Julius Caesar, as Consul for the Third Time (46 BC), with Aulus Hirtius, as Praetor. AV aureus (21mm, 8.03 gm, 3h). NGC Choice VF 4/5 - 4/5, Boscoreale Tone. Rome. C•CAESAR-COS•TER, veiled female head (Vesta or Pietas?) right, with features of Julius Caesar / A•HIRTIVS•P R, lituus, oenochoe, and securis, all turned left. Calicó 37b. Crawford 466/1. Sydenham 1017-1018. Hirtia 1 and Julia 22. This coin boasts the coveted Boscoreale Toning, as it is bathed in distinct fiery red and orange volcanic hues. Found in hoards in the bay of Naples, in excavation sites in 1894 or 1895, archaeologists unearthed an amazing treasure trove that included silver table vessels and more than 1,000 gold aurei. The intense heat from the volcanic ash, lava, and pyroclastic flows from the eruption of Vesuvius left nearly all of the gold coins found in the area with a distinctive reddish discoloration, which has come to be known as "Boscoreale toning." However, it is impossible to tell for certain whether any particular coin was from the Boscoreale Hoard because no formal records were made of the hoard before it was dispersed to local museums and coin collectors. HID09801242017 © 2023 Heritage Auctions | All Rights Reserved

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