Lot 28
Augustus (27 BC–AD 14) AR Denarius, Colonia Patricia, c. 18/17 BC, 3.77g.
Auction: 23 November 2026, 10:30 GMT
Description
Bare head of Augustus right. Rev. Capricorn right, holding globe, cornucopiae behind, AVGVSTVS below. (RIC 126; BMC 347). About Extremely Fine.
Augustus was born 23 September 63 BC and thus his solar zodiacal sign is Libra, yet he publicly identified as a Capricorn, his lunar zodiacal sign. Why he did so is not known, but must have been for personal reasons. The Capricorn figures prominently not only in Augustan coinage (e.g., on certain Imperial denarii, on coins from Cibyra, Dioshieron, Leptis Magna, Parium, Smyrna, Tralles, and on the cistophori of Asia Minor, amongst others) but also in other mediums, such as beads and cameos, and in literature (both Manilius [Astron. 2.507-9] and Suetonius [Aug. 94.12] identify Augustus as a Capricorn).
