Caligula Sestertius

[JayAg47]

Caligula aka Gaius Caesar Augustus Germanicus  

Just received the coin after a 1.5 month transit from last year. A sestertius of Caligula, albeit a humble example, is a significant addition to my collection. Actually looks better in hand with the brassy elements against the dark field. 

This coin commemorates the finalisation of the Divus Augustus temple. Erected on the Palatine Hill, it stands on the grounds where Augustus once resided before entering public service. The Roman Senate made a vow to construct it shortly after the emperor's death in AD 14, and the project reached completion around AD 37. This coin was minted during that period, coinciding with the dedication of the temple over the last two days of August in the same year—the month renamed in honor of Augustus.
Caligula as the Pontifex Maximus presided over the sacrificial ceremonies, as noted by Cassius Dio. Caligula's ordered commemorative events were exceptionally lavish, featuring a two-day horse race and the slaying of 400 bears and an equivalent number of wild beasts from Libya. Caligula also postponed all legal proceedings and suspended mourning to ensure widespread attendance. The temple's last recorded mention was on May 27, AD 218. Subsequently, it was entirely destroyed, and its stones were likely quarried for future construction projects. The site remains unexcavated, leaving its original appearance to be reconstructed solely from depictions on Roman coinage, with the present type being particularly significant in this regard.

Caligula
Ae sestertius
22.3 g, 34 mm
40-41 AD, RIC I (second edition) Gaius/Caligula 51

Obv: C CAESAR DIVI AVG PRON AVG P M TR P IIII P P PIETAS. Pietas, veiled, draped, seated left, holding patera in right hand and resting left arm on a small draped figure, standing on a basis, facing
Rev: DIVO AVG S C. Front view of hexastyle garlanded temple surmounted by quadriga. In front, Caligula, veiled and togate, sacrifices with patera over garlanded altar right; one attendant leads bull to altar right; a second holds patera.

Please share you coins of 'Little boots'.

Edited January 19 by JayAg47

[Roman Collector]

An iconic type, @JayAg47 Imperial issues for Little Boots are out of my reach. Here's a provincial:

Caligula, AD 37-41.
Roman provincial Æ 20 mm, 6.74 g.
Peloponnese, Corinthia, Corinth, Ae. P. Vipsanius Agrippa and M. Bellius Proculus, duoviri, AD 37-38.
Obv: C CAESAR AVGVSTV, bare head right.
Rev: M BELLIO PROCVLO IIVIR / COR, Pegasus flying right.
Refs: RPC I 1173; Amandry (1988) XVII; BCD Corinth 405-6.

[Victrix]

 

Gaius (Caligula), 37-41. As (Copper, 29 mm, 11.48 g, 7 h), Rome, 37-38. 
 

 

Edited January 19 by Victrix
Wrong picture resolution

[ambr0zie]

I don't have a Caligula imperial so I have to settle with a Smyrna provincial. 

15 mm, 2,74 g.
Ionia, Smyrna. Caligula 37-41 AD. Aviola, proconsul and Menophanes, magistrate. Ӕ.
ΓΑΙΟΝ ΚΑΙϹΑΡΑ ƐΠΙ ΑΟΥ(Ι)ΟΛΑ, laureate head of Caligula, r. / ΖΜΥΡΝΑΙWΝ ΜΗΝΟΦΑΝΗϹ, Nike, r., with palm and wreath.
RPC I 2473.

[AETHER]

Speaking of humble examples ..

[dougsmit]

I have never owned a silver Caligula or even a fourree.  My bronzes have been posted many times before.  Not suprizingly, the more scarce ones are in the lesser condition.  

[Nerosmyfavorite68]

Orichalcum sestertius, RIC I 37; BMCRE I 38; Cohen 24, F, rough, Rome mint, weight 24.698g, maximum diameter 34.9mm, die axis 180o, 37 - 38 A.D.; obverse C CAESAR AVG GERMANICVS PON M TR POT, laureate head left; reverse S P Q R / P P / OB CIVES / SERVATOS, legend in four lines within Corona Civica oak wreath; ex Edward J. Waddell;

 

Congrats on the Sestertius!  My best one isn't photographed, but here's the only sestertius I have.  The green has stayed the same for 15 years. 

