Classical Numismatic Group, LLC
Auction 123 23-24 May 2023
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Augustus. 27 BC-AD 14. AR Denarius (19mm, 3.87 g, 10h). Restitution issue. Rome mint. Struck under Hadrian, circa AD 117-138. Laureate head right / Gaius and Lucius Caesar standing facing, each resting hand shield set on ground; behind the shields, two crossed spears; above, on left, a simpulum left, and on right, lituus right. Woytek & Blet-Lemarquand 9-10 (dies III/3); cf. RIC I 208; cf. Lyon 82 var. (simpulum and lituus turned inward); cf. CNG 63, lot 1213 (same dies). Faint hairlines, lightly toned. Near EF. Rare.
The style and fabric of this coin suggest that it belongs to an anonymous restitution issue, likely of Hadrian. The restitution issues of Trajan are well known since the coins are marked with Trajanic legends. The fact that this coin retains its original legend without any mention of the issuer suggests that it is not part of the great restitution series of Trajan, but part of a later anonymous issue. Apart from style, on all known specimens the lituus has a split base and is turned to the right, and the simpulum is large, rather bulbous and turned to the left, features not seen on the issues of Augustus.
The style and fabric of this coin suggest that it belongs to an anonymous restitution issue, likely of Hadrian. The restitution issues of Trajan are well known since the coins are marked with Trajanic legends. The fact that this coin retains its original legend without any mention of the issuer suggests that it is not part of the great restitution series of Trajan, but part of a later anonymous issue. Apart from style, on all known specimens the lituus has a split base and is turned to the right, and the simpulum is large, rather bulbous and turned to the left, features not seen on the issues of Augustus.