Roman Empire "Augustus" Denarius NGC AU 5x2
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ROMAN EMPIRE. Augustus (27 BC–AD 14). Silver Denarius. NGC Choice AU 5/5 – 2/5. 19mm, 3.43 gms.
An exceptional silver denarius struck at Lugdunum during the reign of Gaius Octavius, better known to history as Augustus, the first Emperor of Rome. This lustrous piece bears a sharp portrait of Augustus facing right, the inscription AVGVSTVS DIVI F declaring him the “Son of the Divine” Julius Caesar, a reminder of the deification of his adoptive father and the divine legitimacy of his own rule.
The reverse presents one of the most dynamic and evocative designs of the Augustan coinage: a powerful bull charging right, head lowered and tail lashing in motion, accompanied by the legend IMP X, celebrating Augustus’s tenth acclamation as Imperator. The bull may symbolize Spain—where Augustus achieved significant military victories—or, more broadly, the ferocity and unstoppable momentum of Roman power under his leadership.
Coins such as this were critical tools in shaping Augustus’s new political order. Emerging victorious from decades of civil war, he transformed the Republic into a Principate, consolidating authority while maintaining the façade of traditional institutions. Through images of strength, piety, and divine sanction, Augustus projected himself as both restorer of peace (Pax Romana) and invincible commander. The denarii of Lugdunum, struck in great volume, circulated widely across the empire, carrying his image and message from the Atlantic shores of Spain to the provinces of the East.
The present specimen, from the distinguished Peh Family Collection (Part II) and previously offered at Heritage Auctions (14 April 2011, lot 264), glows with shimmery luster and survives in remarkable condition for its type. The portrait exhibits exquisite detail, while the reverse captures the vitality of Roman artistry in silver.
As Rome’s first emperor, Augustus inaugurated two centuries of relative stability and prosperity, the Pax Romana, laying foundations that would endure long after his death in AD 14. This coin, both political instrument and work of art, embodies that transformative moment when the Roman world shifted from republican strife to imperial order under the steady hand of one of history’s greatest statesmen.x
An exceptional silver denarius struck at Lugdunum during the reign of Gaius Octavius, better known to history as Augustus, the first Emperor of Rome. This lustrous piece bears a sharp portrait of Augustus facing right, the inscription AVGVSTVS DIVI F declaring him the “Son of the Divine” Julius Caesar, a reminder of the deification of his adoptive father and the divine legitimacy of his own rule.
The reverse presents one of the most dynamic and evocative designs of the Augustan coinage: a powerful bull charging right, head lowered and tail lashing in motion, accompanied by the legend IMP X, celebrating Augustus’s tenth acclamation as Imperator. The bull may symbolize Spain—where Augustus achieved significant military victories—or, more broadly, the ferocity and unstoppable momentum of Roman power under his leadership.
Coins such as this were critical tools in shaping Augustus’s new political order. Emerging victorious from decades of civil war, he transformed the Republic into a Principate, consolidating authority while maintaining the façade of traditional institutions. Through images of strength, piety, and divine sanction, Augustus projected himself as both restorer of peace (Pax Romana) and invincible commander. The denarii of Lugdunum, struck in great volume, circulated widely across the empire, carrying his image and message from the Atlantic shores of Spain to the provinces of the East.
The present specimen, from the distinguished Peh Family Collection (Part II) and previously offered at Heritage Auctions (14 April 2011, lot 264), glows with shimmery luster and survives in remarkable condition for its type. The portrait exhibits exquisite detail, while the reverse captures the vitality of Roman artistry in silver.
As Rome’s first emperor, Augustus inaugurated two centuries of relative stability and prosperity, the Pax Romana, laying foundations that would endure long after his death in AD 14. This coin, both political instrument and work of art, embodies that transformative moment when the Roman world shifted from republican strife to imperial order under the steady hand of one of history’s greatest statesmen.x
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