The Roman Empire
Dynastic Issues of Augustus
C. Sulpicius Plaetorinus. Denarius 13 BC, AR 3.81 g. CAESAR – AVGVSTVS Bare head of Augustus r. Rev. M AGRIPPA – PLATORINVS III VIR Bare head of Agrippa r. C Agrippa and Augustus 3. BMC 112. RIC 408. CBN 533.
Very rare. Two attractive portraits of fine style and a light tone. An almost
invisible banker’s mark on obverse, otherwise about extremely fine Ex Leu sale 83, 2002, 708 and Antiqua fixed price list XI, 2002, 80.

I recall Steve Rubinger suggesting this coin to me – out of his fixed price catalog. I bought it on his suggestion. I had no idea at the time how difficult this issue was to find this nice! MSG.

Marcus Agrippa had been a boyhood friend of Augustus and he would become his leading military strategist throughout the civil war. If not for the cunning and strategic prowess of Agrippa it is doubtful that Octavian would have been successful. Surely Octavian, now renamed Augustus, was aware of this and had the senate bestow great powers on Agrippa. Agrippa would end up having authority almost equal to Augustus himself. Clearly the intention was to allow Agrippa to succeed the emperor. MSG.