Ancient Coins and Numismatic Books

Roman Imperatorial coins, Octavian and Divus Cæsar, Aureus, Cisalpine Gaul and Italy, 43 BC, c caesar cos pont avg, bust of Octavian right, with light beard, rev. C CAESAR DICT PERP PONT MAX, laureate bust of Cæsar right, 8.06g/3h (Crawford 490/2; Bahrfeldt 28; Kent-Hirmer 115; Calicó 52). Extremely fine and sharply struck, very rare £90,000-120,000

Provenance:
Bank Leu Auktion 48 (Zürich), 10 May 1989, lot 306.

This issue belongs to the period between Octavian’s march on Rome in July 43, his short time as consul and before the formation of the triumvirate in the autumn of 43. Divus Cæsar is depicted wearing a gold wreath; for this ancient Etruscan tradition see K. Kraft, Der goldene Kranz Caesars, JNG 3/4, 1953, pl. 1, 21