Watch List notes:

THE ROMAN REPUBLIC

Marcus Antonius and L. Livineius Regulus. Aureus 42, AV 7.96 g. M·ANTONIVS – III.VIR·R·P.C Head of M. Antonius r. Rev. L·REGVLVS – IIIIVIR·A·P·F Hercules seated facing on rock, holding spear and sword, with lion's skin draped over lap; on r., shield decorated with gorgoneion. Babelon Antonia 25 and Livineia 3. C 25. Bahrfeldt 48.7 and pl. VI, 15 (this coin illustrated). Sydenham 1103. T.V. Buttrey "The Triumviral Portrait Gold of the Quattuorviri Monetales of 42 B.C.", NNM 137, 1956, 48.7 (this coin). Sear Imperators 143. Calicó 90 (this coin). Biaggi 52 (this coin). RBW –. Crawford 494/2a.
Extremely rare, undoubtedly the finest of fifteen specimens known of which only five
are in private hands. In exceptional state of preservation for an issue which is
normally found in modest condition. A magnificent portrait struck on a
broad flan and with a delightful reddish tone. Extremely fine


Ex Rollin & Feuardent 25-30 April 1887, Ponton d'Amécourt, 38; Hirsch 18, 1907, Imhoof-Blumer, 491; Bourgey 1958, Perret, 69; Leu 22, 1979, 185 and NAC 73, 2013, Student and his Mentor part II, 224 sales. From the collection of Sheikh Saoud Al Thani.
The portrait aurei of 42 B.C. are devoted to the three members of the second triumvirate – Octavian, Antony and Lepidus. All were produced by four moneyers, Clodius, Mussidius, Varus and Regulus, and Buttrey's proposal that the four moneyers struck in the same year has generally been accepted. Each moneyer struck portrait aurei for each triumvir, making it a comprehensive series. The aurei of L. Livineius Regulus are unique within the group because they are not die linked with coins of the other three moneyers. This aspect, taken with the unusual characteristics of some of Regulus' silver coins, allowed Buttrey to argue that Regulus was the primus, or leading member, of the college of four moneyers. If so, the coins of Regulus may have been struck first, with those of Clodius, Mussidius and Varus following in a manner that allowed them to be die linked among each other. Based upon the inscription PRAEF.VR on one of Regulus' denarii, Buttrey suggests Regulus was serving as the praefect of the city of Rome in 42 B.C., and that his duties included control of the coinage when consuls were absent. Thus, Regulus out of necessity may have become one of the moneyers so he could perform his expanded duties as praefect. Regulus' portrait aurei were carefully conceived, as the reverse type associated with each triumvir refers to the divine forbearers of the men: Octavian claimed descent from Venus, which is implied by Regulus' type of Aeneas carrying Anchises; Lepidus counted Mars among his ancestors, which is alluded to by his type depicting the Vestal Virgin Aemilia; and Antony is said to have been descended form Hercules, who is shown on the aurei Regulus produced for him. As Buttrey points out, offering descent from a divinity as a qualification for authority was not original to this series; similar overtures had been made on earlier coinage by Sulla (with Venus), Pompey (with Neptune) and Julius Caesar (with Venus). However, Regulus' coins show a strengthening of that trend, and imply that "...the Fortune of the city was to be assured by divinity as it were made flesh." The portrait die of this specimen was paired only with one reverse die, assuring us that it did not have a particularly long life. Stylistically it is perhaps the finest of all the Antony portrait dies employed by these moneyers. The inscription IIII VIR A P F is instructive, if not entirely clear. It almost certainly abbreviates quatuorviri argento publico feriundo or quattuorvir auro publico feriundo, with the latter representing the first time gold was included as part of the regular issues – something of a landmark in the development of Roman coinage.