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 Replies: 10 / Views: 1,304 |
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Pillar of the Community
Canada
1269 Posts |
I have been wanting a second coin of Augustus for over a year but I just did not find the right one...until tonight. I just won this one in a Heritage auction for what I feel is a steal of a price. This coin demonstrates why there is more to a coin than a letter grade definition. The coin is in an NGC slab and is graded VG 5/5 Strike 2/5 surface. When I saw the coin I thought to myself "Wow, it has a great portrait full legends, and all the devices are extant and clear". That was enough for me, I had to have it. This Cistophorus of Augustus is imho a lovely rare coin. I believe as a friend has intimated elsewhere that this coin did not bring a higher price because it did not have the magic letters AU or MS. I have found on Heritage that one can often get a deal if the slabbed coin does not have these letters. That is just fine by me. I am quite willing to accept a very nice VG into my collection. I would rather have this than an off centre vf with missing devices or legends with a poor portrait. I really like these big silver coins from this period, but there seems to be a lot of competition for them when they appear at auction. Another interesting thing about this coin is the placement of the obverse legend. There are 8 examples of this coin RIC 493 on Acsearch. 6 of them have the legend on the left hand side of the obverse, but only 2 have it at the bottom of the coin under the portrait like mine. Oh, and yes this slab will have a short meeting with my hammer after it arrives. Augustus (27 BC-AD 14). AR cistophorus (25mm, 10.86 gm, 12h). NGC VG 5/5 - 2/5.Pergamum, ca. 27-26 BC. IMP  -CAE-SAR, bare head of Augustus right / AVGVSTVS, Capricorn right, head left, bearing cornucopia on back; all within laurel wreath. RIC I 493. RPC 2211. Heritage Auctions August 30, 2018  Edited by orfew
08/31/2018 12:02 am
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Pillar of the Community
United States
7066 Posts |
Perhaps not AU or MS, but impressive just the same. Glad to see you acquired another long sought after prize, Andrew. Well done.
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Pillar of the Community
 Canada
1269 Posts |
Many thanks Bob. Your comments are both kind and appreciated.
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Moderator
 United States
23731 Posts |
I like the coin just the way it is, it has excellent detail. Congrats.
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Pillar of the Community
 Spain
2752 Posts |
Very nice coin!
I`ve been following your purchases this year and you`ve picked up some wonderful coins.This is one of my favourites congrats on the new addition....
Whats the signifigance of the Capricorn? Paul
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Pillar of the Community
Canada
1269 Posts |
Paul,
thanks for the kind words.
The significance of the Capricorn is unknown, but many have speculated. Here is one such speculation.
David Wray "Astrology in Ancient Rome: Poetry, Prophecy and Power"
"Why Capricorn? We don't really know. Augustus' sun sign was Libra. Capricorn was probably either his rising sign or, more likely, his Moon sign. Modern popular astrology, of the newspaper kind, is of course purely sun sign astrology, but the ancients tended to attach more importance to the Moon sign and rising sign. What particular qualities of the sea-goat made this sign especially appropriate for Augustus? Again, we don't know for sure. Possibly because Capricorn, then as now, was associated with stern moral authority. Possibly because Capricorn is the sign in which the sun passes through the winter solstice and is, in a sense, reborn--like the Roman republic, in Augustus' propaganda. Possibly because Capricorn, then as now, was associated with the planet Saturn. According to Roman mythology, Saturn had come to live in Italy when his son Jupiter had kicked him out of heaven, and the age in which Saturn ruled as king over Italy was a "golden age" of paradise on earth. Augustus' reign was portrayed, in the poetry of Virgil and Horace as well as in Augustus' propaganda, as a return to that Saturnian golden age. Perhaps each of these reasons was a factor in Augustus' adoption of Capricorn as his emblem."
Edited by orfew
08/31/2018 10:35 am
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Moderator
United States
34427 Posts |
Quote:
this slab will have a short meeting with my hammer after it arrives.  Sweet coin! "If you climb a good tree, you get a push."
-----Ghanaian proverb
"The danger we all now face is distinguishing between what is authentic and what is performed."
-----King Adz
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Pillar of the Community
United States
6130 Posts |
Excellent addition! I have wanted to upgrade my Augustus bronze for quite some time, but I am deeply undecided on which $300-750 coin would fit the bill. How do these cistophori compare to his denarii? I believe they are about 4-5mm wider?
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Pillar of the Community
Canada
1269 Posts |
@Finn235
Thanks for the kind words. The cistophori are quite a bit larger. They are around 28 mm. I believe most denarii are about 20 mm or so. Their size and the amount of silver make them quite impressive. I believe that a cistophorus was equal to 3 denarii. The weight of the denarii is about 3.5-4 g while the cistophorus is close to 11 g.
I wish you luck on your search.
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Pillar of the Community
Canada
1269 Posts |
Here is a photo of the coin after I removed it from the slab.  |
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Pillar of the Community
Spain
2752 Posts |
Quote:
Here is a photo of the coin after I removed it from the slab. The portrait seems to have changed slightly and Augustus looks as if hes got a slight smile now  Great coin! Paul |
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Replies: 10 / Views: 1,304 |
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Posted 08/31/2018 12:03 am
