Coins and Antiquities Consignment Shop
  10% Off Store-Wide Sale Until 2 April!!! All Items Purchased From Forum Ancient Coins Are Guaranteed Authentic For Eternity!!! Please Call Us If You Have Questions 252-646-1958 Expert Authentication - Accurate Descriptions - Reasonable Prices - Coins From Under $10 To Museum Quality Rarities 10% Off Store-Wide Sale Until 2 April!!! All Items Purchased From Forum Ancient Coins Are Guaranteed Authentic For Eternity!!! Internet Challenged? We Are Happy To Take Your Order Over The Phone 252-646-1958 Explore Our Website And Find Joy In The History, Numismatics, Art, Mythology, And Geography Of Coins!!!

×Catalog Main Menu
Fine Coins Showcase

Antiquities Showcase
New & Reduced


Hide empty categories
Shop Search
Shopping Cart
My FORVM
Contact Us
About Forum
Shopping at Forum
Our Guarantee
Payment Options
Shipping Options & Fees
Privacy & Security
Forum Staff
Selling Your Coins
Identifying Your Coin
FAQs
zoom.asp
   View Categories
Home ▸ Catalog ▸ |Roman Coins| ▸ |The Twelve Caesars| ▸ |Caligula||View Options:  |  |  |   

Caligula, 16 March 37 - 24 January 41 A.D.

Caius Caesar was born in 12 A.D., the son of Germanicus and Agrippina Sr. He was nicknamed Caligula, meaning "little boots," by the legions because as a child his mother dressed him in military uniforms (including little boots). Initially, he was very popular, succeeding Tiberius in 37 A.D. and for a few brief months ruling very well. However, an unknown disease drove him mad and his reign soon degenerated into debauchery and murder. He was murdered by the Praetorian Guard in 41 A.D.

|Caligula|, |Caligula,| |16| |March| |37| |-| |24| |January| |41| |A.D.||sestertius|
The first Rome mint portrait sestertius, and a highly sought after reverse type.
RB37601. Orichalcum sestertius, RIC I 33; BMCRE p. 152, 36; BnF II 47; Cohen I 4; SRCV I 1800, VF, red-brown patina, weight 25.168 g, maximum diameter 34.6 mm, die axis 180o, Rome mint, 37 - 38 A.D.; obverse C CAESAR AVG GERMANICVS PON M TR POT, laureate head left; reverse AGRIPPINA DRVSILLA IVLIA S C, the three sisters of Caligula standing, in the guises of Securitas, Concordia and Fortuna; ex B.V., Mailbid Sale 5 (1973, lot 71 (sold for 2400 DM plus fees); rare; SOLD


|Caligula|, |Caligula,| |16| |March| |37| |-| |24| |January| |41| |A.D.||sestertius|
The lack of the usual S C (senatus consulto) suggests that the issue was funded and struck by the Emperor, rather than the Senate. Suetonius wrote (Gaius Caligula 53), "He was as eloquent and witty as you would want, especially when he could launch an attack on someone. Words and phrases used to find him whenever he was angry—his articulation and voice too rose up so that it was impossible for him to stay in the same place thanks to excitement and he was heard well by people standing far away. When he was about to give a speech, he used to threaten to unsheathe the tool of his nocturnal strains, and he despised work composed smoothly and with style so much that he used to say that Seneca wrote 'only school-essays' and was 'sand without lime'."
SH98642. Orichalcum sestertius, RIC I 32 (S), BMCRE I 33, BnF II 45, Cohen I 1, Hunter I 14, SRCV I -, Choice VF, attractive portrait, near black patina, areas of slight porosity, weight 28.989 g, maximum diameter 35.7 mm, die axis 180o, Rome mint, 37 - 38 A.D.; obverse C CAESAR AVG GERMANICVS PON M TR POT, laureate head left; reverse ADLOCVT above, COH in exergue (adlocutio cohortium - speech to the cohorts), Caligula standing left on platform, bare-headed, togate, extending right hand in gesture of address, sella castrensis (folding iron field chair) behind, addressing five praetorians standing right, each wearing helmet, parazonium at side, holding shield, the foremost soldier stands alone, the four others stand in two files and each holds an aquila; ex Roma Numismatics e-sale 65 (19 Dec 2019), lot 718; ex inventory of a UK dealer; scarce; SOLD


