Meaning of the Capricorn on Augustus' Coinage

[acv]

We had a presentation on Augustus at our last club meeting and the question was raised about what the Capricorn symbolized. There's one paper from the University of Chicago one can find via google that suggest it may have been the emperors moon sign and a symbol of stern moral authority.  Is that what capricorn represented to the Romans at that time?  While Augustus was certainly not a hedonist did he really wish to send out this message or was it something else?  Then what of the recurrance of the capricorn later such as the issue of Pescennius Niger   

[JBF]

I am not exactly sure what a "moon sign" is, from my understanding, capricorn is Augustus' zodiac birth sign.  astrology was a serious pursuit in antiquity, and not necessarily separate from astronomy.

[acv]

No Augustus' birth sign (sun sign) was Libra. 

[Jochen]

Sueton writes: "Soon Augustus was so faithful in his fatum, that he made public his thema and issued silver coins with the codiac sign of the capricorne in which he was born ("Nota sideris capricorni, quo natus est.").

He was born under the libra, but he was conceived under the sign of capricorne. And therefore the capricorne ruled the birth too.

Best regards

[Enodia]

Sun Sign refers to the location of the Sun in the sky at the exact moment of birth, and only changes monthly. this is the sign you see in the daily horoscopes in the newspapers, and of coarse is rather generic, since there are only twelve signs to choose from.

Moon Sign is the position of the Moon at the exact moment of birth, and this changes monthly.

Rising Sign refers to the zodiac sign which is on the eastern horizon at the exact moment of birth, and changes every three days or so.
an accurate chart considers all three, but i know of no system which considers the moment of conception as a determining factor. how would one know exactly, especially back then?

Augutus' Sun sign was Libra, but i'd bet his Moon or Rising sign was Capricorn. i don't know this for sure, but it shouldn't be too difficult to determine.

~ Peter

[Molinari]

If his exact day and location of birth are recorded, you should be able to put in his (or anyone's) information here and get a full chart. They'll at least be able to determine the Moon sign:

https://www.astro.com/

[acv]

With precession he was actually born in Virgo and his moon sign would have been Aquarius.  So if the Capricorn is at all astrological it would have had to have been his ascending sign meaning he was born at 2PM +- 1 hour or so.  All in all it doesn't really feel like a convincing explanation.

[Molinari]

There are different systems that have to be taken into account, too.  I remember my grandmother always wore the symbol for cancer, and when I looked up her chart long after she died, she wasn't a cancer in the traditional system used by Americans but was cancer based on an older Italian tradition!

Edit: I agree it probably isn't the proper explanation for its use on this coin.