Classical Numismatic Group, LLC
Electronic Auction 408 25 Oct 2017
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C. Piso L.f. Frugi. 61 BC. AR Denarius (18mm, 3.98 g, 7h). Rome mint. Laureate head of Apollo right; mark of value to left / Horseman galloping right, holding reins and palm branch; club (or cucumber) above; C PIS•L•F•FRVGI below. Crawford 408/1a (dies O43/R48); Hersh, Piso 90 (O34/R1039); Sydenham 850d; Calpurnia 24; Type as RBW 1469 (same rev. die). EF, attractive light toning. Rare legend variety.
From the Andrew McCabe Collection. Ex Münzen und Medaillen GmbH 40 (4 June 2014), lot 514; Leu FPL (Autumn 1998), lot 175.
C.PIS.L.F.FRVGI is a rare legend variant noted by Sydenham, p. 138. This coin is die paired with the British Museum example Ghey, Leins & Crawford 2010 408.1.4 (BMCRR Rome 376, Vol. 1, p. 464), and shares its reverse die only with NAC 63, 245 = RBW 1469. The British Museum's comprehensive collection of 330 examples of this type include three coins with the same reverse die, but none others with the same legend. A check through some 600 examples of the type on acsearch.com locates just one other reverse die with this legend (excepting die matches) see NAC 63, 253 = RBW 1477, with control marks III / aplustre. The three examples listed by Crawford, RRC p. 423, nos. 42, 43, and 44 again share the same reverse die (no. 48) with this coin; Crawford did not know of the RBW 1477 die combination. The legend variant was not especially noted by Charles Hersh in his comprehensive manuscript of Roman Republican control marks kept at the ANS. Hence we have a legend variety known in just one reverse die to Crawford and presumably Sydenham, with the RBW example adding a second, different reverse die. Charles Hersh thought the reverse symbol to be possibly a cucumber rather than a club! A rare and enigmatic variety.
From the Andrew McCabe Collection. Ex Münzen und Medaillen GmbH 40 (4 June 2014), lot 514; Leu FPL (Autumn 1998), lot 175.
C.PIS.L.F.FRVGI is a rare legend variant noted by Sydenham, p. 138. This coin is die paired with the British Museum example Ghey, Leins & Crawford 2010 408.1.4 (BMCRR Rome 376, Vol. 1, p. 464), and shares its reverse die only with NAC 63, 245 = RBW 1469. The British Museum's comprehensive collection of 330 examples of this type include three coins with the same reverse die, but none others with the same legend. A check through some 600 examples of the type on acsearch.com locates just one other reverse die with this legend (excepting die matches) see NAC 63, 253 = RBW 1477, with control marks III / aplustre. The three examples listed by Crawford, RRC p. 423, nos. 42, 43, and 44 again share the same reverse die (no. 48) with this coin; Crawford did not know of the RBW 1477 die combination. The legend variant was not especially noted by Charles Hersh in his comprehensive manuscript of Roman Republican control marks kept at the ANS. Hence we have a legend variety known in just one reverse die to Crawford and presumably Sydenham, with the RBW example adding a second, different reverse die. Charles Hersh thought the reverse symbol to be possibly a cucumber rather than a club! A rare and enigmatic variety.