One of the Rarest Republican Denarii

CNG 88, Lot: 1167. Estimate $500. Sold for $3000. This amount does not include the buyer’s fee.

L. Marcius Philippus. 57 BC. AR Denarius (20mm, 3.97 g, 8h). Rome mint. Diademed head of Ancus Marcius right; lituus behind; ANCVS below / Equestrian statue rearing right on aqueduct of six arches; flower below horse; PHILIPPVS downwards to left; AQVA MAR (ligatured) C I in exergue. Crawford 425/1 var. (legend in exergue); Marcia 29a = Sydenham 919b = BMCRR Rome 3895 note = Marcia 29; Elsen 78, lot 206 (same dies); Benz Collection (Lanz 88), lot 483 (same dies). Near EF, gray and iridescent toning, find mark on obverse near edge at 11 o’clock. Extremely rare with long legend in exergue. RSC writes that a coin with this legend in the exergue “does not exist.” None in CoinArchives.

All examples with this long legend on the reverse were apparently struck from a single reverse die. This is perhaps the fourth example known.