|Caligula|, |Caligula,| |16| |March| |37| |-| |24| |January| |41| |A.D.||sestertius|
The first Rome mint portrait sestertius type, and a highly sought after reverse type.
SH32176. Orichalcum sestertius, RIC I 33; BMCRE p. 152, 36; BnF II 47; Cohen I 4; SRCV I 1800, aVF, full circles strike, light corrosion, weight 24.043 g, maximum diameter 36.5 mm, die axis 180o, Rome mint, 37 - 38 A.D.; obverse C CAESAR AVG GERMANICVS PON M TR POT, laureate head left; reverse AGRIPPINA DRVSILLA IVLIA, the three sisters of Caligula standing, in the guises of Securitas, Concordia, and Fortuna, S C (senatus consulto) in exergue; ex CNG e-sale 11/07, lot 220; rare; SOLD


Caligula, 16 March 37 - 24 January 41 A.D.

|Caligula|, |Caligula,| |16| |March| |37| |-| |24| |January| |41| |A.D.||sestertius|
Scarce issue from the final year of his reign, with a more mature portrait, and stern gaze. Seneca (3.19.1) characterized Caligula's gaze as a form of torture -- "He had tortured them by means of all the grimmest devices that nature provides - by the string, by the robe, by the rack, by fire, and by his own gaze."
SH47806. Orichalcum sestertius, RIC I 53 (R2); BnF II 116; BMCRE I p. 157, *, pl. 29, 13; Cohen I 26, Choice VF, attractive mahogany red-brown patina, weight 27.960 g, maximum diameter 35.8 mm, die axis 180o, Rome mint, 18 Mar 40 - 24 Jan 41; obverse C CAESAR DIVI AVG PRON AVG P M TR P IIII P P, laureate head left; reverse S P Q R / P P / OB CIVES / SERVATOS, inscription in four lines within Corona Civica oak wreath; ex CNG; SOLD


Caligula, 16 March 37 - 24 January 41 A.D., Germanicus Reverse

|Caligula|, |Caligula,| |16| |March| |37| |-| |24| |January| |41| |A.D.,| |Germanicus| |Reverse||denarius|
Issued under Caligula in honor of his deceased father. Germanicus inflicted serious defeats on the barbarian tribes in Germania and recovered the legionary standards lost by Varus. He was to be Tiberius' successor but died of an unknown cause. His tremendous popularity helped his son Caligula obtain the throne after Tiberius died.
SH37588. Silver denarius, RIC I 18, BnF II 28, BMCRE I 19, RSC I 2, SRCV I 1813 var, gVF, surface roughness, weight 3.313 g, maximum diameter 20.3 mm, die axis 180o, Lugdunum (Lyon, France) mint, struck under Caligula, 37 A.D.; obverse C CAESAR AVG GERM P M TR POT, laureate head of Caligula right; reverse GERMANICVS CAES P C CAES AVG GERM, bare head of Germanicus right; SOLD


|Caligula|, |Caligula,| |16| |March| |37| |-| |24| |January| |41| |A.D.,| |Agrippina| |Senior| |Reverse||denarius|
Caius Caesar was born in 12 A.D., the son of Germanicus and Agrippina Sr. He was nicknamed Caligula, meaning "little boots," by the legions because as a child his mother dressed him in military uniforms (including little boots). Initially, he was very popular, succeeding Tiberius in 37 A.D. and for a few brief months ruling very well. However, an unknown disease drove him mad and his reign soon degenerated into debauchery and murder. He was murdered by the Praetorian Guard in 41 A.D.
SH76413. Silver denarius, RIC I 14 (Rome), RSC II Caligula and Agrippina 2; BMCRE I 15 (Rome), BnF II 24, Hunter I 7 (Rome), SRCV I 1825, VF, superb portraits, areas of corrosion, weight 13.775 g, maximum diameter 18.9 mm, die axis 180o, Lugdunum (Lyon, France) mint, end of 37 - early 38 A.D.; obverse C CAESAR AVG GERM P M TR POT (counterclockwise), laureate head of Gaius right; reverse AGRIPPINA MAT C CAES AVG GERM (counterclockwise), draped bust of Agrippina Senior (his mother), her hair in a queue behind, one curly lock falls loose on the side of her neck; from the Jeff Michniak Collection; rare; SOLD


