443, Lot: 459. Estimate $100. Sold for $140. This amount does not include the buyer’s fee.

L. Calpurnius Piso Frugi. 90 BC. AR Denarius (18mm, 3.84 g, 6h). Rome mint. Laureate head of Apollo right; F below chin / Horseman galloping right, holding whip and reins; mask of Silenus above. Crawford 340/1; Sydenham 658a; Calpurnia 12b; Type as RBW 1252. VF, toned, some light scratches on the reverse edge.

From the Andrew McCabe Collection, purchased from Münzzentrum Rheinland.

I purchased this coin because it has an attractive head of Silenus as a symbol, as well as the horse rider bearing a whip rather than the more common palm branch. I always take careful note of any Lucius Piso Frugi denarii with ROMA spelled out in full in a second legend line on the reverse: this (and usually also the dies with a ROMA monogram in the same position) indicate the coin is from the earlier, better engraved part of the issue on larger flans and with larger and more interesting symbols. This early issue also includes the extremely rare obverse head left varieties, which are not present in the later issue. RRC p. 340 mentions a proposed die study on the issue by Grassby and Crawford. Initial work on the die study was carried out by Grassby, who, however, moved on to other interests. Her working papers can still be consulted, so perhaps there may be a continuation at some point. Had the study gone ahead, I am sure it would have ultimately divided the issue into at least two main parts, an early and a late (or perhaps two parallel workshops) represented by this and the following coin. The coin that follows with anchor and staff symbols, although admirably executed for the type, is of quite different fabric and style. The early issue represented by this coin always has a large head of Apollo in classical style and with a placid countenance; the reverse legend arrangement is an aide memoire to the difference. Most premier collections of Roman Republican coins over the last century have had a greater representation of this early style issue. [Andrew McCabe]