CNG 112, Lot: 506. Estimate $300. Sold for $425. This amount does not include the buyer’s fee.

L. Calpurnius Piso Frugi. 90 BC. AR Denarius (18mm, 4.05 g, 9h). Rome mint. Laureate head of Apollo right; mark of value below chin, fibula(?) behind / Horseman galloping left, holding palm frond; knife above, L • PISO • FRVG/ROMA below. Crawford 340/1; Sydenham 655 var. (FRVGI); Calpurnia 8; cf. RBW 1249 (for type). Lightly toned, faint hairline scratches. EF.

From the Andrew McCabe Collection. Ex Student and His Mentor Collection (Part II, Numismatica Ars Classica 73, 18 November 2013), lot 96; Athena Fund (Part II, Sotheby’s Zurich, 27 October 1993), lot 1131 (part of).

Sydenham 655 variety (FRVG for FRVGI); Calpurnia 8. The Crawford 340 varieties with long name and ROMA below are invariably of fine style and on large flans that match those of the extremely rare head left varieties and thus are likely the very start of this vast issue. Charles Hersh in his symbols manuscript at the ANS identifies the obverse symbol as a fibula(?), and the reverse symbol as a knife. [Andrew McCabe]