★ An extremely rare sestertius of P. Sepullius Macer ★

P. Sepullius Macer, 44 BC. Sestertius (Silver, 12 mm, 0.93 g, 9 h), Rome, January 44 BC. Draped bust of Mercury to right, wearing winged petasus and with winged caduceus over his shoulder. Rev. P•SEPVLLIVS Winged caduceus. Babelon (Sepullia) 11. Crawford 480/27. CRI 1070. RBW 1693. Sydenham 1080. Extremely rare. Some horn silver and with traces of corrosion, otherwise, very fine.

Fractional silver denominations were restored by Julius Caesar during his dictatorship in 48 BC. As a protector god of commerce, Mercury was a type fit for a small silver denomination such as the sestertius, or quarter denarius, reintroduced to ease everyday transactions. However, few examples of this denomination were issued and only three out of four moneyers of this college struck these tiny coins. This issue also includes Caesar’s portrait denarii, both before (first phase) and after (second phase) Caesar’s assasination; and during the second phase of his tenure (April-May), this same moneyer was the only one who struck the first portrait denarii of Mark Antony. If, as in earlier times, Roman republican moneyers had their choice for silver types, we can safely presume the allegiance of the man during the Triumvirate.