Mint Year: 69 BC
Denomination: Denarius (Republic)
Reference: Crawford 406/1. Sydenham 839. RSC Sulpicia 7.
Diameter: 17.4mm
Material: Silver
Weight: 3.45gm
Obverse: Veiled bust of Vesta to right.
Legend: S.C (in left field).
Reverse: Knife, simpulum and ornamented axe.
Legend: AE-CVR / P.GALB (in exergue).
All coins are guaranteed to be ancient and as described!
Simpulum, or Simpuvium, a small vessel or ladle with a long handle, used at sacrifices to make libations, and to taste the wines and other liquors which were poured on the head of the victims. It is the sign of priesthood, and one of the insignia of the college of pontiffs. It appears on a coin of Patrae struck under Augustus. It is also placed before the head of Vesta, as a mark of that goddess, on a coin of the Domitia family, and is seen in the hand of a vestal on coins of the Claudia, family.-A togated and stolated man holds a simpulum in his hand on a coin of Antonio Drusi, sen.-This vase is united with the asper-gillum, securis, apex, patera, secespita. paeferi-culum, lituus, that is to say, with one or other of these sacrificial and augural instruments, on coins of Julius Caesar, M. Antony, Lepidus, Augustus, Caligula, Vespasian, Nerva, Antoninus, M. Aurelius, Caracalla, Geta, Philip jun., Volusianus, Saloninus, Valerianus jun., as well as on many consular and colonial medals.
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