Overstruck on a Sestertius
Published by Klawans

364, Lot: 363. Estimate $150. Sold for $130. This amount does not include the buyer’s fee.

ITALY. Divus Julius Caesar (died 44 BC). Æ “Sestertius” (35mm, 24.71 g, 5h). By an uncertain artist copying Giovanni da Cavino. DIVI : IVLI, laureate head of Julius Caesar left; star before forehead, lituus behind / Caesar, holding [branch], driving quadriga of elephants right; [L S?] above, S C in exergue. Cf. Klawans 5; Klawans, “A sestertius overstruck with Cavino dies,” NumCirc LXXXVIII/1 (January 1980), p. 6 (this coin). Near VF, tan-brown patina, rough surfaces, heavy scratches/smoothing in areas.

From the RBW Collection, purchased from Frank Kovacs, August 1989. Ex Zander H. Klawans Collection.

See the previous lot for the prototype. Klawans considered the dies used to strike this piece to be Renaissance, but not by Cavino (his title refers to another coin discussed in the article). Unlike Cavino’s imitations, which were likely not intended to deceive, this piece appears to be a forgery meant to pass as a genuine ancient coin.

Traces of the undertype’s date (probably “TR P XVII”) are visible on the reverse from 9 to 11 o’clock.