Pre-Long Beach Auction #84

Brutus. Silver Denarius (3.9 g), 42 BC. Military mint traveling with Brutus and Cassius in western Asia Minor or northern Greece. P. Servilius Casca Longus, moneyer. CASCA behind, LONGVS before, Laureate and bearded head of Neptune right; trident below. Reverse: BRVTVS behind, IMP before, Victory advancing right, breaking diadem tied with fillet and holding palm; below, broken scepter. Crawford 507/2; HCRI 212; Sydenham 1298; RSC 3. Needle sharp. Superb Extremely Fine.

The reverse design is a political statement appropriate for the enemies of Julius Caesar. The figure of Victory trampling upon a broken scepter and tearing a diadem powerfully evokes a long tradition of Roman animosity for monarchical rule. It was widely believed that Caesar aspired to become king, and many of his actions indeed seemed to justify this notion.
Estimated Value $3,500 - 4,000.