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Denomination: Denarius
Era: c. 141 BC
Metal: AR
Obverse: Helmeted head of Roma r. with peaked visor; “XVI” behind; Border of dots
Reverse: Victory in biga right, holding whip in right hand and reins in left; below, C TITINI; in linear frame, ROMA.
Mint: Rome
Weight: 3.93 gm.
Reference: Crawford 226/1b
Provenance: Astarte XX, Lot 65; 30-Oct-2009.
This is the scarce elegant style version of this otherwise common issue. In his introduction to RRC, Crawford says:
“…with the issue of C. Titinius, however,
a new style appears, with a rounded ornate head of Roma decorated by a necklace
of pendants instead of a necklace of beads. This new style reappears intermittently,
in the issues of M. Aurelius Cota (no. 229), M. Baebius Tampilus (no. 236) and C.
Serveilius M.f. (no. 239); it also influences what may be called the old style, so that the heads become broader while retaining basically the same features. The original
version of this style appears for the last time in the issues of C. Valerius Flaccus
(no. 228) and M. Aurelius Cota (no. 229)”
I have never seen an example of this style for C. Valerius Flaccus and Crawford does not call it out in his catalog, though he does for M. Aurelius Cota.
The reverse is slightly off-center, obscuring the far horse head so it isn’t complete. Otherwise the coin is GEF and among the finest dies of this engraver.
Collection : Early Roman Silver with Monograms to c. 140 B.C.