Brutus times ten divided by two... (Huh??)

[Phil Davis]

Well, I'm reasonably confident no one has ever put all those words together quite like that, lol. I mentioned a few weeks back that I was planning a little show and tell project of a group photo of my nearly-complete run of Brutus' silver, which really is one of the strongest parts of my collection, (despite no Eid Mar.) I finally got around to doing that... sort of.

I've had pretty good results doing this sort of thing at home in my kitchen, with at least a modicum of control over angles and shadows and using natural light. I wasn't willing to bring all these coins home however, so I tried to do it in the limited space and artificial light of the viewing room at the bank where I keep my coins. It took awhile to get usable results and, sadly, I'd forgotten that the vault room still has very limited hours (a lockdown hangover.)  I ran out of time to flip the coins over. Back home, I spent hours grumpily muttering to myself about my thwarted plans (rhubarb & garbage!) until my wife convinced me just now that it would be OK to post what I do have and amend the post down the road. So here goes, the obverses only of ten of the thirteen types that Brutus struck in silver in 43-42 BC, excluding the juvenilia he issued as moneyer twelve years earlier. 

Reverses to follow... eventually. Backs are just boilerplate anyway, right?

 

Edited December 21, 2022 by Phil Davis

[CPK]

Very nice coins! Can't wait to see the other sides. 🙂 

If I may ask, have you ever given serious thought to trying to acquire an EID MAR for your collection?

Edited December 21, 2022 by CPK

[Phil Davis]

54 minutes ago, CPK said:

Very nice coins! Can't wait to see the other sides. 🙂 

If I may ask, have you ever given serious thought to trying to acquire an EID MAR for your collection?

Years ago, 20 or so, I actually had a plan to address this. The price of a really nice, pedigreed Eid Mar was surprisingly stable around $100k. Still a ton of money obviously, and way more than I could even remotely consider at the time, but not so much that it seemed forever out of reach. I thought I could obtain one at my leisure, a couple of years before planning to sell my collection. That way, it would be represented in the collection catalogue, but the funds wouldn't be tied up indefinitely long. Needless to say, the market declined to cooperate... $100k (for the quality I look for) is in the rearview mirror, receding rapidly.

The problem I have now is that despite its enormous importance and popularity, the Eid Mar really isn't so rare that I could justify changing my expectations and "settling" for a flawed example. So the short answer is, it seems quite unlikely I'll ever obtain one.

Edited December 21, 2022 by Phil Davis

[David Atherton]

2 minutes ago, Phil Davis said:

Years ago, 20 or so, I actually had a plan to address this. The price of a really nice, pedigreed Eid Mar was surprisingly stable around $100k. Still a ton of money obviously, and way more than I could even remotely consider at the time, but not so much that it seemed forever out of reach. I thought I could obtain one at my leisure, a couple of years before planning to sell my collection. That way, it would be represented in the collection catalogue, but the funds wouldn't be tied up indefinitely long. Needless to say, the market declined to cooperate... $100k (for the quality I look for) is in the rearview mirror, receding rapidly.

The problem I have now is that despite its enormous importance and popularity, the Eid Mar really isn't so rare that I could justify changing my expectations and "settling" for a flawed example. So the short answer is, it seems quite unlikely I'll ever obtain one.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Your Eid Mar is my Titus Colosseum sestertius ... although admittedly it is more attainable in fair to poor condition! All the 'affordable' examples that have recently come up at auction have issues (BD, smoothing/tooling, no pedigree), so I held off.

If one wishes to gift an example to a well curated collection after they have shuffled off this mortal coil ... PM me. 😉

[Phil Davis]

6 minutes ago, David Atherton said:

Your Eid Mar is my Titus Colosseum.

If one wishes to gift an example to a well curated collection after they have shuffled off this mortal coil ... PM me. 😉

Full confession, a similar notion may have crossed my mind...

 

[DonnaML]

I think the coins are fantastic, @Phil Davis, and the photos are just fine. I know from frustrating experience how difficult it is to take a decent photo of a tray full of coins that shows all of them to their advantage -- and then when you finally have one, a hair magically appears in the photo that you could swear wasn't there when you took it! So you go with what you have, and rightly so. Congratulations.

