Rare Roman coin sells for 1.98 mn euros at auction

A rare Roman coin depicting Brutus, the assassin of Julius Caesar, was sold for €1.98 million at a Geneva auction on Monday, according to the auction house Numismatica Genevensis, AFP reported.

The coin, which sparked intense bidding among eight online participants, was purchased by a European collector for more than 1.83 million Swiss francs (approximately $2.09 million). 

The coin had been initially priced at over €800,000.

Weighing 8 grams and roughly the size of a euro, the coin is described as "a piece of history" by Frank Baldacci, director of Numismatica Genevensis, marking the final years of the Roman Republic. 

It was minted in 43-42 BC by Brutus and his supporters, following the assassination of Julius Caesar in 44 BC. The obverse features a profile of Brutus surrounded by a laurel wreath, while the reverse displays military symbols celebrating his victories.

Baldacci noted that the wreath symbolized Brutus's attempt to position himself as an emperor, with the coin also serving as propaganda for his cause.

This particular coin is one of only 17 known to exist. It resurfaced in the 1950s, appeared in a private collector's catalog, and was sold at a 2006 Zurich auction for 360,000 Swiss francs to another private buyer.