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My Centerpiece: Ides of March denarius

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In school, we all learned about Brutus’ assassination of Julius Caesar. For me, it was a compelling story, further enhanced by the reading of Shakespeare’s play which told of the events of the Ides of March. However, my deeper fascination with it came when I began collecting ancient coins, learning that, fortunately for historians and collectors alike, Brutus minted a coin commemorating this turning point in Western history.

It’s hard to argue with the #1 ranking given to it by a consortium of collectors and dealers in the “100 Greatest Ancient Coins” book published by Harlan Berk. The trouble with this type is that it’s very hard to find in good condition and regardless of the condition, its popularity drives up the price.

I am extremely fortunate to have been able to acquire a solid-silver example of this historic type. It’s graded nearly EF and considerably better in hand and in my photos than the auction house’s poorly lit images showed. Around 80 examples are known, 30 of which reside in museums, with many of the remaining coins available to private collectors are in extremely poor condition or corroded due to the impure silver in which they were struck in Brutus’ moving mint.

The obverse bears a portrait of Brutus, the most famous of all assassins. The imagery on the reverse of the coin proclaims that the tyrant Julius Caesar is dead and includes the date of the assassination (EIDibus MARtiis, the Ides of March, the 15th of March, 44 BC). The daggers represent Brutus and Cassius, the two leaders of the uprising against Caesar. The daggers surround a liberty cap as a reminder that Caesar was killed in the name of liberty, freeing the Roman people.

This coin is certainly the centerpiece to my collection, and I’ll be posting a more detailed historical write-up soon, accompanied with some other contemporary issues.

Marcus Junius Brutus, Assassin of Caesar and Imperator (44-42 BC). AR denarius (3.73 gm). Mint moving with Brutus in northern Greece, L. Plaetorius Cestianus, magistrate, late summer-autumn 42 BC. BRVT IMP L. PLAET. CEST., bare head of Brutus right, wearing slight beard / EID MAR, pileus (cap of liberty) between two daggers. Crawford 508/3. Cahn 7a (same dies). CRI 216. RSC 15. RCV 1439
Learn about our world's shared history told through the first millennium of coinage: Colosseo Collection

Comments

  • EVillageProwlerEVillageProwler Posts: 5,859 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Congrats. This is waaaay cool.

    EVP

    How does one get a hater to stop hating?

    I can be reached at evillageprowler@gmail.com

  • TIF2TIF2 Posts: 233
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    Move over, Dos Equis Man. SmallEagle is here.

    Congratulations... what a coup! Hard to top that image
  • ZoharZohar Posts: 6,629 ✭✭✭✭✭
    We are truly fortunate to have someone like SmEagle1795 who not only plays at the highest league but also takes the time to share and educate. Very nice chap to boot as well!

    Awesome piece. I read about this one in the recent Goldberg's auction - is this where it came from?
  • SmEagle1795SmEagle1795 Posts: 2,135 ✭✭✭✭✭


    << <i>We are truly fortunate to have someone like SmEagle1795 who not only plays at the highest league but also takes the time to share and educate. Very nice chap to boot as well!

    Awesome piece. I read about this one in the recent Goldberg's auction - is this where it came from? >>



    Thanks! It isn't the same coin as the one sold at Goldberg, but it was a historic week as, for the first time ever, two Eid Mars were sold in adjacent auctions. This caused me no small amount of stress. The auction I bought mine from (Lanz) was originally scheduled before the Goldberg sale but they actually moved their auction once they learned another was being sold, likely to attract the underbidder from Goldberg.

    The Goldberg example had good detail but was very porous/crystallized, which drove me away from it. Probably for the best as well, as I learned I never would have won it: one of the billionaire Russian bidders was going after it and would buy it at any price.

    NAC had an example shortly before Goldberg but it was in very poor condition, graded "Fine", deeply scratched, and in a poor style. However, it sold for much more than I would have thought, causing me to agonize over my bidding plans.

    Thankfully, the Lanz auction was much less attended and their picture didn't do them any favors, so I was able to acquire it at a considerable discount to what it could have sold for, a little over half of the Goldberg example and only about 60% more than the NAC example.

    While my Roman collection isn't complete by any means, I now have the three "big" coins (Colosseum sestertius, Port of Ostia sestertius, and Eid Mar) which will allow me to put a bit more focus on building the Greek side of my collection image
    Learn about our world's shared history told through the first millennium of coinage: Colosseo Collection
  • mercurydimeguymercurydimeguy Posts: 4,625 ✭✭✭✭
    My dream coin image
  • WOW!!!
  • worldcoinguyworldcoinguy Posts: 2,999 ✭✭✭✭
    Stunning addition to complete the big 3! Congrats on a successful conquest and excellent writeup. I feel special just reading posts like this on the forum.

