John060167 Posted August 14, 2022 · Member Share Posted August 14, 2022 (edited) Hi everyone! Hope y’all are doing well, I would just like to share a new pickup of mine, a type of coin that is among one of my favorites out there to collect. I am talking about the portrait denarii of Julius Caesar, especially the lifetime issues struck between Jan and March 44BCE, especially the DICT PERPETVO types. These coins are particularly significant because they are known as “the coins that killed caesar”. Not to mention they are also the first proto-Roman Imperial coin issues too, as no Roman coin ever before beared a portrait of a living man nor did anyone before Caesar ever put such a powerful title on their coinage such as dictator for life, or even held such power like Caesar. This trend that Caesar started would be continued by his successors Octavian and Mark Antony (as well as others including Caesar’s asssassin, Marcus Junius Brutus, ironically ) and would be used in the Roman Empire for the rest of its history. Here is the coin anyway: Late Roman Republic Julius Caesar (d. 49-44BC) AR denarius, 17mm, 3.88g struck mid Feb-mid March, 44BCE , Rome mint RRC 480/8 Obv: CAESAR DICT PERPETVO, Laureate head of J. Caesar facing right, border of dots around. Rev: L. BVCA, Venus standing left, holding Victory in right hand and long sceptre in left hand. Border of dots around. (and here is a video: https://imgur.com/a/pGuZJja) This coin was issued by one of the 4 moneyers that year, Lucius Aemilius Buca. An interesting fact is that typically there were only 3 moneyers during the republican period (this system was called this tresviri monetales, meaning the three moneyers). However, in preparation for Caesars anticipated parthian war, the mintage output was increased and so Caesar appointed 4 moneyers that year. It is clear production was high that year based on the known coinage as well as the quality of the coins themselves, ie weight tolerances were fairly large and the dies/striking quality was not always the best. My example is fairly high grade , but is struck on a thick flan and slightly off center so a portion of Caesars portrait and the legends are off. It has really nice surfaces and metal, and no bankers marks. The die itself seems to have some wear as evidenced by the die cracks present on the obverse and reverse. The RRC 480/8 denarius I picked is an upgrade to another DICT PERPETVO type I already have, specifically an RRC 480/13, which is a veiled head type struck by P. Sepullius Macer, another of the 4 moneyers for 44BC. This coin is well struck but fairly beat up, it has been well circulated, scratched up, bankers marked, etc. but still a decent example of the type. Late Roman Republic Julius Caesar (d. 49-44BCE) AR denarius, 19mm, 3.15g struck mid Feb-mid March, 44BC, rome mint. RRC 480/13 Obv: CAESAR DICT PERPETVO, veiled head of J. Caesar facing right. Border of dots around. Rev: P SEPVLLIVS MACER, Venus standing left, holding victory in right hand and sceptre in left with shield at bottom. Border of dots around (a video: https://imgur.com/a/05lAB0Z) Anyway, do you have any coins of Caesar? If so please share, would love to see what you got! If not, share something you have that you feel is relevant! Cheers! Edited August 14, 2022 by John060167 19 7 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shanxi Posted August 14, 2022 · Supporter Share Posted August 14, 2022 Nice coin, much better than the old one ! Congratulations ! I don't have a livetime Marcus Antonius AR-Denar, ca. 43 v.C. mint in Gallia Obv: M ANTON IMP Head of Marcus Antonius r., lituus behind Rev: CAESAR DIC Laureate head of Julius Caesar r., jug behind Ag, 3.81g, 18mm Ref: Cr.: 488/1, Sydenham: 1165, Sear 118 17 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John060167 Posted August 14, 2022 · Member Author Share Posted August 14, 2022 (edited) 3 hours ago, shanxi said: Nice coin, much better than the old one ! Congratulations ! I don't have a livetime Marcus Antonius AR-Denar, ca. 43 v.C. mint in Gallia Obv: M ANTON IMP Head of Marcus Antonius r., lituus behind Rev: CAESAR DIC Laureate head of Julius Caesar r., jug behind Ag, 3.81g, 18mm Ref: Cr.: 