Watch List notes:

Julius Caesar. Denarius; Julius Caesar; Rome, 44 BC, lifetime issue, before assassination on 15 March. Denarius, 3.83g. Cr-480/17; Syd-1055; Sear, Imperators-101; C-35. Obv: Wreathed head r., CAESAR before, [I]MPER behind. Rx: Venus standing l. resting l. elbow on shield set on globe and holding Victory and transverse scepter, M METTIVS behind, control letter B before, altered from an earlier A. From the same dies as Alföldi, Caesar in 44 v. Chr., Type XVI, pl. CXVIII, 63 and 66; for the same reverse die with its original control letter A, before the alteration of that A to a B, see Alföldi, pl. CXVIII, 149. This reverse die alteration was recognized by Alföldi, p. 42, R19. Alföldi, followed by Crawford, dated this issue to immediately after Caesar's assassination on 15 March 44 BC, but Woytek, Arma et Nummi, pp. 421-3, argues persuasively for a dating to the weeks just before Caesar's death.This coin is a lustrous lifetime issue with dies produced by a man who no doubt knew exactly what Julius Caesar looked like. It may be one of the very few actual accurate portraits of this world famous Roman. MS