★ A Virtually Perfect Example ★

Cnaeus Pompey Magnus AR Denarius. Mint in Greece, 49-48 BC. Cn. Calpurnius Piso, proquaestor. Head of Numa Pompilius right, wearing diadem inscribed NVMA; CN•PISO PRO•Q• around / Prow of galley right; MAGN above, PRO•COS below. Crawford 446/1; CRI 7; RSC 4 (Pompey the Great). 3.77g, 20mm, 6h.

Near Mint State; attractive old cabinet tone; a virtually perfect example of the type.

Ex Auktionshaus H. D. Rauch GmbH, Auction 94, 9 April 2014, lot 662 (hammer: EUR 4,800);
Ex Munzen & Medaillen AG Basel, List 502, August 1987, no. 30.

The second king of Rome, Numa Pompilius, appears on the obverse of this coin as an allusion to the nomen (family name) of the issuing proquaestor for, according to tradition, Pompilius had a son by the name of Calpus, from whom the gens Calpurnia was descended and derived its name. Striking for Pompey Magnus, the prow on the reverse was intended to recall and glorify Pompey's famous victories over the Cilician pirates in 67/6 BC.