A wonderful coin! I hope it is yours!
Here I want to present one of my favourite historical coins. Not only because of its colour but of its historical importance too!
Roman Republic, C. Clovius, gens Clovia
AE Dupondius 27mm, 14.87 g
North Italian mint, 45 BC
obv. Draped and winged bust of Victory r., wearing hair up; star behind
CAESAR. DIC. TER
rev. Minerva walking l., holding trophy over shoulder, spear and shield, decorated with Medusa;
erect serpent at feet l.
[C.] CLOVI before, PRAEF behind
Crawford 476/1a; RPC I 601/1; CRI 62; Sydenham 1025; C.7
Scarce to rare with excellent provenance, qabout VF, attractive yellow-olive river-patina
Ex Glendining’s (25 June 1997), lot 45.
Ex CNG
Caesar's victory over the Pompeians at Munda on 17 March 45 BC resulted in a total victory for the dictator, thus bringing to an end the Pompeian opposition to his supremacy in the Roman world. The remarkable Caesarian aes issue represented by this well-preserved specimen would appear to be closely associated with the gold aurei and quinarii of L. Plancus struck in Rome in the autumn of 45 BC for the purpose of distribution at Caesar's Spanish triumph. The issue of Roman aes at this time was a great novelty as regular production had ceased four decades before and was not destined to be resumed until the Augustan reform of circa 19-18 BC. The idea probably originated with the Pompeian coinage of bronze asses issued in Spain prior to the battle of Munda. Caesar's issue would have served the purpose of low value donation pieces for distribution to the populace during the triumphal procession through the streets of Rome. The bust of Victory and the warlike figure of Minerva convey a clear message that this was a special coinage issued for the celebration of a military success. Not a great deal is known of C. Clovius (or Cluvius), the prefect entrusted with the production of this most unusual coinage. We are not even sure of the precise nature of his prefectship, though it is tempting to assume that he was one of the six praefecti Urbi appointed by Caesar before he set out for Spain. In 44 BC he was governor of Cisalpine Gaul and there appear to be later references to him during Augustus' rule.
This example represents the first time that orichalchum ("mountain copper"), or brass was used to strike coins and commemorates Caesar's victory in Spain. For the first time in almost forty years, aes coinage was reintroduced, and one may suspect that, as in the case of contemporary Pompeian issues from Spain, the reason was to recall traditional republican ideas. The style of those coins draws its inspiration from the traditional Janus types. Caesar, however, was completely new, not only in the material, but also the theme. Here, the bust of Victory for the obverse and Minerva for the reverse, sends a clear message about Caesar's military abilities. Who the prefect Clovius is, what prefecture he held, or from what mint these coins originate remain matters still open to debate, though hoard finds suggest a northern Italian origin, possibly Milan.
(from CNG)
Best regards