[Jay GT4]

Outstanding collection

[Hughie Dwyer]

Stunning coins from a fascinating time. That's quite some collection you have. I can't wait to see more... 😀

[akeady]

Wow 🙂   They're lovely, as I expected!

ATB,
Aidan.

[Di Nomos]

You must get a lot of joy every time you look at them. Without knowing much about them, I really like the second coin in the top tray and last coin in the bottom tray. 

A lovely collection. 

[Limes]

This would be an amazing group of Brutus' coin together if it where in lower quality. But the fact that the quality of each coin is (near) perfect, its even more spectacular! I also cant believe you have 503/1, such a rare coin in such splendid condition! Also the quality of your 506/2 is amazing, its lovely the see the little droplets, or rays, so good. 

If @LONGINUS were to make a digital of tray of this collection, I would hang it on my wall 😄 

[jdmKY]

Thanks for sharing, @Phil Davis! As someone who also collects Brutus, I agree with everyone's remarks about this spectacular group. @Limesis correct, I would be ecstatic with ANY 503/1, but yours is incredible. It is also challenging to find the quinarii in that condition.

[AncientJoe]

Specializing on the coinage of Brutus is no small feat and your set is an excellent one, Phil! 

I don't recall seeing your 508/2 so I'm guessing you bought it a while ago but that flan is absolutely absurd: an incredible piece. Stay warm out there this week!

Edited December 21, 2022 by AncientJoe

[Qcumbor]

Exceptionnal group of coins. Thanks for sharing them Phil

Q

[Spaniard]

Lovely examples Phil.

Beautiful portrait on the LEG COSTA!

[Phil Davis]

On 12/21/2022 at 9:30 AM, jdmKY said:

  It is also challenging to find the quinarii in that condition.

@jdmKY Yeah, the quinarii are tough. One of my three "missing" Bruti is also a quinarius, Crawford  502/3, Liberty/Victory. That should be doable for me, but I've yet to encounter the one I want. For the record, the third missing type is the excessively rare (but lately not quite so rare as all that)  Crawford 505/5, most likely another coin I'll never acquire.

[jdmKY]

We’ll, my standards aren’t quite so high, so here’s my Crawford 502/3 -

[jdmKY]

You mentioned you’re looking for Crawford 505/5 as am I. But I do have an example of 505/4, the aureus version of the coin. One of the unusual cases where the aureus is more easily attainable than the denarius.

[Carthago]

Phil - Your RR collection, in general, is without equal (though I'm trying!) and your run of Brutus issues (shall we say Bruti for plural 😝) are truly spectacular!  I'm certainly not ashamed putting mine next to yours, though you still come out on top with quality.  Your 503/1 is likely the finest in private hands and I really appreciate you putting me in your will for it.  My 503 is the only coin in my collection that I know where it was found - Portugal December 31, 1953 in a hoard with a terminal issue of Domitian which means the coin circulated for about 130 years!.

Notably, my Brutus run is very well provenance with the "newest" oldest provenance being 1980 (that certain quinarius you made me trade a kidney for at auction...do you remember?).  These include many famous collectors to include 2 coins from Tolstoi in 1912, a Nordheim, 2 from HP Hall, 2 from Mazzini, Sir Arthur Evans, Trau, and Vierdort.  

Sorry about the various photo sizes.  I don't know how to size them when posting here and I guess it's based on file size.  Thanks for letting me ride on your coat tails.  

 

 

1. Privately purchased from Spink & Son in January 1969;
2. Glendining, Edmund Nordheim, Esq. Collection, March 9, 1931 Lot 231 (sold for 1 Pound 2 Shllings to "B").

 

 

1. Collection Ing. G. Mazzini 1957 Volume 1, Plate V, Coin 5*;
2. Henry Platt Hall, Glendining July 19th, 1950 Lot 652 (illustrated, but a 2 part lot) sold to Cahn  (£4/5);
3. Ars Classica Auction XVII, Sir Arthur J. Evans Collection, October 3, 1934 Lot 1108

 

1. Merzbacher Nach, Munich, Auction November 2, 1909  Lot 998 F.D.C. (30 Marks)

 

1. Lanz 78 November 26, 1996 lot 476;
2. Monnaies et Medailles XIX, June 5-6, 1959, lot 145 (80 CHF)

 

1. Jesus Vico Auction 129, TMCF (Tesouro Monetario do Casal de Fruime) hoard, June 7, 2012 Lot 127;
2. Discovered in the Casal de Friume Hoard - Ribeira de Pena, Vila Real, Portugal - December 31, 1953.

