Coins & Money

Ancient Coin Auction Dominated by Assassination of Caesar, Marcus Junius Brutus

When it comes to collecting coins and numismatics, historical and ancient coins can command some of the highest prices. The ancient coins are a piece of history that are sought after by numismatic collectors and by investors alike. Heritage Auctions has the WTR collection up for bidding, and the group of coins is loaded with some of the most desired ancient and historical coins in existence. The WTR Collection would make even the most seasoned coin dealer come back for second looks.

The top coin for sale in the auction is the Marcus Junius Brutus, Assassin of Caesar and Imperator. This extremely rare ancient coin dates back to 44 BC to 42 BC, and the cost is more than a typical home.

Ancient coins fall into a spectrum of understanding. On one hand you will notice as a collector bags of ancient coins for a flat rate at a coin show. Those are coins that resemble the novelty prices under $50.00. Ancient coins are hand struck and many are off center. This leaves the collector to wonder if the ancient coin minter was paid up front in wine. On a personal note, my first coin shop job 20 years ago referred to them as widows mite. That widows mite term is still found in classified coin ads today.

The rarities in this WTR Heritage Auctions offering are a serious opportunity for coin collectors, investors and even museums to own significant pieces of history. These coins also have a direct tie to actual historic events rather than being generic coins minted randomly when materials were available.

Here are some of the major historical Ancient coins being sold by Heritage Auctions as described by them on August 18, 2021:

Marcus Junius Brutus, Assassin of Caesar and Imperator (44-42 BC). AR denarius (18mm, 3.61 gm, 12h). NGC XF 4/5 – 3/5, bankers mark, test cut. Mint moving with Brutus in northern Greece, L. Plaetorius Cestianus, magistrate, late summer-autumn 42 BC. BRVT IMP L•PLAET•CEST•, bare head of Brutus right, wearing slight beard / EID•MAR, pileus (cap of liberty) between two daggers. Crawford 508/3. Sydenham 1301. Junia 52 and Plaetoria 13. Cahn 10b. CRI 216. RSC 15. RCV 1439. Struck in exceptionally sound metal and beautifully toned. Superb portrait of the famed tyrannicide.

The Heritage estimate of this coin was between $400,000 and $500,000 and the historical provenance makes that sound low. For starters, the coin was controversial even in its period of dark history. The next ruling party had them melted down, and perhaps most provocative is this is the only coin in human history celebrating a murder. Image below provided by Heritage Auctions (HA.com).

Coin for assassination of Caesar

Not knowing Roman history or the classics this is a literal coin made to commemorate the Ides of March and the murder of Julies Caeser. The coin according to a blog post has only about 80 genuine examples known, 30 of which reside in museums. The demand is for the portrait of Brutus. The majority of the existing examples came from one cache buried around the time of minting. To that note Brutus had a traveling mint with his army and according to the boldness of the coins style was a means of propaganda for his on-site traveling army. Brutus is understood to have issued the coins to remind his soldiers that they fought for the Roman Republic and that Caesar was assassinated.

On August 17, 2018 Heritage Auctions sold another example minted with Brutus’ traveling army for $240,000.00. A description of that coin sale (Stunning Gold Aureus of Brutus, Assassin of Julius Caesar) is listed below:

  • Marcus Junius Brutus, Assassin of Caesar and Imperator (44-42 BC). AV aureus (22mm, 7.99 gm, 6h). NGC (photo-certificate) Choice AU ★ 5/5 – 4/5. Military mint traveling with Brutus and Cassius (possibly at Sardis), 42 BC, Marcus Servilius, legate. M • SERVILIVS upward to left, LEG upward to right, laureate head of Libertas right / Q • CAEPIO upward to left, BRVTVS • IMP upward to right, trophy composed of helmet, cuirass, ptryges, two spears, and shield. Crawford 505/4. CRI 206. Calicó 61a. Sydenham 1314. RBW 1775. Babelon Junia 47 and Servilia 38. Sharply struck on a massive flan with the look and feel of a product produced while on a military campaign instead of a tightly controlled city mint.

