denarius of julius caesar coin first of 12 caesars

#Denarius of julius caesar coin first of 12 caesars series

Octavian presented himself first as a restorer of the Republic and sought approval from the Senate to maintain his position, and the Senate responded by offering him the title “Augustus,” a term by which all subsequent emperors became known.

#Denarius of julius caesar coin first of 12 caesars series

Unfortunately, the only portrait type of Caesar was issued posthumously, by Octavian, and is very rare.Īll coins of Caesar were struck by moneyers other than Caesar himself, and other specialists in the Republican series who want one coin from each moneyer compete with Twelve Caesars enthusiasts for the available coins. Naturally, most people building a Twelve Caesars set like to have a portrait coin if they can. Like other Republican issues, they avoid the “regal’’ practice of portraying a living individual, and were minted before Caesar was absolute master of Rome.Īfter becoming dictator for life, though, Caesar broke with tradition and allowed his portrait to appear on coins. Most coins of Julius Caesar do not feature his portrait. The exercise of building the set can be framed around other factors as well. Once a set has been built, collectors might consider upgrading, or shifting to a set of all silver denarii coins, for instance, and collectors with the means can pursue gold aureii for all rulers. Otherwise, a bronze set of mixed provincial issues is also possible and collectors can select coins of about the same size. The most efficient way to complete a set at a modest cost is to allow various denominations and metals, and choose the most available type for each ruler. The silver denarius is the most popular ancient denomination, so they are always in strong demand. Considerations for the set can include whether it will include only portrait coins, and whether pieces struck in Roman provinces “count” toward the set, or if it will be limited to only pieces struck in Rome.īronze coins can be as rare or rarer than gold coins for some rulers - for instance, Julius Caesar and Otho did not strike bronze portrait coins, but examples struck at provincial mints are available.