Julio Claudian Gold Quinarii

By Joe Geranio

The term gold quinarius or quinarius aureus is used to describe the half-aureus, which is valued at 12.5 denarii. This term has no ancient authority.

AUGUSTUS

Augustus. 27 BC-AD 14. AV Quinarius (3.93 g, 6h). Spanish mint - Tarraco. Struck circa 18-17/6 BC. AVG-VST across field, bare head right / Victory, draped, standing right on globe, holding aquila in raised left hand and branch downwards in right. RIC I 121; BMCRE 424 = BMCRR Rome 4379; BnF -.
The gold quinarius (half aureus) was first struck by Caesar in 45 BC for his Spanish triumph. It was reintroduced by Augustus and like its equivalent in silver was coined only intermittently and in limited quantities.

Augustus. 27 BC-14 AD. Gold quinarius, 3.91g. (11h). Lugdunum, 6-7 AD. Obv: AVGVSTVS - DIVI F Head laureate right. Rx: TR POT - XXVIIII Victory seated right on globe, holding open wreath in both hands. BMCRE I 504, Cohen I 316 (BM, 70 Fr.). RIC I 216 (R5). King 18 (3 specimens). Two tiny scrapes at the base of Augustus ' neck. This is no doubt the finest example of a gold quinarius of Augustus in existence. CNG.

TIBERIUS

Tiberius (AD 14-37), Gold Quinarius 3.91g, AD 32-33, TI DIVI F AVGVSTVS, laureate head right, rev TR POT XXXIIII, Victory seated right on globe, holding wreath (RIC I 18; BMCRE I 24; SRCV 1761 var). CNG

Tiberius. AD 14-37. AV Quinarius (3.92 g, 9h). Lugdunum (Lyon) mint. Struck AD 30-31. Laureate head right / Victory seated right on globe, holding wreath. RIC I 16; Lyon 136. CNG

CALIGULA

Caligula (AD 37-41), Gold Quinarius, 3.9 gms., mint of Lugdunum, struck c. AD 37-38, C CAESAR AVG GERMANICVS, laureate head right, rev. PM TR POT ITER, Victory seated right on globe holding wreath in both hands (RIC 5 Rarity 3),

CLAUDIUS

Quinarius circa 41-42, 3.96 g. TI CLAVD CAESAR AVG P M TR P Laureate head r. Rev. Victory flying l., holding shield inscribed OB/CI in her l. hand. RIC -. BMC -. C -. CBN -. Vagi 585.

NERO

Quinarius circa 55-56, AV 3.83 g, 7h.

NERO CL DIVI F CAES AVG P M TR P II Youthful bare head r. Rev. VICT AVG Victory, draped, alighting left, holding round shield in right hand. RIC I 10, BMCRE 11.

Also see:
Bendall, Simon. "A 'new ' gold quinarius of Caligula" in Numismatic Fine Arts Quarterly Journal Mar. 1985, no. 29, p. 1-2.
Geranio, Joe. "Portraits of Caligula : the seated figure?" in Celator Vol. 21, no. 9 (Sep 2007),

Quinarii from Tiberius - Galba