Ave!
Mn Fonteius, Denarius, Apollo with Cupid Riding Goat, Awesome!
AR; 18mm/3.8gm Rome Mint, struck 86 BC
Con/ Fresh and lustrous with a jaw-dropping reverse. Struck just off center on the obverse, otherwise, about Extremely Fine.
Obv/ M N FONTEI [CF]; Laureate head of Apollo right.
Rev/ Winged Genius (presented as Cupid), riding goat right, caps of the Dioscouri to right and left, thyrsus below, all in laurel wreath.
Ref/ Crawford 353/1d
Seller's Note/ All that above is pretty much like you will find from other sellers, okay? But here at NRC, we think you need to know much more before your purchase. The imagery in the reverse of this issue is truly spectacular and refers to multiple gods all at one time.
The goat itself represents the famous Cretan goat Amalthea, who cared for and fed, the infant Zeus/Jupiter. This image was certainly well known to Roman citizens.
The twin caps of the Dioscouri were the ancient symbols of Castor and Pollux (Gemini).
A thyrsus was the staff carried by Dionysus, and was traditionally made from a stem of the giant fennel plant wound with ivy and sometimes with ribbons, and tipped with a pine cone.
