8/31/2023 0 Comments Julius caesar coin front and back![]() ![]() The point was emphasized by the depiction of his own head on the national currency, the first portrait of any living man or woman ever to appear on a Roman coin.” Later he says, “In this way, then, was launched the great series of portraits of Rome’s rulers, which are among its (Ancient Rome’s) principal artistic gifts.”.Minted as a “naked and shameless” celebration of Julius Caesar's murder by a blade-wielding team of conspiratorial Roman senators in 42 BC, this solid gold ‘assassination coin’ is one of only three of its type. Referring to Caesar’s rising personality–cult he says, “Caesar could do as he liked. And ridding ourselves of this impiety, Grant contradicts himself 88 pages later (and settles the question). C.) of captured Carthago Nova, his own portrait seems to appear.” Now Grant’s history remains the leading one on the subject, and the portrait on the coins of which he speaks may look like Scipio (vaguely in my view, though more like Scipio than say like Minerva), but Grant qualifies his statement with the word “seems” and the world of numismatics takes issue with him, and this time they are probably right. In reference to Caesar’s portrait being the first of a living individual on a Roman coin, Michael says (page 108), that, “he (Scipio Africanas, the man who defeated Hannibal) was not afraid to show an un–Roman love of splendor and display, which was deplored by senatorial opinion, but pleased ordinary people (Cato the Censor slandered him as a careerist and eventually forced him into retirement). NOTE: Here’s a quick ride on the numismatic hamster wheel. Nonetheless, our type is the principal type, an icon of a coin, seldom seen in acceptable condition yet widely pursued regardless, the proven formula that drives supply and demand. Sear loses all reason in giving his 99 (480/2c) a separate number, as if it was a different coin, while he simultaneously takes all the Crawford numbers from 480/9 to 480/14, and groups all 6 coins together as one type at his 107 (hey, David, either approach will do, but pick a theme and stick to it). 480/2b and 480/2c (Sear 99) are variant die states of this same coin, the former with the obverse lituus curving right (rather than left), and the latter unintentionally omitting the line over Mettius’ name (exergue) on the reverse, both variations attributable to die makers whim, certainly not a reflection of intent, and probably limited to 1 or 2 obv. With the fait accompli in hand, and the army behind him, majority Senate indulgence was a formality, but more important, minority Senate contempt was a reality, and the case can be argued that the minority secretly supported the decision, as they imagined (at best) public outcry at this symbol of impending kingship, or (at the least) public sympathy with their growing scheme to assassinate Caesar (defend the republican ethos) once the murder had been actualized. Crawford, 1983, says (on page 94) “the Senate voted to place Caesar’s portrait on the coinage” though that may have happened upon Caesar’s suggestion, or even after it was already a fact, but Caesar was not bestowing upon the Senate, a new liberty, in respect to oversight, that they did not already possess legally. A scarce coin and though not the rarest Caesar portrait coin, it is among the most widely desired, minted in small numbers, without Senate enthusiasm for production of coinage with his own head (the Senate did not, in any case, have legal authority over silver coins). 480/2a (the primary variety with a lituus that curves left). ![]() “M METTIVS” in exergue, the first moneyer to mint a coin with Caesar’s portrait (Mettius was an old friend of Caesar’s having once been his ambassador to a chieftain in Gaul). Juno Sospita in galloping biga (chariot) on rev. ![]() The first coin to bear his head and the first denarius to bear the head of any living Roman. Wreathed head of Caesar (rt.), ornamented front and back. ![]()
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