Watch List notes:

Mark Antony and Cleopatra, 34 BC. Denarius (Silver, 17 mm, 4.05 g, 1 h), Alexandria. CLEOPATRAI - REGINAE REGVM FILIORVM REGVM Draped bust of Cleopatra to right, wearing a thin diadem with ties falling behind her, her hair ornamented with pearls along the top of her head and tied in a small bun at the back, and wearing a pearl necklace; at the point of the bust, galley prow to right. Rev. ANTONI・ARMENIA・DEVICTA Bare head of Mark Antony to right; behind neck, Armenian tiara. Babelon (Antonia) 95. BMCRR East 179. Crawford 543/1. CRI 345. Newman, AJN 2 (1990), 34.3. Sydenham 1210. Rare. Well-struck, toned and with excellent portraits. Slightly granular surfaces, otherwise, nearly extremely fine.


What is iconographically interesting about this coin are the veristic portraits. It is clear that Cleopatra was far more intelligent than Antony and must have had an astonishingly effective aura, or 'Ausstrahlung', which made her a cynosure to everyone who saw her. Nevertheless, according to the portraits on this coin Antony and Cleopatra had noses that were exactly alike!