The Republicans. Brutus. Early summer 42 BC. AR Denarius (19mm, 3.77 g, 12h). Military mint traveling with Brutus in Lycia. VF.

CNG Feature Auction 132
Lot: 730. Estimated: $ 750

Roman Republican, Coin-in-Hand Video, Silver

Sold For $ 2 250. This amount does not include the buyer’s fee.

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The Republicans. Brutus. Early summer 42 BC. AR Denarius (19mm, 3.77 g, 12h). Military mint traveling with Brutus in Lycia. Draped bust of Apollo right; lyre to right / Trophy composed of helmet, cuirass, shield with incurved sides, and two swords, being crowned with wreath by Victory standing left, holding palm frond over left shoulder. Crawford 504/1; CRI 205; Sydenham 1294; RSC 7; RBW 1771. Toned, porosity, light scratches. VF.

Brutus is best known for his role in the assassination of Julius Caesar on 15 March 44 BC. This action, while often thought as an attempt to save liberty and justice, was actually meant to try to preserve aristocracy and privilege. Brutus and the other conspirators wanted to restore power to the Senate, comprised of the wealthiest and most powerful of Roman citizens. This brought him in conflict with Julius Caesar, who wanted to break the old power holds in the Senate, populating it with men of lower rank and birth. In a way, Julius Caesar could be seen as promoting a dictatorship with some flavor of a democracy, whereas Brutus and the other conspirators were attempting to save the aristocracy.

After their assassination of Julius Caesar, Brutus and Cassius occupied Rome but had to flee when a funeral oration delivered by Caesar’s protégé, Marc Antony, turned public opinion against them. Brutus and Cassius went their separate ways but met again in early 42 BC in Smyrna, Ionia, where they began preparations for the inevitable conflict that would ensue between them and Marc Antony and Octavian, Caesar’s grandnephew. They began using their armies to conquer cities, for which this series of coins was undoubtedly issued. The title IMP on the reverse shows that Brutus still styled himself the savior of the Republic, as that was a title only the Senate could award.

The final winners of all CNG Feature Auction 132 lots will be determined at the live online sale that will be held on 18-19 May 2026.

CNG Feature Auction 132 – Session Three – Lot 588-888 will be held Tuesday morning, 19 May 2026 beginning at 9:00 AM ET.

Winning bids are subject to a 22.5% buyer's fee for bids placed on this website and 25% for all others.

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