Watch List notes:

ROMAN AND BYZANTINE COINS

Julius Caesar. Denarius (Silver, 17mm, 3.90g 9), struck by the magistrate M. Mettius, late March 44 BC. CAESAR IMPER Laureate head of Caesar to right. Rev. M METTIVS Venus standing left, holding Victory in her right hand and scepter in her left, leaning her left elbow on a shield resting on globe; before, A. Alföldi XVI A4/R6. Babelon (Julia) 33, (Mettia) 5. Crawford 480/17. CRI 101. RBW 1686. Sydenham 1055. Rare, and with a powerful portrait of Caesar, produced within a week of his murder. Slightly ragged flan as struck, otherwise, extremely fine.

Ex Giessener Münzhandlung 22, 25 May 1982, 387.
K. Kraft first noticed that the wreath worn by Caesar differs significantly from those laurel-wreaths found on earlier types on portraits: for example, those of Venus. Therefore he suggested that it ought to be identified as the golden wreath, which was worn by Caesar at the Lupercalia in 44 BC. M. H. Crawford, however, thought that it was rather the corona aurea that he had been awarded as a triumphator. The same type of wreath had also been voted to Pompey; it has no resemblance to the Etruscan wreaths cited by Kraft.