The final saga of the Ides of March coin and the story it told is best described by Heritage Auctions:

The conspirators expected to be hailed as liberators, but the Roman populace was horrified by Caesar’s murder and wanted the assassins punished. Brutus left Rome in April barely ahead of a lynch mob. He joined Cassius in assembling a pro-Republican power base in Macedonia, where they could wage war against Caesar’s successors, Marc Antony and Octavian. A successful campaign against the Bessi in Thrace won him acclaim as Imperator, after which he began to strike coins to pay his growing army. His early coinage follows traditional themes, but his final type, the EID MAR issue of mid-42 BC, breaks the old Republican taboo by placing his own portrait on the obverse, coupled with the pileus or cap of liberty (traditionally given to slaves who had received their freedom) between the daggers that executed Caesar. The irony is palpable: One of the acts that got Caesar killed was putting his own portrait on coins, prompting fears that he aimed to make himself King of Rome. Now Brutus was following suit, while celebrating his betrayal of Caesar on the iconic reverse. The choice of types could be seen as a final, brazen act of defiance as the armies of the warring factions closed for an ultimate clash in northern Greece. In a final twist of fate, Brutus used the same dagger he had plunged into Caesar to take his own life following the final defeat of the assassins at the second battle of Philippi on 23 October 42 BC. The relative rarity of Eid Mar denarii today is doubtless because the type was deliberately recalled and melted down by the victors, Marc Antony and Octavian.

Other coins offered by Heritage Auctions from their Ancients WTR collection include the following descriptions and estimates:

  • Marcus Junius Brutus, Assassin of Caesar and Imperator (44-42 BC), with Pedanius Costa as Legate. AV aureus (19mm, 8.00 gm, 11h). NGC Choice Fine★ 5/5 – 4/5. Military minted while traveling with Brutus and Cassius in western Asia Minor or northern Greece, late summer-autumn 42 BC. The coins has an estimate of $150,000.00 – $200,000.00
  • Marc Antony, as Triumvir and Imperator (44-30 BC), with Octavia. AV aureus (20mm, 8.04 gm, 1h). NGC Choice VF 4/5 – 3/5. Military minted while traveling with Anthoney in Athens, ca. 38 BC and is estimated to sell for $75,000.00 – $100,000.00.
  • Julius Caesar, as Consul for the Third Time (46 BC), with Aulus Hirtius, as Praetor. AV aureus (19mm, 8.13 gm, 5h). NGC MS★ 5/5 – 5/5. The coin is noted for superior eye appeal by Heritage Auctions and is estimated to sell for $55,000.00 – $65,000.00.

The Divus Julius Caesar coin is estimated to sell for $50,000.00 to $60,000.00. Divus Julius Caesar (49-44 BC). AV aureus (19mm, 7.09 gm, 7h). NGC Choice VF 5/5 – 2/5, ex-mount. Heritage Auctions description of this coin best captures the Numismatic interest:

The restoration issues of Trajan (AD 98-117) were intended to link his regime to the virtues of the Republic and previous deified (and successful) emperors. They had the dual purpose of also introducing a new, slightly lighter monetary standard for both the gold and silver coinage. Earlier aurei and denarii were recalled, melted down, and replaced both with regular issues of Trajan and “restored” examples of the coins being replaced. These restoration issues were struck only in token numbers and remain extremely rare today. Interestingly, this issue does not have a known prototype. It pairs a Divus Julius Caesar obverse with a reverse used by Claudius I.

Collectors Dashboard evaluates collectibles as an alternative asset class. The same capital that could have been invested into stocks or bonds is being used to buy high-end collectibles. True numismatic hobbyists have a passion to own certain coins for quite a long time. The investor class in collectibles is solely buying an asset to sell at a later date for a profit. This keeps collectors and investors in a constant battle for who can win in auctions, and of course there are no guarantees of a profit in any investment.

As with any collectible or with any investment, there are never any assurances that a seller will make a profit. In fact, we have outlined how the price you paid for an item simply does not matter. These coins also go well above and beyond the 5 key date coins for collectors and they will not fit within the $500 coin collection at all.

Ancient coin collectors have shown time and time again the excitement felt for a subject as old as recorded history. Heritage Auctions is one of a handful of auction houses that can handle coins that can only be categorized as world heritage in their representation. Few events are as well documented as the turmoil from the assassination of Julius Caesar. The global implications from his murder are offered in coin form. What a powerful thought.

Adding all of these coins together could easily fetch $1 million. These coins are a part of history and they are among some of the most desirable and rare ancient coins.