Lot 4124
Julius Caesar, d. 44 BC. AR Denarius minted posthumously at Rome by moneyer L. Livineius Regulus, 42 BC. Laureate head right of the deified Julius Caesar; to left, laurel branch; to right, caduceus. Reverse: Bull charging right. Cr. 494/24; Syd. 1106. Rare. Lustrous; the obverse perfectly centered. Superb Extremely Fine or better.
This glorious denarius is a treasure to behold. It is difficult for this cataloguer to release it to the next fortunate owner! The charging bull, aligned slightly to the left at the Roman mint (as most examples), is an allusion to an incident occurring earlier in 49 BC. A hawk flew over the Roman Forum, dropping a laurel branch. This incident allowed the sacrificial bull to escape and eventually to swim across a lake. Soothsayers interpreted this as foretelling the fleeing of Pompey and his followers across the sea.
Estimated Value $15,000 - 20,000.
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| Realized $26,450 |
