Scarpus

Triton XVI, Lot: 986. Estimate $2000. Sold for $6500. This amount does not include the buyer’s fee.

The Triumvirs. Octavian. Autumn 31 BC. AR Denarius (19mm, 3.30 g, 12h). Cyrene mint. L. Pinarius Scarpus, imperator. Head of Jupiter-Ammon right; AVGVR PONTIF around / Victory standing right on globe, holding palm frond over left shoulder in left hand, and wreath tied with fillet in extended right hand; IMP CAESAR/DIVI F in two lines across field,. Crawford 546/4; RIC I 535; CRI 411; Sydenham 1281; RSC 125; BMCRE 690 = BMCRR Cyrenaica 4; BN 897. VF, toned, hairline flan crack, a few scratches in field. Very rare.

From the Goldman Roman Imperatorial Collection. Ex Triton XI (8 January 2008), lot 647; Jacquier FPL 17 (Autumn 1995), no. 381.

This is likely the first issue by Scarpus after defecting to the Caesarians. Though the name of the issuer is absent, probably because Scarpus was uncertain of Octavian’s attitude, it is clearly of Scarpus. To be on the safe side, Scarpus strikes this issue “in the name of his new commander-in-chief” (CRI, p. 248). The obverse features Octavian’s priestly titles of augur and pontifex.