'EID MAR' (Ides of March) Brutus Aureus Breaks Record for Roman Coin, Sells for $3.5m.

ChopmarkedTrades

Certified earlier this month by NGC as Mint State ★, 5/5 strike, 3/5 surface, this rare and incredibly historically important aureus of Brutus is the third known example of the type (of the other two, one is on long-term loan to the British Museum, and the other is in the Deutsche Bundesbank collection). The sale surpasses the high-water mark set by a bronze sestertius of Hadrian that sold for around $2.5 million in 2008.

https://www.cnn.com/style/article/julius-caesar-coin-record-sale-scli-intl-gbr/index.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed:+rss/cnn_latest+(RSS:+CNN+-+Most+Recent)

EVillageProwler

I think the hammer price was £2,750,000.00, plus BP, makes it over $4,000,000.00.

ChopmarkedTrades

You're right, I took the article at its word, and it conflated the top bid with the sale price. The final bid was £2.7 million, but premium and fees took it to £3.24 million. Final total at today's conversion rate is just under $4,200,000.

Surprisingly, the presale estimate was apparently only £500,000.

EVillageProwler

@ChopmarkedTrades said:

Surprisingly, the presale estimate was apparently only £500,000.

The presale estimate was just to get people excited.

SmEagle1795

It is an incredible coin. I was fortunate to buy a denarius of the type a couple weeks ago (for 1/10th of the price of the aureus). I sold my previous example a few years ago hoping I'd eventually upgrade it and this coin is now definitely a keeper for me:

EVillageProwler

@SmEagle1795 said:
It is an incredible coin. I was fortunate to buy a denarius of the type a couple weeks ago (for 1/10th of the price of the aureus). I sold my previous example a few years ago hoping I'd eventually upgrade it and this coin is now definitely a keeper for me:

1/10th of a 4 million dollar coin is still not chump change. Sorry to mention the cost; it’s just envy showing.

As for the coin itself, well, frankly, that too is assuredly enviable too. Congratulations!

EVP

Nap

Wonderful denarius @SmEagle1795

Rarity and metal composition aside, I much prefer yours. A great portrait with full legends, major upgrade to the one you had previously. Congrats!

291fifth

Apparently attempts to sell this aureus via private treaty at much lower amounts were unsuccessful. Now, in an auction, it sets a new record for a Roman coin. Increasingly, it seems that auctions now rule the high end of the market.

asheland

@SmEagle1795 said:
It is an incredible coin. I was fortunate to buy a denarius of the type a couple weeks ago (for 1/10th of the price of the aureus). I sold my previous example a few years ago hoping I'd eventually upgrade it and this coin is now definitely a keeper for me:

That's an awesome example!

SmEagle1795

@Nap said:
Wonderful denarius @SmEagle1795

Rarity and metal composition aside, I much prefer yours. A great portrait with full legends, major upgrade to the one you had previously. Congrats!

Thanks! I was worried I'd end up being permanently priced out but thankfully the stars aligned for this one. It was still more expensive than my first house but I'm very glad to have crossed it off my list.