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Crawford 340/4, ROMAN REPUBLIC, L. Piso Frugi, AE As
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Rome. The Republic
L. Piso Frugi, 90 BCE
AE As (11.3g; 27mm)
Rome Mint.
Obverse: Head of Janus; I (mark of value = 1 As) above.
Reverse: Prow facing right; Victory on prow; L PISO, above prow; [FRVGI] in exergue.
References: Crawford 340/4; BMCRR Rome 2179; Sydenham 677 (R2).
Provenance: Ex NAC 92 (24 May 2016), Lot 1626.
L. Calpurnius Piso Frugi was moneyer in 90 BCE, during the time of the Social War. He later attained the office of Praetor in 74 BCE, but did not appear to distinguish himself further.
The Social War was a civil war between Rome and her Italian allies who had broken-away in a demand for citizenship rights. It was a time of massive coinage output by the Rome mints, likely to pay the costs associated with the conflict. As a result, Frugi's coins are among the most common in the entire Roman Republican series.
In addition to a copious silver coin production, Piso also struck a full complement of bronze coinage. The appearance of Victory on the prow of Piso’s asses, together with some naval imagery on his quadrantes, may either refer to a past naval victory of an ancestor or to the progress of the Social War.
Bronze coins of this era of the Republic often have pronounced casting sprues from the flan production phase of the minting process. This coin has two sprues at 1h and 7h obverse, and at 3h and 9h reverse. These are an expected part of the fabric of Roman Republican bronze coins of the Social War era.
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