C. Aburius Geminus. 134 BC. AR Denarius (20mm, 4.04 g, 5h). Rome mint.

Electronic Auction 515
Lot: 465. Estimated: $ 300

Roman Republican, Silver

Sold For $ 500. This amount does not include the buyer’s fee.

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C. Aburius Geminus. 134 BC. AR Denarius (20mm, 4.04 g, 5h). Rome mint. Head of Roma right, wearing winged helmet ornamented with gryphon’s head, visor in three pieces and peaked, earring, and pearl necklace, hair falling in three locks; GEM behind, mark of value below chin / Mars, holding trophy in right hand and spear, shield, and reins in left, driving galloping quadriga right; C • ABVRI below, ROMA in exergue. Crawford 244/1; Sydenham 490; Aburia 1; RBW 1006. Iridescent toning. Superb EF.

From the DSV Collection. Ex Triton XII (6 January 2009), lot 470 (where it hammered for $475).

The gens Aburia was a plebeian family, who rose to prominence in the late 2nd century BC, when Marcus Aburius was the colleague of Tiberius Sempronius Gracchus, as tribune of the plebs in 187 BC. In 176 BC, this same Aburius held the prestigious post of praetor peregrinus, or judge who decided the cases of foreigners.

The cognomen of our moneyer, Geminus, means twin and suggests that he was a twin. Another Aburius Geminus was Marcus who hed the same post about two years later. As both were known from other sources to be the sons of a Marcus (M. f.), it is attractive to posit that these two moneyers were twin offspring of the earlier Marcus Aburius.

Closing Date and Time: 4 May 2022 at 12:34:40 ET.

All winning bids are subject to an 18% buyer’s fee.