[JayAg47]

11 hours ago, Nerosmyfavorite68 said:

 

Is there a reason why most sestertii/bronzes of the Julio-Claudian, especially of Caligula are pitted and corroded, the majority I've see have these micro pitting, is it due to their age? if so I don't see much damage from the Flavian issues, now they're only a few years younger. 

[panzerman]

I have no Caligula/ but I loved seeing yours and the others!

John

[Limes]

Digital high five, @JayAg47. That's a fantastic type, in my opinion. Below you may find mine, which is also ... uuuh ... worn 😁

By the way, about Caligula, a new book appeared by Aloys Winterling. Apparently the author gives a different picture of Caligula, in that he wasn't that mad at all. Sounds interesting. I wonder if a member of this board has read it already? 

[Limes]

6 hours ago, JayAg47 said:

Is there a reason why most sestertii/bronzes of the Julio-Claudian, especially of Caligula are pitted and corroded, the majority I've see have these micro pitting, is it due to their age? if so I don't see much damage from the Flavian issues, now they're only a few years younger. 

Good question, I wonder that too. Maybe it has something to do with the damnatio memoriae? In the sense that I can imagine coinage with Caligula on it was taken out of circulation, and the few specimens that survived were otherwise thrown away to be left in water/soil? Or maybe it's because few coinage of Caligula survives, that people that find these / found these are more willing to keep/clean them, in stead of throwing them away due to their bad condition? Just some speculative thoughts...

[Marsyas Mike]

I too only have a Caligula portrait on a Provincial, and it is does not particularly look like him - vaguely Julio-Claudian, but without any Caligulian malice: 

Caligula Æ 15 Magistrate Kleandros Philokaisar  Philadelphia, Lydia  (37-41 A.D.) ΓΑΙΟϹ ΚΑΙϹΑΡ; bare headright / ΦΙΛΟΚΑΙϹΑ[Ρ ΦΙΛΑΔƐ]ΛΦƐ[WΝ ΚΛƐΑΝ-ΔΡΟϹ], capricorn left with cornucopia on its back, [ΠΑ]Ε (?) monogram in left field. RPC I 3028; LS 118, no. 18 cf. SNG von Aulock 3072 (4.15 grams / 15 x 14 mm) eBay May 2023  

The magistrate's unusual title, Philokaisar, literally translates, "friend of the emperor"... In 17, the city suffered severely from an earthquake, and Tiberius relieved it of having to pay taxes...Evidence from coinage reveals that Caligula  also helped the city."  FORVM

Die-Match Characteristics: Obv: P at tip of nose, etc. Rev: Top leg curved.

Die-Match Obv. & Rev.:

Coin no. 11 of RPC I 3028 H.I. Coll.

 DEMOS Auction 10; Lot 484; 14.05.2022

[Qcumbor]

I would certainly love a Caligula sestertius, and yours isn't so bad @JayAg47

My only coin of his, isn't very bad, but is pitted too, through an otherwise nice glossy patina, giving it hard time to take good pictures of (i didn't succeed so far)

Q

 

Edited January 20 by Qcumbor

[Ancient Aussie]

Nice one JayAg47, a coin I would love to have in my collection. Only have two Caligula an Imperial and Provincial.

Caligula, with Antonia, Æ22 of Thessalonica, Macedon. AD 37-41., laureate head left , veiled and draped bust of Antonia left, wearing stephane. RPC I 1573. 9.28g, 21mm, 12h.

[Praefectus]

https://www.vcoins.com/en/stores/praefectus_coins/130/product/spain_carthago_nova_tiberius_with_gaius_caligula_as_caesar_ad_1437__as/1098951/Default.aspx

[Furryfrog02]

Caligula is still on my list to acquire. All these are great looking coins! I'd be happy with any example. One day I will get it checked off.

[DonnaML]

My only Caligula, not counting the coins he issued depicting Germanicus and Agrippa, is your garden-variety Caligula As with Vesta on the reverse. Not nearly as nice as some shown in this thread, but the best I'm likely to be able to obtain anytime in the foreseeable future. I crossed denarii of Caligula, Claudius I, Otho, and Julius Caesar off my want list a long time ago!

