Sale: Nomos 1, Lot: 133. Estimate CHF8000.  Closing Date: Tuesday, 5 May 2009.  Sold For CHF18000. This amount does not include the buyer’s fee.

Q. Pomponius Rufus. 70 BC. Denarius (Silver, 3.76 g 9). RVFVS S C Laureate head of Jupiter to right Rev. Q.POMPONI Eagle, with spread wings, standing left, head turned back to right; his left on scepter and his right holding a wreath; below right foot, VII; to right, scorpion. Babelon (Pomponia) 23. Crawford 398/1. Sydenham 793. Very rare. An unusually nice example, with an attractive dark patina as found. Some minor marks, otherwise, extremely fine.

From the collection of a Gentleman.

Denarii of Q. Pomponius Rufus are among the rarest of all Roman Republican denarii - Crawford only records 10 obverse and 7 reverse dies (though since the reverse dies are numbered from 1 to 8 and no specimen of 2 is yet known, there were probably at least 8 reverses). Virtually nothing is known about the moneyer who struck this issue.