488/1, Sydenham: 1165, Sear 118 ohh thats very cool, love that issue! my favorite thing is that it has a double portrait of caesar and antony, you can see here how antony was really trying to come off as caesars true successor, even if octavian was his real designated heir lol. thanks for sharing! Edited August 14, 2022 by John060167 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Curtis JJ Posted August 14, 2022 · Supporter Share Posted August 14, 2022 (edited) That's a nice pair! I don't have one of the veiled ones yet. I've got two DICT PERPETVO with laureate Caesar, BVCA and Macer. Both have very rough reverses (otherwise I couldn't have afforded them!), especially the BVCA, but I actually find the portrait quite nice: Julius Caesar Handheld 2 (18s).mp4 Edited August 14, 2022 by Curtis JJ 17 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John060167 Posted August 17, 2022 · Member Author Share Posted August 17, 2022 On 8/14/2022 at 11:52 AM, Curtis JJ said: That's a nice pair! I don't have one of the veiled ones yet. I've got two DICT PERPETVO with laureate Caesar, BVCA and Macer. Both have very rough reverses (otherwise I couldn't have afforded them!), especially the BVCA, but I actually find the portrait quite nice: Julius Caesar Handheld 2 (18s).mp4 3.72 MB · 0 downloads lovely coins! both still of nice quality for the type, not sure which i prefer! i remember you showed em to me on reddit, i dont see you there too often anymore. cheers! 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Curtis JJ Posted August 17, 2022 · Supporter Share Posted August 17, 2022 (edited) 39 minutes ago, John060167 said: lovely coins! both still of nice quality for the type, not sure which i prefer! i remember you showed em to me on reddit, i dont see you there too often anymore. cheers! @John060167! Totally didn't notice thre username lol. Good to see you! I love Reddit & the discord but something about keeping up with people on those interfaces kinda stresses me out sometimes. I like these kinda forums best for some reason. Looks like you've made a wonderful addition with that great looking BVCA ! Pretty sure I recognize your veiled MACER now that I've put 2 and 2 together. This is a fun series. Personally I always refer to elephant denarius as the first of the "coins that killed Caesar" (plural), since he basically strolled over the Rubicon & iimmediately struck treasury silver in his own name with no Senate authority, at the point of a sword. What do you think? Edited August 17, 2022 by Curtis JJ 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Octavius Posted August 17, 2022 · Supporter Share Posted August 17, 2022 Great and desirable coins! Silver denarius CAESAR IMP, minted in Rome by P. Sepullius Macer, January to February 44 BC. 13 1 1 1 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Restitutor Posted August 17, 2022 · Administrator Share Posted August 17, 2022 Wow wow wow! Lifetime Caesar coins are bucket list - would love to just be able to hold one in hand one day. Actually owning one!? 🤯 Feel like it would look down on all my other coins 😂 Here’s the closest thing I have to Caesar, his heir! 10 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Curtis JJ Posted August 17, 2022 · Supporter Share Posted August 17, 2022 4 hours ago, Restitutor said: Lifetime Caesar coins are bucket list - would love to just be able to hold one in hand one day "I am Caesar." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Qcumbor Posted August 17, 2022 · Supporter Share Posted August 17, 2022 No Ceasar lifetime issue in my trays, but 4 related to the dude Q 11 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John060167 Posted August 18, 2022 · Member Author Share Posted August 18, 2022 On 8/16/2022 at 8:34 PM, Curtis JJ said: @John060167! Totally didn't notice thre username lol. Good to see you! I love Reddit & the discord but something about keeping up with people on those interfaces kinda stresses me out sometimes. I like these kinda forums best for some reason. Looks like you've made a wonderful addition with that great looking BVCA ! Pretty sure I recognize your veiled MACER now that I've put 2 and 2 together. This is a fun series. Personally I always refer to elephant denarius as the first of the "coins that killed Caesar" (plural), since he basically strolled over the Rubicon & iimmediately struck treasury silver in his own name with no Senate authority, at the point of a sword. What do you think? haha yeah thats a good point on that elephant denarius. Never thought of it that way….Lets just say these dict perpetvo denarii are the “coins that put a nail in caesars coffin”(well not coffin since he was cremated but!) cheers! 