 

1. CNG Sale 76, Karl Sifferman Collection, September 12, 2007 Lot 1295;
2. Glendining Collection of Rev. W. L. Gantz of Abbots House, Stanstead Abbots, May 27, 1941 Lot 409 (£5/2/5-);
3. Sotheby, Wilkinson & Hodge, Collection of Horace Sanders, Esq, F.S.A, February 12, 1923 Lot 173 sold to Rev. W. L. Gantz.  (£3 realized);
4. Adolf Hess Nach, Tolstoi collection March 11, 1912 Lot 628 (115 Marks)

 

1. Collection Ing. G. Mazzini 1957 Volume 1, Plate V, Coin 4;
2. Adolf Hess Lucern and Gilhofer & Ranschburg Vienna, Franz Trau Collection, Aucton in Vienna, May 22, 1935 lot 36 (30 Australian Schillings est );
3. Jacob Hirsch Auction 7, June 2, 1902 Lot 1047 (18 Marks)

 

1. Sternberg Auction  X November 25 & 26, 1980 Lot 254 (2000 - 3500 CHF to Spink)

 

 

1. Bought from Peus, 7. Nov. 1957.  Likely Peus FPL 257 lot 254 (100 DM);
2. Baranowsky FPL 1929 Part II & III Lot 1069.

 

1. Ed Waddell List No. 70, 1997 Lot 109 & Cover Photo ($5500);
2. Bankhaus Aufhäuser Auction 12, Heinrich Jellissen Collection, October 1-2 1996, Lot 404(3000 DM est);
3. Monnaies et Medailles, Oct  1984, Lot 475 (5000 - 7000 CHF);
4. Carlo Crippa FPL Jan-March 1972 Lot 375;
5. Luigi de Nicola June 1962 FPL Lot 376 (200,000 Lira);
6. H.P. Hall collection, Glendinning, 1950, lot 647 (£7/15) to Santamaria;
7. Hess, Lucerne, December, 1933, lot 250 (250 CHF);
8. Schulman - Amsterdam, Vierordt collection, 1923, lot 495 (25 Florians);
9. Adolf Hess Nach, Tolstoi collection March 11, 1912 Lot 787

 

Edited December 26, 2022 by Carthago

[Qcumbor]

Wow, this is truly spectacular too !!

Q

[Phil Davis]

On 12/26/2022 at 12:46 PM, Carthago said:

Phil - Your RR collection, in general, is without equal (though I'm trying!) and your run of Brutus issues (shall we say Bruti for plural 😝) are truly spectacular!  I'm certainly not ashamed putting mine next to yours, though you still come out on top with quality.  Your 503/1 is likely the finest in private hands and I really appreciate you putting me in your will for it.  My 503 is the only coin in my collection that I know where it was found - Portugal December 31, 1953 in a hoard with a terminal issue of Domitian which means the coin circulated for about 130 years!.

Notably, my Brutus run is very well provenance with the "newest" oldest provenance being 1980 (that certain quinarius you made me trade a kidney for at auction...do you remember?).  These include many famous collectors to include 2 coins from Tolstoi in 1912, a Nordheim, 2 from HP Hall, 2 from Mazzini, Sir Arthur Evans, Trau, and Vierdort.  

Sorry about the various photo sizes.  I don't know how to size them when posting here and I guess it's based on file size.  Thanks for letting me ride on your coat tails.  

 

 

1. Privately purchased from Spink & Son in January 1969;
2. Glendining, Edmund Nordheim, Esq. Collection, March 9, 1931 Lot 231 (sold for 1 Pound 2 Shllings to "B").

