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Crawford 35/1, ROMAN REPUBLIC, Janus/Prow Series, Aes Grave As
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Rome, The Republic.
Janus/Prow Series, circa 225-217 BCE.
AE Aes Grave As (256.29g; 64mm).
Obv: Head of Janus; - (value mark) below neck.
Rev: Prow right; I (value mark) above.
Reference: Crawford 35/1; Vecchi, ICC 74; Sydenham 71.
Provenance: Ex Kuenker Auction 280 (26 Sep 2016), Lot 315; ex Hannelore Scheiner Collection; acquired 1966 from Martin Nading of Fort Wayne, IN.
Aes Grave were a significant departure from the previous Roman bronze money in that Aes Grave were denominated with marks of value, and thus did not require weighing. The prow series of Libral Aes Grave was a very large issue. E.J. Haeberlin included nearly 1,200 examples of the As in the weight analysis within his monumental "Aes Grave". The Prow series Aes Grave was initially based on an As of about 270 grams. The iconography likely refers to the role of Rome's new and powerful navy in the victory over Carthage in the First Punic War and to the closing of the doors of the Temple of Janus in recognition of the peace. This same iconography subsequently became emblamatic of the As for several centuries of Roman struck bronze coinage.
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