1 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John060167 Posted August 18, 2022 · Member Author Share Posted August 18, 2022 On 8/16/2022 at 10:47 PM, Octavius said: Great and desirable coins! Silver denarius CAESAR IMP, minted in Rome by P. Sepullius Macer, January to February 44 BC. sick quality example! wow! what good metal and handsome portrait on that issue. thanks for sharing! 2 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John060167 Posted August 18, 2022 · Member Author Share Posted August 18, 2022 10 hours ago, Qcumbor said: No Ceasar lifetime issue in my trays, but 4 related to the dude Q those are nice! id say those first three are lifetime issue caesars, just not lifetime issue portraits so more than good enough! high quality lovely specimens. cheers! 2 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Curtis JJ Posted August 18, 2022 · Supporter Share Posted August 18, 2022 (edited) For a second I thought @Qcumbor's elephant used to be mine! From the coins-I-wish-I-could-get-back file (SOLD, c. 2013-5): Looks like the same obverse die, but not the same coin... @Qcumbor's is still better. These are amazing coins in great condition like that! Edited August 18, 2022 by Curtis JJ 8 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Qcumbor Posted August 18, 2022 · Supporter Share Posted August 18, 2022 2 hours ago, John060167 said: those are nice! id say those first three are lifetime issue caesars, just not lifetime issue portraits so more than good enough! high quality lovely specimens. cheers! Yeah, I should have been more specific : "No Ceasar portrait lifetime issue" 😀 Q 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Severus Alexander Posted August 19, 2022 · Supporter Share Posted August 19, 2022 On 8/14/2022 at 6:20 AM, John060167 said: These coins are particularly significant because they are known as “the coins that killed caesar”. The idea behind this, of course, is that it was offensively king-like to put one's portrait on a coin. But Clare Rowan, in her book From Caesar to Augustus: Using Coins as Sources makes (or perhaps repeats? I can't remember) the rather good point that since some of Caesar's assassins, including Brutus, put their portraits on coins shortly thereafter, this could hardly have been a significant reason for the assassination. My lifetime portrait coin is one of the earlier ones (480/4): 10 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Edessa Posted August 19, 2022 · Supporter Share Posted August 19, 2022 One of my favorites: The Triumvirs. Julius Caesar and Mark Antony. 43 BC. AR Denarius (18mm, 3.55g, 6h). Obv: M ANTO IM[P R P C]; Bare head of Mark Antony right, lituus in left field. Rev: CAESAR DIC; Wreathed head of Caesar right, pitcher in left field. Ref: Craw 488/2, Syd 1166, Sear Imperators 123. Fine, nicely toned, slightly off-center, banker's marks, good style for these. Ex Berk, with ticket which includes the following note: "From a collection formed by a schoolboy in the 1950s, bought chiefly from Ben's Stamp and Coin Company in Chicago". 9 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alegandron Posted August 20, 2022 · Supporter Share Posted August 20, 2022 Congrats @John060167! CAESAR Lifetime, last 2 weeks of his life.Roman ImperiatorialJulius Caesar LifetimeP Sepullius MacerAR Denarius, 1st 2 weeks-Mar 44 BCE, 19 mm, 4.03g.Obv: CAESAR – DICT PERPETVO Veiled and wreathed head of Caesar R.Rev: P·SEPVLLIVS – MACER Venus standing l., holding Victory and sceptre resting on star.Ref: Syd 1074a Sear Imperators 107e Crawford 480-14 R 8 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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