A rare Roman coin depicting Brutus, the assassin of Julius Caesar, sold for 1.98 million euros at auction in Geneva on Monday, according to auction house Numismatica Genovese. AFP Reported
The coin, which attracted intense bidding among eight online participants, was bought by a European collector for more than 1.83 million Swiss francs (about $2.09 million).
The initial price of this coin was over 800,000 euros.
Weighing 8 grams and about the size of a euro, the coin is described as “a piece of history” by Frank Baldacci, director of Numismatica Genovese, marking the final years of the Roman Republic.
It was built in 43-42 BC by Brutus and his supporters after the assassination of Julius Caesar in 44 BC. The obverse depicts Brutus in profile surrounded by a laurel wreath, while the reverse shows military symbols celebrating his victories.
Baldacci notes that the cloak is a symbol of Brutus’ attempt to establish himself as an emperor, with the coin as well as propaganda for his cause.
This particular coin is one of only 17 in existence. It resurfaced in the 1950s, appearing in a private collector’s catalog, and was sold at a Zurich auction in 2006 to another private buyer for 360,000 Swiss francs.