Denomination: Silver denarius

Period: Roman republic

Date: 62BC

Origin: Rome mint  

Condition: VF+ a little porous

Obverse: Head of Bonus Eventus, BON EVENT before, LIBO behind

Reverse: The Puteal Scriboniarnum with garlands between two lyres and a hammer at its base, PVTEAL above, SCRIBON below

Size and Weight: 19mm, 3.72g

References: Sear 367

Features and Provenance: Lucius Scribonius Libo was praetor urbanus in 80BC. By 62BC he was elevated to monetalis (moneyer) during which time he repaired the Puteal Scribonianus (first built by an ancestor) and issued this coin to commemorate the action - again self adulation works wonders. The Puteal Scribonianum or Puteal Libo  was a protective area around a well to stop people falling in and was situated in the Forum Romanum, but there are also records of it being a bidental which was an area of awe where lightning had struck. As it was situated between two temples it may well have had religious connotations. It became a place of congregation for money-lenders, lawyers and what we would now call networking, the hammer at the base reflects this, other coins have tongs or an anvil.

Condition Summary. This varies with the age of coin and there are grades between

Uncirculated (U). As struck with no traces of wear

Extremely Fine (EF). Very slight traces of wear, all parts of legend etc present, visible and clear

Very Fine (VF). Some signs of wear on the higher parts of the relief, all parts of legend etc present, but maybe worn

Fine (F). Wear on the coin and parts of legend etc may be missing or not visible