OCTAVIAN and AGRIPPA: 38 BC: Denarius: EF, RARE

US $1,220.00
Dec-01-07
Seller:clarksmith-stevealbum

 ROMAN EMPIRE: Octavian & Agrippa, 38 BC, AR denarius (3.68g). 
 Cr 534/3; Sear CRI 307; Syd 1331 (scarce); RSC 545; BMCRR Gaul 
 103; Newman 38.7; Seaby Julia 131, Vipsania 3. Military mint 
 traveling with Agrippa in Gaul or Octavian in Italy, IMP 
 CAESAR DIVI o IVLI F: Bare head of Octavian right, with beard 
 / M o AGRIPPA COS DESIG in two lines across field, rare coin 
 with excellent centering and wonderful portrait. Slight 
 porosity, but better surfaces than normally seen for issue, 
 flan defect at 1:30 on reverse is not a major detraction, 18.0 
 mm; Die axis 12.0, nice EF, R. 
 Estimated Value $1,900 - 2,500. 

 Octavian, Caesar Augustus as he became known, had a fantastic 
 admiral in Marcus Agrippa. Agrippa was also the architect 
 responsible for the building of the first Roman Pantheon, 
 which was destroyed in 80BC and then later rebuilt by Hadrian. 
 Rebuilt using Agrippa's original plans, the Roman Pantheon 
 survives today with a dome that spans 142 feet, the largest 
 dome in the world until the 1400's.
 We have not seen a better portrait, they are usually 
 incomplete or softly struck. This was the first coinage to 
 bear the name of Marcus Vipsanius Agrippa.