|Caligula|, |Caligula,| |16| |March| |37| |-| |24| |January| |41| |A.D.||sestertius|
This type was the first portrait sestertius struck at the mint of Rome. The wreath on the reverse is the corona civica, the oak wreath awarded to Roman citizens ex senatus consulto (by special decree of the Senate) for saving the life of another citizen by slaying an enemy in battle. It became a prerogative for Roman emperors to be awarded the Civic Crown, originating with Augustus, who was awarded it in 27 B.C. for saving the lives of citizens by ending the series of civil wars.
SH94041. Orichalcum sestertius, RIC I 37, BMCRE I 38, Cohen I 24, BnF II 50, Hunter I 15, SRCV I -, Choice VF, well centered, attractive style, dark reddish brown patina, highest point of bust a little weakly struck, weight 28.089 g, maximum diameter 35.4 mm, die axis 180o, Rome mint, 37 - 38 A.D.; obverse C CAESAR AVG GERMANICVS PON M TR POT, laureate head left; reverse S P Q R / P P / OB CIVES / SERVATOS (from the Senate and people of Rome to the father of the country for saving the citizens) in four lines within Corona Civica oak wreath; ex Nomos Obolos auction 9 (25 March 2018), 160; ex Stoecklin Collection (Amriswil, Switzerland, acquired prior to 1975, see The Story of the Stoecklin Collection); SOLD


|Caligula|, |Caligula,| |16| |March| |37| |-| |24| |January| |41| |A.D.||sestertius|
The wreath on the reverse is the corona civica, the oak wreath awarded to Roman citizens ex senatus consulto (by special decree of the Senate) for saving the life of another citizen by slaying an enemy in battle. It became a prerogative for Roman emperors to be awarded the Civic Crown, originating with Augustus, who was awarded it in 27 B.C. for saving the lives of citizens by ending the series of civil wars.
SH21438. Orichalcum sestertius, RIC I 53 (R2); BnF II 116; BMCRE I p. 157, *, pl. 29, 13; Cohen I 26, Choice VF, nicely centered, a few trivial obverse pits, struck with good Metropolitan-style dies, weight 26.306 g, maximum diameter 36.1 mm, die axis 165o, Rome mint, 18 Mar 40 - 24 Jan 41; obverse C CAESAR DIVI AVG PRON AVG P M TR P IIII P P, laureate head left; reverse S P Q R / P P / OB CIVES / SERVATOS, inscription in four lines within Corona Civica oak wreath; rare; SOLD


|Caligula|, |Caligula,| |16| |March| |37| |-| |24| |January| |41| |A.D.||sestertius|
It appears that, in accordance with his damnatio, the identity of Caligula was removed in the legend through the effacement of the first C and perhaps additional letters. To "improve" the coin, the letter was re-engraved in modern times (19th c.?).
SH65419. Orichalcum sestertius, RIC I 46, BMCRE I 58, Cohen I 25, SRCV I 1801, VF, smoothing, tooling of the beginning of the obv legend, mottled mahogany brown patina, fantastic portrait, weight 28.852 g, maximum diameter 35.9 mm, die axis 180o, Rome mint, 39 - 40 A.D.; obverse C CAESAR DIVI AVG PRON AVG P M TR P III P P, laureate head left; reverse S P Q R / P P / OB CIVES / SERVATOS, inscription in four lines inside oak wreath (Corona Civica); ex Stack's Bowers and Ponterio, sale 173; rare; SOLD


