Ira and Larry Goldberg Auctioneers
Auction 96 14-15 February 2017
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L. Papius. Silver Denarius (3.73 g), 79 BC. Rome. Head of Juno Sospita right, wearing goat's skin headdress; behind, female (nanny-)goat's head facing, horns adorned with fillets. Reverse: L PAPI in exergue, griffin sprining right; below, male (billy-)goat's head facing, horns adorned with fillets. Crawford 384/1 (symbols 50); Sydenham 773; Papia 1. Nicely toned. Very Fine. Estimate Value $250 - 300
Although the moneyer is unknown except for his coins, the coins are very popular with collectors for the interesting controls they display, which according to Crawford "are no more than a random selection of pairs of everyday objects" (p. 399). Papius used two related symbols, one on the obverse die, the other on the reverse, to keep track of production and to control losses amongst the slaves at the mint. Each pair of controls only has one set of dies. On this particular coin the paired symbols are facing goats' heads, their horns adorned with fillets. This perhaps alludes to the herders who kept goats for the numerous sacrifices required by Roman religion.
Although the moneyer is unknown except for his coins, the coins are very popular with collectors for the interesting controls they display, which according to Crawford "are no more than a random selection of pairs of everyday objects" (p. 399). Papius used two related symbols, one on the obverse die, the other on the reverse, to keep track of production and to control losses amongst the slaves at the mint. Each pair of controls only has one set of dies. On this particular coin the paired symbols are facing goats' heads, their horns adorned with fillets. This perhaps alludes to the herders who kept goats for the numerous sacrifices required by Roman religion.