Caligula, AE As, 37-38 AD, Rome Mint. Obv. Bare head left, C CAESAR AVG GERMANICVS PON M TR POT/ Rev. Vesta seated left, holding patera and scepter, VESTA above, S - C across field. RIC I 38, Sear RCV I 1803, Cohen 27, BMCRE 46.  30x28 mm., 10.32 g.

[JayAg47]

3 hours ago, DonnaML said:

 I crossed denarii of Caligula, Claudius I, Otho, and Julius Caesar off my want list a long time ago!

I mean compared to the other three, a denarius of Julius Caesar is much more doable, although depends if you are after a portrait issue or a generic one. 

[DonnaML]

5 minutes ago, JayAg47 said:

I mean compared to the other three, a denarius of Julius Caesar is much more doable, although depends if you are after a portrait issue or a generic one. 

Really? Even half-way decent examples of the elephant & snake denarius seem to be selling for at least $1,000 these days. Or are you thinking of another type?

[JayAg47]

23 minutes ago, DonnaML said:

Really? Even half-way decent examples of the elephant & snake denarius seem to be selling for at least $1,000 these days. Or are you thinking of another type?

I see these on Ma-shops from 550 usd onwards, while the elephant type is more expensive, his other types are relatively less expensive. I'm sure you could get them for much cheaper on auctions. 

[Nerosmyfavorite68]

Perhaps the super-corroded ones are single finds and/or it's the way they're cleaned?  I notice that most of the most corroded ones on the market are stripped of patina.

Perhaps the orichalchum formula was slightly different?

I have a relatively nice As, purchased during the 1990's, but it's unphotographed. 

[Curtis JJ]

Here is another coin struck under Caligula, celebrating Divus Augustus, and depicting a full-bodied Caligula on the reverse. This one a Dupondius.

(In previous generations there was debate about whether the bust was the reverse since it has the S-C to either side, and some people still argue the seated figure is  also Augustus. Aside from other reasons for believing it to be Caligula, I think if you look closely, the head of the seated figure looks very much like Caligula's Imperial AE portraits, albeit miniaturized. Clearer on better specimens.)

Don't know what that white powdery substance is. Maybe residue from some kind of cast made long ago? It stays for now.

 

Roman Imperial. Gaius (Caligula), naming Divus Augustus, Æ Dupondius (29.5 mm, 16.57 g, 6h), Rome mint, 37-41 CE.
Obv: DIVVS AVGVSTVS / S – C. Radiate head of Augustus left.
Rev: CONSENSV · SENAT · ET · EQ · ORDIN · P · Q · R ·. Statue of Caligula (or Augustus?) seated left on curule chair, holding branch.
Ref: RIC I 56 (Gaius); Cohen 87; BMC 88; MIR 11-5.
Prov: Ex Collections Archer Huntington (1870-1955), American Numismatic Society [Acc. No. 1001.1.22981] & Hispanic Society of America [same No.].

Edited January 21 by Curtis JJ

[expat]

Some lovely coins posted above. I have  only 1, just because I had to have 1. A Spanish provincial

RPC Volume: I №: 400
Reign: Caligula Persons: Caligula (Augustus) Magistrate: Gaius Cornelius Refec— (duovir); Marcus Helvius Fronto (duovir)
City: Bilbilis  Region: Hispania Province: Tarraconensis
Denomination: Leaded bronze (27 mm) 11.92gr
Obverse: G CAESAR AVG GERMANICVS IMP; laureate head of Caligula, right
Reverse: MVN AVG BILBIL C COR(N) REF(EC) M HELV FRO(NTO); oak wreath containing II VIR
Reference: Vives 139–10, GMI 552, NAH 1131 Specimens: 36

[GERMANICVS]

Congratulations on your new Caligula sestertius, @JayAg47 . It is a nice example of the type.

This is the only coin I have of Caligula.

The Signis Receptis dupondius of Germanicvs is also related to Caligula as it was struck posthumously during Caligula's reign to commemorate the German victories of his father Germanicvs.  

[Octavius]

My cover photo - sestertius of Caligula addressing troops, Adlocutio cohortium (or probably cohortibus). purchased from Tom Cederlind...

sestertius with wreath reverse ....

 

As / Vesta... ( purchased from Agora)...