Imperatorial Issues
M. Iunius Brutus with Casca Longus. Aureus, mint moving with Brutus in the East 43-42, AV 8.07 g. BRVTVS – IMP Bare head of Brutus r. within laurel wreath. Rev. CASCA – LONGVS Trophy, with curved sword and two spears on l. and figure-of-eight shield on r., mounted on a post set on a base formed by two prows back to back. Two shields are placed on the front of the prows and a sword with square handle extends to r. In inner l. field, L. Babelon Junia 46 and Servilia 37. C 14 var. Bahrfeldt 65b and pl. VII, 16. Sydenham 1297. Sear Imperators 211. Money of the World 30 (this coin illustrated). Biaggi 40 (this coin). RBW –. Crawford 507/1b. Calicó 56 (this coin illustrated).
Exceedingly rare and possibly the finest specimen known of this issue of great historical
interest and fascination. A bold portrait of superb style struck in high relief on a
very broad flan. Almost invisible double strike on obverse,
otherwise virtually as struck and almost Fdc Ex Leu 22, 1979, 184; NFA XXII, 1989, 23; Stack’s-Berk 29 November 1990, John Whitney Walter, 7; Ira & Larry Goldberg 46, 2008, Millenia, 75 and Goldberg 59, 2010, 2416 sales.

According to Biaggi de Blasis’ inventory: privately purchased from Lucien Hirsch in June 1951 and from the Jameson collection, but not published in the catalogue.

I had arranged for extended payment terms to bid on this lot. The day of the sale, after we had won the lot, we were offered more for the coin from two different sources. I have had offers to buy this coin ever since the day it became part of my collection. The fact is, every great collection of twelve Caesars and imperatorial coinage isn’t complete without this most difficult issue. MSG.

Coins with the portrait of Brutus are among the most desired of all objects from the Roman world. Here we have a remarkable aureus with a realistic portrait of the conflicted nobleman who forged the plot to murder Julius Caesar, and whose legacy is still subject open to a wide range of interpretations.

The fact that Brutus placed his own portrait on coinage is clear testimony to his confusion about his principles and his mission, for it contradicts some of the lofty Republican sentiments that he proclaimed as a defence for his murder of Caesar. When Brutus came to lead his own political movement he, too, behaved as a despot, and like Caesar before him, he succumbed to the temptation to place his image on circulating coins.

Cassius, his principal ally, did not follow suit. This is a double-edged sword: though we may admire the nobility of Cassius' restraint, it is a great loss that no coin portraits of him exist. This deprives us not only of an assured image from coinage, but it means we are unable to assign to him any un-inscribed portraits in other media, such as marble or gemstone.

As with all coins that Brutus produced as Imperator, this aureus was probably struck in the late summer or in the fall of 42 B.C., not long before he and Cassius were defeated at Philippi by Mark Antony and Octavian. Since these Republican warlords were operating in the eastern Mediterranean, a host of mints in Asia Minor and Greece emerge as possibilities, though we may best describe them as products of "moving mints" that accompanied the imperators and their vast armies.

Brutus struck three issues of aurei with his portrait. We are fortunate that this issue of Servilius Casca offers a sober and realistic image, especially in comparison with his other aurei, struck by the legate Pedanius Costa, which bear what Sheldon Nodelman rightly describes as a portrait of "neoclassic" style.

The features of Brutus on this piece are fully developed, and there is no attempt to portray youthfully this noble Roman, who was probably forty-three at the time. In that respect, these aurei may offer the most truthful depiction of Brutus, perhaps eclipsing the very best portraits on the EID MAR coinage.

We would like to thank Hadrien Rambach for pointing out that this coin also formerly belonged to the Kunsthistorisches Museum Vienna, inventory no. RO 2579 (before 1875), and was de-accessioned in 1930. The coin is also from the ADM collection.