DR-805 | Crawford: 509/5
Quintus Cornuficius
Quintus Cornuficius

Gens: Cornuficia
Moneyer: Quintus Cornuficius
Date and mint: 42 BC - ?


Obverse: Bust of Tanit, left. Dotted border.
Legend:

Reverse: Q. Cornuficius standing left, veiled and holding lituus in right hand; on the right, Juno Sospita, with a raven perched on her shoulder, holding a spear and shield in her left hand and with her right crowning Q. Cornuficius. Dotted border.
Legend: Q CORNVFICI AVGVR IMP

Comment: This denarius is one of the rare pieces that can be found within the Republican era. Q.Cornuccius was sent by Caesar to Illyria and was appointed Augur upon his return. He was governor in Syria and, upon Caesar's death, he went to Africa where he minted his coins. He chose the party of Caesar's assassins and was defeated by Sextius who was under the orders of Augustus. It could be that the figure of Juno Sospita, which appears on the reverse, alludes to its origins, in which case it would come from Lanuvium, which is where such goddess was worshiped.

Provenance: Numismatica Ars Classica (2016)
Price: 108,015 €