 

 

1. Collection Ing. G. Mazzini 1957 Volume 1, Plate V, Coin 5*;
2. Henry Platt Hall, Glendining July 19th, 1950 Lot 652 (illustrated, but a 2 part lot) sold to Cahn  (£4/5);
3. Ars Classica Auction XVII, Sir Arthur J. Evans Collection, October 3, 1934 Lot 1108

 

1. Merzbacher Nach, Munich, Auction November 2, 1909  Lot 998 F.D.C. (30 Marks)

 

1. Lanz 78 November 26, 1996 lot 476;
2. Monnaies et Medailles XIX, June 5-6, 1959, lot 145 (80 CHF)

 

1. Jesus Vico Auction 129, TMCF (Tesouro Monetario do Casal de Fruime) hoard, June 7, 2012 Lot 127;
2. Discovered in the Casal de Friume Hoard - Ribeira de Pena, Vila Real, Portugal - December 31, 1953.

 

1. CNG Sale 76, Karl Sifferman Collection, September 12, 2007 Lot 1295;
2. Glendining Collection of Rev. W. L. Gantz of Abbots House, Stanstead Abbots, May 27, 1941 Lot 409 (£5/2/5-);
3. Sotheby, Wilkinson & Hodge, Collection of Horace Sanders, Esq, F.S.A, February 12, 1923 Lot 173 sold to Rev. W. L. Gantz.  (£3 realized);
4. Adolf Hess Nach, Tolstoi collection March 11, 1912 Lot 628 (115 Marks)

 

1. Collection Ing. G. Mazzini 1957 Volume 1, Plate V, Coin 4;
2. Adolf Hess Lucern and Gilhofer & Ranschburg Vienna, Franz Trau Collection, Aucton in Vienna, May 22, 1935 lot 36 (30 Australian Schillings est );
3. Jacob Hirsch Auction 7, June 2, 1902 Lot 1047 (18 Marks)

 

1. Sternberg Auction  X November 25 & 26, 1980 Lot 254 (2000 - 3500 CHF to Spink)

 

 

1. Bought from Peus, 7. Nov. 1957.  Likely Peus FPL 257 lot 254 (100 DM);
2. Baranowsky FPL 1929 Part II & III Lot 1069.

 

1. Ed Waddell List No. 70, 1997 Lot 109 & Cover Photo ($5500);
2. Bankhaus Aufhäuser Auction 12, Heinrich Jellissen Collection, October 1-2 1996, Lot 404(3000 DM est);
3. Monnaies et Medailles, Oct  1984, Lot 475 (5000 - 7000 CHF);
4. Carlo Crippa FPL Jan-March 1972 Lot 375;
5. Luigi de Nicola June 1962 FPL Lot 376 (200,000 Lira);
6. H.P. Hall collection, Glendinning, 1950, lot 647 (£7/15) to Santamaria;
7. Hess, Lucerne, December, 1933, lot 250 (250 CHF);
8. Schulman - Amsterdam, Vierordt collection, 1923, lot 495 (25 Florians);
9. Adolf Hess Nach, Tolstoi collection March 11, 1912 Lot 787

 

Thanks for the kind words,@Carthago. You also have a remarkable run of these! Interesting that we're missing exactly the same three types, including the quinarius 502/3-- quite an elusive coin which "seems" like it should be more obtainable. Puts the accomplishment of@jdmKYin having one in context. I remember when you bought 503/1 in NY. I never get tired of hearing the saga of your 503/1, absolutely the most remarkable "rediscovered provenance" I'm aware of.

You've inspired me to cite a few provenances as well (although I'm too lazy right now to come up with an exhaustive list, and some of my coins lack a significant provenance in any case:)

501/1: Ex NFA XXVII, 1991, lot 635 (Roberto Russo collection); ex Brand 3, Sotheby's, 1983, lot 234; ex Egger XLIII, 1913, lot 58.
502/2: Ex Glendining, 1950, lot 649 (Platt Hall collection).
502/4: Ex NAC 63, 2012, lot 527 (RBW collection); ex NAC 5, 1992, lot 380.
506/2: Ex Lanz 88, 1988, lot 799 (Benz collection); ex Hess-Leu 45, 1970, lot 449;  ex Ratto, 1930, lot 1306 (Martini collection.)

 

Edited February 20, 2023 by Phil Davis