Jump to content

Libertas / Brutus Denarius


Al Kowsky

Recommended Posts

17 hours ago, jdmKY said:

Since we’re talking Brutus (and I love coins of Brutus, having 12 now), let’s take a look at my avatar coin. It’s a denarius of 41 BC by the moneyer L Servilius Rufus who hailed from Tusculum. The reverse features the Dioscuri, who brought victory to the Romans over the Latins in 496 BC at the battle of Lake Regillus.

But what interested me was the obverse. If you compare the portrait to that of the EID MAR, you see an unmistakable similarity to Brutus’ portrait. During this time of turmoil, was the moneyer trying to hedge his bets by showing subtle support for the republican cause championed by the late Brutus, without coming out and definitively naming him? We’ll probably never know.18CAF509-4B48-4CD8-A5D2-F5FC99B214BF.jpeg.7d57464526b3350ed2fbfc2075ac2f28.jpegFA049902-F54A-4399-AA65-05A6F573E133.jpeg.d6290b478dcc2149abb4f3380610104e.jpeg7D59B278-A955-47FB-B890-E3D55E6DB694.jpeg.859e5372d82e5dd96ab63e72872576b9.jpeg864D2790-583E-45FB-AC5A-1749B127F000.jpeg.a3242dcbcd357a16004c6f58b2fd0391.jpeg

jdmKY, I took the liberty of copying your photos for my files 😉.

1252150091_Brutus-DioscuridenariusjdmKYCollection.jpg.5384290a278c90470edb453ca51bc74d.jpg

617154433_EID.MARdenariusjdmKYCollection.jpg.520616d6dd35ced80fb8aee658d9afe8.jpg

 

  • Like 6
  • Smile 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I found another interesting photo this morning in my files this morning that I must share 😊.

667837987_CNG355lot465image7-15-20155175_00.jpg.1276947938144e8a5294631105cff250.jpg

Brutus, 42 BC. Fourree Denarius: 3.00gm, 18 mm, 4 h. Crawford 508/3. Very rare. Photo courtesy of CNG 355, lot 465.

Plated contemporary counterfeits like this coin mat be more rare than the genuine examples. This coin sold for $5,175.00 😲!

  • Like 7
Link to comment
Share on other sites

34 minutes ago, Al Kowsky said:

One coin type I should have added to the original thread but forgot is pictured below 🙃.

665520045_KosonARdrachm4_05gm.jpg.a5525d2ca44019977e7a5f4a60e514e2.jpg

Koson Stater, 1st Century BC. AR Stater: 4.12 gm, 19 mm, 11 h. RPC 1 1701. Rare. Photo courtesy of Leu Numismatik AG.

This coin was auctioned by Leu about two years ago for $2,442.00. The silver staters are rare compared to the gold ones.

Fantastic! A silver version! That's true - the silver staters very rare compared the gold ones. Congratulation.

What I don't understand in this context. If the theory was true that the koson staters were also used to finance Brutus' campaign, why are there more gold staters instead of silver ones? One could think that the gold staters were for the higher-ranking officers and their pay, and the silver coins perhaps for the "normal" soldiers. But then there would have to be more silver than gold staters. Wouldn't there?

But all that doesn't change anything - congratulations on such a rare and also very beautiful Koson stater.

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Benefactor

Many thanks to everyone who has contributed information about my Rufus denarius. That’s what I love about the group - such a wealth of knowledge and the enthusiasm of sharing it! You’re the best!

  • Like 3
Link to comment
Share on other sites

45 minutes ago, Prieure de Sion said:

Fantastic! A silver version! That's true - the silver staters very rare compared the gold ones. Congratulation.

What I don't understand in this context. If the theory was true that the koson staters were also used to finance Brutus' campaign, why are there more gold staters instead of silver ones? One could think that the gold staters were for the higher-ranking officers and their pay, and the silver coins perhaps for the "normal" soldiers. But then there would have to be more silver than gold staters. Wouldn't there?

But all that doesn't change anything - congratulations on such a rare and also very beautiful Koson stater.

P.d. Sion, That's a good question 😉. The historian Pultarch wrote that Brutus received funding from the Roman senate to fund the war in Greece; no mention was made if it was in the form of gold or silver, but it was most likely in the form of gold. You're going to buy more mercenaries with gold than silver 🤑.

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

On 6/13/2022 at 2:45 PM, Al Kowsky said:

I found another interesting photo this morning in my files this morning that I must share 😊.

667837987_CNG355lot465image7-15-20155175_00.jpg.1276947938144e8a5294631105cff250.jpg

Brutus, 42 BC. Fourree Denarius: 3.00gm, 18 mm, 4 h. Crawford 508/3. Very rare. Photo courtesy of CNG 355, lot 465.

Plated contemporary counterfeits like this coin mat be more rare than the genuine examples. This coin sold for $5,175.00 😲!

I remember that coin - I'd bid on it when it appeared in a CNG eAuction in 2015 and got an email from them saying that "some severe corrosion has sprouted up" on it.   I withdrew my bid - I wouldn't have won anyway unless I'd bid again and didn't feel confident it could be saved from the spreading bronze disease (at least not by me!).

I saved the original photos and those with the extra corrosion - as shown above.   This is how it looked when initially listed:

 

image.jpeg.8c03a2eb5037f4530f2a57455df6c4bc.jpeg

 

I wonder what happened to it?!

 

ATB,

Aidan.

  • Like 5
Link to comment
Share on other sites

17 hours ago, akeady said:

I remember that coin - I'd bid on it when it appeared in a CNG eAuction in 2015 and got an email from them saying that "some severe corrosion has sprouted up" on it.   I withdrew my bid - I wouldn't have won anyway unless I'd bid again and didn't feel confident it could be saved from the spreading bronze disease (at least not by me!).

I saved the original photos and those with the extra corrosion - as shown above.   This is how it looked when initially listed:

 

image.jpeg.8c03a2eb5037f4530f2a57455df6c4bc.jpeg

 

I wonder what happened to it?!

 

ATB,

Aidan.

I think you were smart passing on that one, it looks too far gone 🧐.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

These are my 4 - ex - coins on Brutus and Libertas. However, I sold all 4 coins to other collectors at the beginning of the year.

Coin 1 - the typical Brutus Libertas coin.
Coin 2 - Koson "Brutus" Gold Stater, does it really have something to do with Brutus? A mystery until today.
Coin 3 - Pedanius Costa on the road in the military camp on behalf of Brutus.
Coin 4 - Lentulus Spinther on behalf of Brutus on his way to the military camp with the head of Libertas.

m0007_rrc_silber_denar_marcus_iunius_brutus.png

m0003_rpc_gold_starter_koson_marcus_iunius_brutus.png

m0012_rrc_silber_denar_publius_pedanius_costa.png

m0013_rrc_silber_denar_publius_cornelius_lentulus_spinther.png

Edited by Prieure de Sion
  • Like 11
  • Heart Eyes 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

7 hours ago, Charles H said:

Some wonderful coins in this thread - and educational too ! 

I have another example, which came from the Michael Kelly collection

 

image.png.1ac143ae9591b76448a37533da73b48f.png

This is one of the best i have seen of this type, especially reverse! Bravo and Congratulations 

  • Like 3
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
×
  • Create New...