Pre-Long Beach Auction #80

Q. Metellus Pius Scipio. Silver Denarius (4.07 g), 47-46 BC. Military mint traveling with Scipio in Africa. Imperator, committed sucide in 46 BC. Q METEL above, PIVS below, laureate head of Jupiter right. Reverse SCIPIO above, IMP in exergue, elephant advancing right. Crawford 459/1; HCRI 45; Sydenham 1050; Caecilia 47. Rare. Perfectly struck and centered on a full flan with gorgeous iridescent toning. A remarkable specimen. Superb Extremely Fine.

A Pompeian loyalist, Q. Metellus Pius Scipio introduced the legislation that recalled Caesar from his Gallic command, thus precipitating the Civil Wars. This handsome denarius was struck while Scipio was in supreme command of the Pompeian forces in North Africa, the elephant an obvious reference to the province, and was probably struck during the later stages of the campaign in a mobile mint traveling alongside the forces (stylistically it is quite distinct from the coins of Scipio struck at the provincial capital of Utica). In 46 BC, Caesar finally managed to corner the Pompeians at Thapsus, where he inflicted on them a crushing defeated. After the battle Scipio committed suicide, knowing that despite Caesar's usual leniency towards his enemies he would not allow so persistent an foe as Scipio to survive.
Estimated Value $5,000 - 6,000.
Ex NAC 62 (6 October 2011), 2001; Spink 5014 (28 September 2005), 386.