The Roman Empire
Issues related to the Victory in the Battle of Actium
Denarius, uncertain Eastern mint 28 BC, AR 3.94 g. CAESAR·DIVI F· – COS·VI Bare head r.; below neck, small capricorn. Rev. AEGVPT / CAPTA Crocodile r. with jaws closed. C 4. BMC 653. Sear Imperators 432. RIC 545. CBN 928.
Very rare and in exceptional condition for this difficult and interesting issue.
Wonderful old cabinet tone and about extremely fine / extremely fine Ex Cahn-Hess 17 July 1933, Haeberlin, 3180; NAC-Spink Taisei, 16 November 1994, Gilbert Steinberg, 130 and Triton XI, 2008, Prideaux, 663 sales.

This is a rather complete and nicely detailed crocodile – unusual as such. The obverse is also nicely centered with full legends. MSG.

See the following lot description for a more detailed history of this issue. Of note here is that the Capricorn under the bust of Octavian represents his birth sign. Key to this issue is finding the crocodile complete, as here. The portrait style is also masculine and ”godlike” which would become the normal portrait style for Augustus for the remainder of his reign. MSG.