Obverse: bare head of Augustus facing right. Reverse: Mars helmeted and naked except for chlamys, standing left with head right, holding aquila in right hand and signa cradled in left

Augustus, the first Roman emperor, ruled from 27 BC until his death in AD 14 and built much of his early ideological program around the recovery of military honor lost in earlier civil and foreign defeats.

The reverse alludes to the diplomatic recovery in 20 BC of the legionary standards lost by Crassus at Carrhae in 53 BC and by Antony in his Parthian campaign, returned by the Parthian king Phraates IV under threat of Roman force and celebrated by Augustus as a victory equal to a conquest.

Obverse legend: CAESAR AVGVSTVS, "Caesar Augustus," the honorific name conferred on Octavian by the Senate in 27 BC.

Reverse legend: SIGNIS RECEPTIS, "the standards having been recovered," referring to the returned Parthian trophies.

Deep iridescent cabinet toning, bankers' marks on obverse

Attractive iridescent tone, a few minor scratches, some light scuffs on reverse

Lightly toned, obverse slightly off center

Toned with scratches under tone and traces of deposits

Toned, some porosity, scratches and marks under toning


9/17/24	$1,500	VF	CNG	— 0%
5/12/22	$1,700	VF	CNG	▲ +13%
1/12/22	$3,500	XF	CNG	— 0%
1/19/21	$1,000	VF	CNG	▼ −33%
8/26/20	$300	VF	CNG	▼ −80%

Denarius of AugustusRIC I 82a

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