A rare gold coin, thought to have been worn by one of Julius Caeser’s murderers, will go up for auction in May 2022. The extremely rare gold coin ‘Eid Mar’ was produced by Marcus Junius Brutus in order to celebrate the assassination of Caesar which took place on 15 March 44 BC and will be auctioned by the ancient coin firm Numismatica Ars Classica.
More about the history of the coin
The brutal assassination of Caesar, which took place in a senate in Rome, was led by his former allies Brutus and Cassius. After the murder, Brutus fled to Greece to celebrate Rome’s freedom from Caesar’s rule and it was there that he made the ‘Eid Mar’ coin. It was made using a mobile military mint.
Gold coins of this design are extremely rare and were intended as a gift for senior army officers.
Meaning of the design on the coin
The coin, which is still in great shape, has a portrait of Brutus on one side with the letters BRVT IMP inscribed on it. It depicts Brutus as the acclaimed military victor. The other side of the gold coin features two daggers and the ‘cap of liberty,’ or the Phrygian cap which was generally given to emancipated slaves, placed between them. The two daggers portray Brutus and Cassius and the cap represents Rome’s freedom.
The coin represents the era that came after Caesar’s death including the French revolution in 1789-99. This coin also features a hole placed on top of Brutus’ head which means it was apparently gifted to a high ranking officer who may have taken part in the assassination.
The auction
The auction of the gold coin will be hosted by Numismatica Ars Classica on 30 May 2022 at the Hotel Baur au Lac in Zurich, Switzerland. The coin that represents an important event in Western European History was on display at the British Museum for the last decade.
The coin that is the only one of its type dating before WWII and with such history associated with it was a loan to the museum from a private collector. Giving a little more detail about the auction, Arturo Russo from Numismatica Ars Classica said, “The Eid Mar coin commemorates one of the most important moments in Western history: the assassination of the dictator Julius Caesar. It is extremely rare to come across an ancient coin with such exceptional provenance, a point illustrated by its inclusion in the British Museum’s display for over a decade. We are thrilled to present the opportunity for a Museum or collector to become part of the story of such a significant piece of ancient history, at our auction in May. ”
(Main and Feature Image Credit: Courtesy Numismatica Ars Classica)
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