Cn Lentulus Clodianus Denarius NGC Ch VF 88 BC

Cn Lentulus Clodianus Denarius NGC Ch VF 88 BC

Certification #: 2402058-001

This Cn Lentulus Clodianus denarius comes from the Roman Republic. The moneyer Gnaeus Cornelius Lentulus Clodianus struck it around 88 BC (Crawford 345/1). Roman Republic coinage carried no ruler portraits. Instead, each year's moneyers chose their own designs, often honoring family history or current events.

The obverse shows a helmeted head of Mars, the god of war. Meanwhile, the reverse depicts Victory driving a biga, a two horse chariot, holding a wreath and the reins. This pairing of Mars and Victory struck a fitting note for 88 BC. After all, Rome spent that year deep in the Social War against its Italian allies. At the same time, the Republic stood on the edge of the civil conflict that would soon bring Sulla to power.

NGC has graded this coin Ch VF, or Choice Very Fine. As a result, clear detail remains across the devices, with only moderate circulation wear. The strike also shows the moneyer's design cleanly, and the silver retains an attractive, even gray tone typical of well preserved Republic denarii. Because of this direct tie to the political drama of the late Republic, decades before Rome's first emperor, Roman Republic silver coins like this one draw steady collector demand.