Lot 2109

Description

Augustus, (27 B.C. - A.D. 14), silver denarius, Rome mint, issued 13 B.C., by moneyer C. Antistius Reginus, obv. bare head of Augustus to right, CAESAR AVGVSTVS around, rev. pontifical emblems (simpulum, lituus, tripod and patera), dotted border C. ANTISTIVS REGINVS around [III VIR] off field in exergue, (S.495, RIC 410, BMC 120). Some surface horn silver around letters, surface scratches on obverse, otherwise very fine and rare.

The Republican practice of placing the moneyer's name on the coinage was temporarily revived by Augustus c. 19 B.C., although the experiment was discontinued on the precious metal denominations after only seven years. The reverse type refers to Augustus' membership in the four great priestly colleges - pontifices represented by the simpulum; augurs by the lituus; quindecimviri s.f. by the tripod. and septimviri epulones, by the patera. In the year following this issue Augustus was elected pontifex maximus as a result of the death of the former triumvir Marcus Aemilius Lepidus, who had held the office since shortly after Caesar's assassination in 44 B.C.