A-001-003-2012 Cr. 250/1 (var)
- Obverse: Helmeted head of Roma right; below chin mark of value (XVI monogram) and behind, GEM.
- Reverse: Sol driving quadriga right, holding reins and whip; below M·ABVRI. In exergue, ROMA.
- Weight: 4,00 gr.
- Date: 132 BC
- Mint: Roma
- Diameter: 19 mm.
- Die axis: 6 hs
- Crawford: 250/1 (var)
- Other Ref: Syd -- ; FFC -- ; Cal --
- Source: Maison Palombo (11-2012). Lot 25.
- Comments:
FDC Exceptionnel
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The aburia gens was a family of plebeian origin, little known in the history of Rome, who coined silver as both bronze, but with little variety of types. According with a legend read in a quadrans of this family (M. ABVRI. M.F. GEM.-Marcus Aburius Marci Filius Gemini), it is conceivable that the two types we know were coined by monetary triumvires of twin sons (GEM) of Marcus Aburius: were called Caius Aburius Geminus and Marcus Aburius Geminus Aburius, and they are the only known monetary magistrates of this family.
Marcus Aburius was tribune of the plebs in 193 BC and then praetor in 177 BC.
Caius Aburius, meanwhile, was tribune of the plebs in 185 BC and in 166 BC was one of three sent to Carthage in order to obtain reinforcements of troops and elephants to undertake the conquest of Macedonia.
In denarii we know, the obverse head of Roma played with GEM legend behind and in front of sign value. Instead, the back presents two different types:
Marcus' denar, the Sun radiated holding a whip on quadriga galloping (Vaillant said that the sun alludes to the name Aburius of amburere verb burn)
Caius' denar, Mars in quadriga galloping holding spear, shield and reins in left hand and trophy in right hand.
However, the denarius of Marcus Aburius have observed some variations: in some specimens, the sign of value under the chin of the front is not the monogram 16 (XVI) but the sign 10 (X); in others, the reverse the whip is not deployed in the wind like the common issue, but shown collected.
Regarding this possible variant, Crawford is silent (250/1); nor Cohen, FFC or Calico. Instead, the coin does seem to be listed as such in Babelon (Aburia 6). The description is pretty graphic: la mèche du fouet est roulée autour du manche, terms that fit quite well with those specimens in which the tail is folded over the whip handle. It is true that might be objected that the whip is not properly wrapped the handle and also that of being a whip opener would have drawn the continuity of the handle with a curve and not a straight line, thick at the nearest part and thinner at the end. In any case, be whip or something else, there ceases to be a different issue that rarely appears on the market. Recent examples, these three:
auctioned in Leu Numismatik, Auction 91 (10-05-2004), lot 465.
auctioned in Maison Palombo, Auction 11 (30-11-2012), lot 25 (A-001-003-2012).
auctioned at Maison Palombo, Auction 12 (06-12-2013), lot 57.
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