L. Mussidius Longus. Aureus 42, AV 8.14 g. Head of Ceres r., wearing wreath of corn ears. Rev. L·MVSSIDI / LONGVS within wreath of corn ears tied at bottom. Babelon Mussidia 3. Bahrfeldt 35b. Sydenham 1090a. Sear Imperators 185b. Calicó 24a. RBW 1750. Crawford 494/45. Extremely rare and possibly the finest specimen known. An attractive portrait struck on an extremely large flan, a light scratch on obverse field, otherwise extremely fine Ex Leu 91, 2004, 489 and NAC 83, 2015, Student and his Mentor part III, 481 sales.

Graded Ch XF Strike 5/5 Surface 3/5, NGC certification number 6030739-002.

L. Mussidius Longus was one of the new quattuorviri monetales established by the Triumvirate of Octavian, Mark Antony, and Marcus Lepidus in 42 BC. Previously, Roman Republican coinage had been produced at Rome under a board of three men, the tresviri monetales, but as part of the extraordinary measures taken to crush opposition at home and to encompass the destruction of Caesar's assassins abroad, the Triumvirs expanded the board of monetales from three to four men. This particular aureus features a wonderfully classicizing head of Ceres on the obverse that is made doubly beautiful by its stunning state of preservation. The classical style of the head is very different from the usual style found on most Roman Republican issues and points to the work of an exceptional (Greek?) die engraver at the Roman mint. The head is very reminiscent of depictions of Demeter on coins of Syracuse struck under Agathocles (317-289 BC) and Pyrrhus of Epirus (278-275 BC). A potential Sicilian model may be no accident since in 42 BC the island had largely fallen into the hands of Sextus Pompey and had become a base of naval operations against the Triumvirate. Typological reference to Sicily and emphasis on the Ceres and the grain that was her divine purview suggests that this aureus emission was intended to allay fears that Sextus Pompey's presence in Sicily might threaten Rome's grain supply and may have been produced to finance measures to protect it.