Description
Roman Republic. P. Crepusius, C. Limetanus and L. Censorinus. Denarius, 82 BC, Rome mint. | |
Obverse: | Draped and veiled bust of Venus, wearing a Diadem, earrings and a necklace, right, behind L CENSORI. |
Reverse: | Venus, holding reins in her right hand and goad and reins in her left hand, riding a biga right, above III, below C LIME[TA], in exergue P CREPV[SI]. |
Dimensions: | AR, 3.75 g, 18 mm, 10h. |
References: | Crawford 360/1b; Sydenham 736a; BMCRR Rome 2638 var. |
Condition: | Slightly toned and slightly off center, small flan fault, reverse slightly corroded. Otherwise extremely fine. |
Provenance: | From a private German Collection, acquired at Gorny & Mosch 257 (2018), 650, ex Gorny & Mosch 236 (2016), 359. |
Comment: | Normally a republican denarius is struck by an individual moneyer and member of the IIIviri monetales. There are only few cases were all three moneyer of a year issued a joint denarius. This coin is one of these. The precise reason for this cooperation is not known, and the meaning of the depiction is equivocal. The Venus portrayed probably has no connection to Sulla.
The moneyers
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