From the Gemini V Auction, Closed January 6, 2009.



 Lot # 783Estimate: US$30000
 Octavian. Silver denarius 


    Octavian. Silver denarius (3.62 gm). Mint moving with Octavian, 
    Italy or Cisalpine Gaul, 43 BC. Head of Venus right, her hair tied 
    back in knot / Trophy of Gallic arms, chariot at base on left; on 
    right, shield, two spears, and carnyx; CAESAR upward to left, [I]MP 
    downward to right. Crawford 482/1. Sydenham 1016 (R9). Sear, 
    Imperators 130. Toned, choice extremely fine. 

    Ex Naville X, (Petrowicz Collection), June 15-18, 1925, lot 1737. 

    Because of the typical Caesarian types (Venus and trophy) and the 
    legend CAESAR IMP, this extremely rare coin has traditionally been 
    described as a military issue of Julius Caesar, struck perhaps in 
    Spain. David Sear in Imperators has plausibly argued that the coin 
    is better seen as an early military issue of Octavian, struck in 
    conjunction with the Mutina War in the spring of 43 BC. Sear points 
    out that Caesar, in his massive coinages in Gaul and the civil war 
    theaters, uses the cognomen CAESAR alone, without the addition of 
    the imperatorial title. The only exception is the rare Sicilian 
    issue of Allienus, Crawford 457/1, which is in many ways atypical. 
    In contrast, Octavian’s first portrait coin, Crawford 490/1, does 
    employ precisely the legend C CAESAR IMP. The present coin then fits 
    nicely as Octavian’s initial military issue, quickly replaced by one 
    bearing his portrait. 


  ... Lot 783 sold for high bid of $45000 [ $51750, or approx 38295 EUR, 35190 GBP including the 15% buyers premium.] 

Gemini Auctions' results, text and images are re-used by the kind permission of:
    Freeman & Sear (www.freemanandsear.com)
 and Harlan J Berk (www.harlanjberk.com)