|Caligula|, |Caligula,| |16| |March| |37| |-| |24| |January| |41| |A.D.||sestertius|
This type was the first portrait sestertius struck at the mint of Rome. The wreath on the reverse is the corona civica, the oak wreath awarded to Roman citizens ex senatus consulto (by special decree of the Senate) for saving the life of another citizen by slaying an enemy in battle. It became a prerogative for Roman emperors to be awarded the Civic Crown, originating with Augustus, who was awarded it in 27 B.C. for saving the lives of citizens by ending the series of civil wars.
SH82656. Orichalcum sestertius, RIC I 37, BMCRE I 38, Cohen I 24, BnF II 50, Hunter I 15, SRCV I -, nice VF, dark brown patina, minor roughness on reverse, weight 23.762 g, maximum diameter 34.8 mm, die axis 180o, Rome mint, 37 - 38 A.D.; obverse C CAESAR AVG GERMANICVS PON M TR POT, laureate head left; reverse S P Q R / P P / OB CIVES / SERVATOS in four lines within Corona Civica oak wreath; ex CNG mail bid sale 69 (8 Jun 2005), lot 1382; ex CNG 46, (24 Jun 1998), lot 1156; SOLD




  




You are viewing a SOLD items page.
Click here to return to the page with AVAILABLE items.
The sale price for a sold item is the private information of the buyer and will not be provided.



OBVERSE| LEGENDS|

CCAESARAVGPONMTRPOTIII
CCAESARAVGGERMANICVS
CCAESARAVGGERMANICVSPONMTRPOT
CCAESARAVGGERMPMTRPOT
CCAESARDIVIAVGPRONAVGPMTRPIIII
CCAESARDIVIAVGPRONAVGSC
CCAESARAVGPONMTRPOTIIICOSIII
CCAESARAVGGERMPMTRPOT


REFERENCES|

American Numismatic Society (ANS) Collections Database Online - http://numismatics.org/search/search
Banti, A. & L. Simonetti. Corpus Nummorum Romanorum. (Florence, 1972-1979).
Burnett, A., M. Amandry & P. Ripollès. Roman Provincial Coinage I: From the death of Caesar to the death of Vitellius (44 BC-AD 69). (London, 1992 & suppl.).
Calicó, X. The Roman Avrei, Vol. One: From the Republic to Pertinax, 196 BC - 193 AD. (Barcelona, 2003).
Cayón, J. Los Sestercios del Imperio Romano, Vol. I: De Pompeyo Magno a Matidia (Del 81 a.C. al 117 d.C.). (Madrid, 1984).
Cohen, H. Description historique des monnaies frappées sous l'Empire Romain, Vol. 1: Pompey to Domitian. (Paris, 1880).
Giard, J. "Les emissions d'or et d'argent de Caligula dans l'atelier de Lyon" in RN 18 (1976), pp. 69-81.
Giard, J. Le monnayage de l'atelier de Lyon, des origines au règne de Caligula (43 avant J.-C. - 41 après J.-C.). (Wetteren, 1983).
Giard, J. Monnaies de L'Empire Romain II: De Tebère à Néron. Catalogue Bibliothèque nationale de France. (Paris, 1988).
Mattingly, H. & R. Carson. Coins of the Roman Empire in the British Museum, Vol 1: Augustus to Vitellius. (London, 1923).
Robinson, A. Roman Imperial Coins in the Hunter Coin Cabinet, University of Glasgow, Vol. I. Augustus to Nerva. (Oxford, 1962).
Sear, D. Roman Coins and Their Values, The Millennium Edition, Vol. One, The Republic and the Twelve Caesars 280 BC - AD 86. (London, 2000).
Sutherland, C. The Roman Imperial Coinage, Vol. I, From 39 BC to AD 69. (London, 1984).
Toynbee, J. Roman medallions. ANSNS 5. (New York, 1944).
Vagi, D. Coinage and History of the Roman Empire. (Sidney, 1999).

Catalog current as of Friday, March 29, 2024.
Page created in 1.187 seconds.
All coins are guaranteed for eternity