    Watch out Greek specialists......you are in his crosshairs now......
  • lordmarcovanlordmarcovan Posts: 43,194 ✭✭✭✭✭
    And Lo, there 'tis. imageimage





    Edit to add:

    Pah! I already have one of those.

    image

    image

    Explore collections of lordmarcovan on CollecOnline, management, safe-keeping, sharing and valuation solution for art piece and collectibles.
  • image

    Not only is it arguably the best ancient coin, it's damn nice grade wise to boot


    What a cool piece
    =Recipient of the coveted "You Suck" award 4/28/2014=
  • theboz11theboz11 Posts: 6,576 ✭✭✭
    meant is all Honor


    YOU SUCK.image
  • AndresAndres Posts: 977 ✭✭✭
    Great coin, great pictures, great description - Thanks for sharing

    image
    collector of Greek banknotes - most beautifull world banknotes - Greek & Roman ancient coins.
  • SwampboySwampboy Posts: 12,873 ✭✭✭✭✭
    image
  • AethelredAethelred Posts: 9,288 ✭✭✭
    I have always thought this was one of the most interesting of Roman coin types. Off the top of my head I can not think of another coin type that celebrates an assassination.

    Great coin SmEagle!

    Yours is nice too LordM, but you may want to have it graded before your return period ends.

    NiceCureency, if I had been on the Enterprise I would have pushed Wesley Crusher out of an airlock at my earliest opportunity.
    If you are in the Western North Carolina area, please consider visiting our coin shop:

    WNC Coins, LLC
    1987-C Hendersonville Road
    Asheville, NC 28803


    wnccoins.com
  • STLNATSSTLNATS Posts: 1,597 ✭✭✭
    Great example of a remarkably historical type. Congrats.

    Always interested in St Louis MO & IL metro area and Evansville IN national bank notes and Vatican/papal states coins and medals!
  • TPRCTPRC Posts: 3,738 ✭✭✭✭✭
    SmEagle--thanks for posting. That is a fantastic piece!

    Tom

  • OriginalDanOriginalDan Posts: 3,713 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Spectacular! Really appreciate how much you share about your coins.
  • WeissWeiss Posts: 9,934 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Dude.

    image
    We are like children who look at print and see a serpent in the last letter but one, and a sword in the last.
    --Severian the Lame
  • TIF2TIF2 Posts: 233


    << <i>And Lo, there 'tis. image

    Pah! I already have one of those.

    image

    image >>



    imageimageimage

    Too bad it's not a brockage. I hear those are really valuable.
  • TiborTibor Posts: 3,198 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Over the past 40+ years all I have seen are off-center
    examples. For centering alone this coin is a true rarity
    and a prize!! It has to be in the top 5% of survivors.
    Thanks for the pics and the info. Coingrats!!
  • SmEagle1795SmEagle1795 Posts: 2,135 ✭✭✭✭✭


    << <i>And Lo, there 'tis. imageimage

    Edit to add:

    Pah! I already have one of those.

    image

    image >>



    A well-centered example in good metal! Must be worth at least face value image
    Learn about our world's shared history told through the first millennium of coinage: Colosseo Collection
  • SmEagle1795SmEagle1795 Posts: 2,135 ✭✭✭✭✭


    << <i>Over the past 40+ years all I have seen are off-center
    examples. For centering alone this coin is a true rarity
    and a prize!! It has to be in the top 5% of survivors.
    Thanks for the pics and the info. Coingrats!! >>



    Thanks very much!
    Learn about our world's shared history told through the first millennium of coinage: Colosseo Collection
  • NapNap Posts: 1,702 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Congrats, that is quite the acquisition!
  • Steve27Steve27 Posts: 13,267 ✭✭✭
    Great Coin!!! Congrats!!!
    "It's far easier to fight for principles, than to live up to them." Adlai Stevenson
  • nicholasz219nicholasz219 Posts: 1,386 ✭✭✭
    Whoa
  • CIVITASCIVITAS Posts: 2,256 ✭✭✭
    The Goldberg's coin was certainly a stunning example, but dollar for dollar I prefer yours. Nice acquisition.

    image
    https://www.civitasgalleries.com

    New coins listed monthly!

    Josh Moran

    CIVITAS Galleries, Ltd.
  • OldEastsideOldEastside Posts: 4,602 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Totally Cool SmEagle image

    I'm always amazed with the Lords Change Finds image

    Steve
    Promote the Hobby
  • STONESTONE Posts: 15,275
    Super historical coin/commem image
  • TheRavenTheRaven Posts: 4,143 ✭✭✭✭
    My dream coin for sure.

    One day after I win the lottery.
    Collection under construction: VG Barber Quarters & Halves
  • astroratastrorat Posts: 9,221 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Always a joy to view this wonderful Eid Mar!
    Numismatist Ordinaire
    See http://www.doubledimes.com for a free online reference for US twenty-cent pieces
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