Numismatica Ars Classica
Auction 86 8 October 2015
View prices realized
► Sale information
Find similar lots
Imperatorial Issues
Octavianus. Bronze, Italy 38, Æ 19.97 g. DIVI·F Bare head of Octavian r. with slight beard; below chin, eight-rayed star. Rev. DIVOS / IVLIVS within laurel wreath. Babelon Julia 101. C 95. Sydenham 1336. Alföldi & Giard 40 (D4/R4). Kestner 3829. BMCRR Gaul 108-10. RPC 621. Sear Imperators 309. RBW 1823. Crawford 535/2.
Dark green-brown patina, lightly smoothed, otherwise good very fine
Ex CNG Electronic sale 271 (Triton session V), Princeton Economics acquired by Martin Armstrong, 46.
This coin is indeed smoothed but it is such a difficult issue to find this nice that I could not pass it up. The best definition of detail for this issue that I have ever seen. MSG.
A comet that appeared in the summer of 44 BC during the games in honor of Venus was believed to be the ascension of Julius Caesar into the heavens to join his rightful place among the gods. As a result, Octavian was able to convince the senate to deify his adoptive father. His subsequent use of the legends DIVI F and DIVI FILIVS (son of the Divine) on coinage would be extensive. Here the obverse shows both the comet and the legend. MSG.