Looking for specific Roman Republic Coin -- Julius Caesar dictator in perpituity

Slade01

I'm helping a friend put together a Roman Republic collection and he wants to add a particular AR denarius, Julius Caesar as Perpetual Dictator (44 BC) P. Sepullius Macer, moneyer. Rome, February-March 44 BC. CAESAR DICT PERPETVO, laureate head of Caesar right / [P. SEPV]LLIVS MACER, Venus standing left, holding Victory in right hand and scepter set on star in left. Crawford 480/11. CRI 107b. RSC 40.

It has rarely been at auction, twice at Heritage back to 2011.

Anyone know of a reputable dealer that may be helpful. Here is a picture, although not looking for quite this quality, anything nice will be considered.

Thanks

MrMonkeySwag96

Do you have to limit yourself to Heritage? Why not try other auction houses like CNG or NAC?

Sapyx

There are three main varieties of this coin design:
- Caesar's portrait veiled (RSC 39, Sear 1414)
- his portrait laureate and reverse Venus with a shield at the bottom of the staff (RSC 38, Sear 1413)
- laureate portrait and reverse Venus with a star at bottom of staff instead of shield (RSC 40, not listed in Sear).

All three varieties give Caesar's titles as "DICT.PERPETVO", so if it's the title that is critical, maybe any of these three types might suffice for your friend's purposes?

If Heritage listed the coin in the OP as "RSC 40", then Heritage was not correct. the OP's coin is RSC 38.

COllectively, the three types are more common that Heritage's listings count would indicate. FORVM recently sold this RSC 39 and this RSC 38; that's just one coin dealer with two of them recently in their stock.

Sear lists RSC 38 at £550 in VF and RSC 39 at £500, indicating RSC 39 might be slightly easier to come by. If RSC 40 - the one with the star - is specifically requested, I don't have a catalogue price, but its absence from Sear indicates it's presumably seen less frequently. The example of RSC 40 shown on Wildwinds had a listing price of £5000 in 2014; I don't know what it sold for. The acsearch.info site lists a dozen or more other examples of RSC 40 sold, including this one sold by London Coins in June 2023.

CaptHenway

Check with my former employer, Harlan J. Berk, Ltd. in Chicago. They do want lists, and have a huge ancient inventory that might have what you need.

Slade01

@CaptHenway said:
Check with my former employer, Harlan J. Berk, Ltd. in Chicago. They do want lists, and have a huge ancient inventory that might have what you need.

Thanks, I will call them tomorrow.

Slade01

@Sapyx said:
There are three main varieties of this coin design:
- Caesar's portrait veiled (RSC 39, Sear 1414)
- his portrait laureate and reverse Venus with a shield at the bottom of the staff (RSC 38, Sear 1413)
- laureate portrait and reverse Venus with a star at bottom of staff instead of shield (RSC 40, not listed in Sear).

All three varieties give Caesar's titles as "DICT.PERPETVO", so if it's the title that is critical, maybe any of these three types might suffice for your friend's purposes?

If Heritage listed the coin in the OP as "RSC 40", then Heritage was not correct. the OP's coin is RSC 38.

COllectively, the three types are more common that Heritage's listings count would indicate. FORVM recently sold this RSC 39 and this RSC 38; that's just one coin dealer with two of them recently in their stock.

Sear lists RSC 38 at £550 in VF and RSC 39 at £500, indicating RSC 39 might be slightly easier to come by. If RSC 40 - the one with the star - is specifically requested, I don't have a catalogue price, but its absence from Sear indicates it's presumably seen less frequently. The example of RSC 40 shown on Wildwinds had a listing price of £5000 in 2014; I don't know what it sold for. The acsearch.info site lists a dozen or more other examples of RSC 40 sold, including this one sold by London Coins in June 2023.

Thanks for the information, this helps -- he does not want the veiled but the laureate. So RSC 38, you guys are great.

Slade01

@MrMonkeySwag96 said:
Do you have to limit yourself to Heritage? Why not try other auction houses like CNG or NAC?

No limit, but I was picking up a number of other items there over the May 5-9 period from the 12 Caesar auctions. I'll look anywhere for this one.

Sapyx

@Slade01 said:
Thanks for the information, this helps -- he does not want the veiled but the laureate. So RSC 38, you guys are great.

To clarify: both RSC 38 and RSC 40 are laureate, with the difference being the object at the bottom of the staff; RSC 38 has the shield (so the same reverse as RSC 39), while RSC 40 has a star there. But RSC 38 is probably the cheaper option, all else being equal.

Slade01

@Sapyx said:

@Slade01 said:
Thanks for the information, this helps -- he does not want the veiled but the laureate. So RSC 38, you guys are great.

To clarify: both RSC 38 and RSC 40 are laureate, with the difference being the object at the bottom of the staff; RSC 38 has the shield (so the same reverse as RSC 39), while RSC 40 has a star there. But RSC 38 is probably the cheaper option, all else being equal.

So the one in my original picture having a shield would be the RSC 38, correct?

Sapyx

Yes.

Slade01

Thanks, that really helps -- I'm a Lincoln and Indian cent guy at my roots and am just learning about the Roman Republic and Imperial periods.

Coinfoxa_com

Just tried searching. There are several fixed price offers available depending on your budget.

https://coinfoxa.com/search/text/t-denarius-Julius-Caesar-44-BC

Eddi

I am a bit puzzled you state that J.Cs denarii with Sepullius Macer as moneyer rarely come along.

www.ACSearch shows over 300 auction listings since 2003. It is actually, in comparative terms, a relatively "common" coin.
This coin comes with Caesar wearing a wreath, or a veil.

There are 5 examples being offered for auction over the next few weeks.
It is not remotely rare, it is, however, very much in demand.

I recommend you advice your friend to look for upcoming auction listings in www.numisbids.com, or www.sixbid.com.

This is the example from my collection.

Slade01

The rarely comment only applied to Heritage having it at auction twice, I looked there while bidding in the 12 Caesars auction in early May.

I have found numerous examples of the veiled, but he wants the wreathed in XF to choice AU so I am searching. Most likely the shield back not star so RSC38, but a 40 would be fine, just a bit more. The budget is not an issue; thanks for the mention of CNG, I'm chasing a couple coins in it -- two Caligula AR denarius, a Germanicus and a Diva Augustus reverse. He'll probably want an Agrippa the Elder reverse too so that is on my search list. I will check those others sites mentioned, thanks.

Baldwin's has a very nice looking veiled RSC39 in a few days, but that is not his choice unfortunately. I'm sure that one will pop up; and they also have a replated Eid Mar but too low a grade.

I appreciate all the great input, this is getting easier now that I am finding the places where Roman coins are auctioned/sold most commonly.