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Crawford 494/32, ROMAN IMPERATORIAL, Marc Antony, AR Denarius
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Rome, The Imperators.
Marc Antony and C. Vibius Varus, 42 BCE.
AR Denarius (3.78g; 20mm).
Rome mint.
Obverse: Bare head of Antony with mourning beard, facing right.
Reverse: Fortuna facing left, holding Victory and cornucopia; flanked by C*VIBIVS - VARVS
References: Crawford 494/32; HCRI 149; Sydenham 1144; BMCRR 4293; Vibia 29; Antonia 26
Provenance: Ex JD Collection [NAC Auction 72 (16 May 2013), Lot 1265]; UBS Auction 78 (9 Sep 2008) Lot 1136; acquired from Hubert Herzfelder (d. Mar 1963).
This, one of the finest depictions of Antony on Roman coinage, depicts him with a beard of mourning for Julius Caesar. Antony and Octavian would wear such beards until the Liberators were defeated at Philippi later in 42 BCE. The moneyer, Varus, also struck similar coins for Octavian, though on a much smaller scale. Because of similar style on a later military mint issue by Antony, some scholars postulate that Antony so loved his portrait on the above coin type that he drafted the die engraver into his military mint.
The reverse alludes to the expectation of good fortune and victory for the Triumvirs over the Liberators.
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![Crawford 494/32, ROMAN IMPERATORIAL, Marc Antony, AR Denarius
Rome, The Imperators.
Marc Antony and C. Vibius Varus, 42 BCE.
AR Denarius (3.78g; 20mm).
Rome mint.
Obverse: Bare head of Antony with mourning beard, facing right.
Reverse: Fortuna facing left, holding Victory and cornucopia; flanked by C*VIBIVS - VARVS
References: Crawford 494/32; HCRI 149; Sydenham 1144; BMCRR 4293; Vibia 29; Antonia 26
Provenance: Ex JD Collection [NAC Auction 72 (16 May 2013), Lot 1265]; UBS Auction 78 (9 Sep 2008) Lot 1136; acquired from Hubert Herzfelder (d. Mar 1963).
This, one of the finest depictions of Antony on Roman coinage, depicts him with a beard of mourning for Julius Caesar. Antony and Octavian would wear such beards until the Liberators were defeated at Philippi later in 42 BCE. The moneyer, Varus, also struck similar coins for Octavian, though on a much smaller scale. Because of similar style on a later military mint issue by Antony, some scholars postulate that Antony so loved his portrait on the above coin type that he drafted the die engraver into his military mint.
The reverse alludes to the expectation of good fortune and victory for the Triumvirs over the Liberators.](albums/userpics/34967/AntonyVarusCombined.jpg "Crawford 494/32, ROMAN IMPERATORIAL, Marc Antony, AR Denarius
Rome, The Imperators.
Marc Antony and C. Vibius Varus, 42 BCE.
AR Denarius (3.78g; 20mm).
Rome mint.
Obverse: Bare head of Antony with mourning beard, facing right.
Reverse: Fortuna facing left, holding Victory and cornucopia; flanked by C*VIBIVS - VARVS
References: Crawford 494/32; HCRI 149; Sydenham 1144; BMCRR 4293; Vibia 29; Antonia 26
Provenance: Ex JD Collection [NAC Auction 72 (16 May 2013), Lot 1265]; UBS Auction 78 (9 Sep 2008) Lot 1136; acquired from Hubert Herzfelder (d. Mar 1963).
This, one of the finest depictions of Antony on Roman coinage, depicts him with a beard of mourning for Julius Caesar. Antony and Octavian would wear such beards until the Liberators were defeated at Philippi later in 42 BCE. The moneyer, Varus, also struck similar coins for Octavian, though on a much smaller scale. Because of similar style on a later military mint issue by Antony, some scholars postulate that Antony so loved his portrait on the above coin type that he drafted the die engraver into his military mint.
The reverse alludes to the expectation of good fortune and victory for the Triumvirs over the Liberators.")
