A rare Roman coin bearing the portrait of Marcus Junius Brutus, known for assassinating Julius Caesar, was sold for €1.98 million at a Geneva auction on Monday. The sale, organized by Numismatica Genevensis, attracted eight online bidders, with the final offer coming from a European collector. The coin fetched over 1.83 million Swiss francs ($2.09 million), far exceeding its initial valuation of €800,000.
Weighing just eight grams and comparable in size to a euro coin, the piece is a significant artifact from the Roman Republic’s twilight. Frank Baldacci, director of Numismatica Genevensis, called it “a piece of history” and emphasized its historical importance in the aftermath of Julius Caesar’s assassination in March 44 BC.
Minted between 43 and 42 BC, the coin was created by Brutus and his allies to commemorate their resistance against Caesar’s successors. Its obverse features a profile of Brutus encircled by a laurel wreath, symbolizing his ambition to establish himself as an emperor. The reverse side showcases war-themed imagery, highlighting military triumphs and serving as a propaganda tool.
This particular coin is one of only 17 known examples, making it an exceedingly rare collectible. It first reappeared in the 1950s in a private catalog and later made headlines when it was sold for 360,000 Swiss francs at a 2006 Zurich auction. The latest sale cements its status as one of the most valuable coins from Roman antiquity.
