Ancient coins Roman Empire Gaius Julius Caesar Augustus Germanicus

Ancient coins
Roman Empire
Gaius Julius Caesar Augustus Germanicus Caligula, 37 – 41 AD, Aureus, Lugdunum (Lyon), 37-38 AD, Calicó 331 (R3), RIC 9, 7.79 g



Obverse: C. CAESAR AVG. GERM. P. M. TR. POT. Bare head of Caligula, right.



Reverse: DIVVS AVG. PATER PATRIAE. Radiate head of the deified Augustus, right.



Legends slightly smoothed in fields, otherwise an impressive Very Fine example with an attractive toning. Historically important issue and an excessively rare variant with the bare head of Caligula.



With Augustus as his great-grandfather, hopes were set high when Gaius took over the throne from the drunken and ever more unpopular Tiberius. Few people in history have however left behind a reputation as vile as Caligula: megalomanic, squanderous, sadistic, incestuous and mad to a degree where he planned to make his horse a senator.
VF
Provenance:



Ex. Spink, Zürich, Auction 7, 1982, lot 6