.  Eagle standing to right on thunderbolt; lituus in field to left ; jug in field to right. Crawford 428/3. RBW 1535. Sydenham 916.  Lovely iridescent toning.

Provenance/Pedigree:
Ex: Triton XXI, January 9, 2018, lot 642.
Ex: Künker, Osnabrück, Auction  September 26, 2016, lot 364

 

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about Extremely Fine $2,200.

P. Fonteius Capito, 54 B.C.

AR Denarius, 4.03g. 18mm. P FONTEIVS P F CAPITO III VIR CONCORDIA.  Diademed and veiled head of Concordia to right; some light die breaks in fields. Rev. T DIDI IMP VIL PVB.  The Villa Publica with gates attached to the columns. CR 429/2b.  Syd. 901a. Banti, Fonteia 34/1(this coin illustrated).  Lovely old collection toning and exceptionally complete.

The Villa Publica was originally built c.435 B.C. on the Campus Martius to be used for taking the census. The Villa was enlarged in 194 B.C. and was used for the levies of the army, inspection of arms, and still for the census.  Generals returning to Rome were also housed in the Villa while they awaited a decision of the Senate if a triumph was to be declared.  (See: L. Richardson Jr, A New Topographical Dictionary of Ancient Rome, pp. 430-431.

The moneyer is probably a relative of the T.Didius, consul in 98 B.C., who restored the Villa Publica.  The moneyer may also have been a friend of Cicero as mentioned in Crawford.

Provenance/Pedigrees:
Ex: Münzen und Medaillen, Basel, Auction 52, June 19, 1975, lot 394.
Ex: Bankhaus Aufhaüser, Munich, Auction 12, 1996, lot 359. 

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Extremely Fine $6,500.

C. Coelius Caldus, 51 B.C., ex: Knobloch

AR Denarius, 3.94g. 17.5mm C COEL CALDVS COS. Head of C. Coelius Caldus to right; standard inscribed HIS behind; boar below.  Rev. C CALDVS IMP AN X in columns; L CALDVS VII VIR EP V on table. Table with figure behind preparing epulum(sacred banquet); trophies of arms and armor to left and right. CR 437/2a. Syd. 894.  

The type commemorates the military victories of the moneyer's ancestor who was Consul in 94 B.C. and is a superb late Republican realistic portrait.

Provenance/Pedigree:
Ex: Mark Salton (born Max Schlessinger)  collection, Frankfurt and NY, 1914-2005, with collector's old ticket and envelope. (For bio see https://www.coin.com/indexes/?find=2485)
Ex: Frederick Knobloch collection, Stacks, New York, May 3, 1978, lot 502 with Stacks envelope. 

 

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about Extremely Fine $5,000.

Mn. Acilius Glabrio, 49 B.C.

AR Denarius, 3.87g. 18mm. SALVTIS. Laureate head of Salus to right. Rev. MAN ACILIVS III VIR VALETV. Valetudo standing to left resting left arm on column and holding snake in right hand. CR 442/1a. Syd. 922. RBW 1556. Sear, Imperator 16. Lovely old collection  toning with underlying luster. 

The types may relate to the claim of the Acilia family of having introduced the first physician to Rome.  Mommsen, as referenced in Sear "Imperators" above, mentions that the Greek physician Archagathus came to Rome in 219 B.C. and established his practice at a locale near the Acilia family home.

Provenance/Pedigree:

Ex: NAC, Zurich, Auction 114, 2019, lot 1556.

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Extremely Fine $750.

Octavian, 37 B.C.

AR Denarius, 4.00g. 20mm.  Italian mint, summer 37 A.D. IMP CAESAR DIVI F III VIR ITER R P C.  Bare head of Octavian to right.  Rev. COS ITER ET TER DESIG.  Simpulum, aspergillum, jug, and lituus.   CR 538/1. Syd. 1334.  RBW 1826.  Imperators 312. Iridescent toning with underlying luster and exceptionally complete.

Provenance/Pedigree:
Ex: Bank Leu, Zurich, Auction 28, 1981, lot 352.

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Mint State $12,000.

Sextus Pompey, c.37-36 B.C.

AR Denarius, 3.78g. 18mm.  Sicilian military mint.  MAG PIVS IMP ITER.  Pharos(lighthouse) of Messana surmounted by a statue of Neptune; galley below with a legionary standard on the prow and a filleted scepter on the stern.  Rev.  PRAEF CLAS ET ORAE MARIT EX S C MAR.  Scylla brandishing rudder.   CR 511/4a.  Sear, Imperators 335.  Syd. 1348.  Attractive dark toning.

Provenance/Pedigree:
Ex: Triton XIX. 2016, lot 408.

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good Very Fine $3,000.