Collecting the Coins of Julius Caesar

Collecting the Coins of Julius Caesar
Emperor Profile · Collector's Guide

Collecting the Coins of Julius Caesar

How to collect one of the most famous figures in history — at every budget

Roman Republic 100–44 BC Kinzer Coins

Few people in ancient history are as instantly recognizable as Julius Caesar. For many collectors, owning a coin connected to him feels like owning a direct artifact from one of the most important turning points in world history.

But once you decide you want a coin of Caesar, the next question becomes: how do you want to collect him? The coinage associated with Julius Caesar is surprisingly broad — and there are multiple approaches depending on your budget and interests.

Traveling Mint Denarii
Civil War silver struck to pay troops — including the famous elephant type. The natural starting point for most collectors
Provincial Bronzes
Less famous, more affordable, historically genuine. A real lifetime Caesar connection without the high cost of portrait silver
Divus Julius Coinage
Posthumous issues honoring the deified Caesar — including the comet coins and the CAESAR DIVI F bronzes linking Octavian to his legacy
Lifetime Portrait Denarii
The rarest and most historically important Caesar coins — struck in the final months of his life. Long-term grail acquisitions for serious collectors

The Traveling Mint Denarii: Caesar's Civil War Coinage

For most collectors, the natural starting point is Caesar's military coinage struck during the Civil War. These are often called the "traveling mint" issues because they were minted while Caesar and his armies campaigned across the Roman world during his struggle for control of the Republic. They were produced quickly to pay troops and finance military operations — yet many survive today in substantial numbers, which matters greatly for collectors.

Because many of these denarii were struck in large quantities and circulated heavily, lower-grade examples often remain among the more affordable entry points into Julius Caesar silver coinage. That said, since there are many examples on the market at any given time, patience matters. Buy the best example you can reasonably afford rather than settling for a weak strike or poor surfaces.

The most famous of these issues is the elephant and serpent denarius — one of the most iconic coins of the ancient world. Showing an elephant trampling a serpent or dragon-like figure, this silver type became one of the defining symbols of Caesar's rise to power. Many scholars interpret the elephant as Caesar crushing evil or his enemies during the Civil War; others believe the figure beneath may represent a Gallic war trumpet known as a carnyx. The imagery has been debated for centuries. For collectors, it is instantly recognizable, strongly associated with Caesar, historically important, attractive in design, and comparatively obtainable compared to the portrait types. For many collectors, this becomes the essential Caesar coin.

Beyond the elephant type, Caesar's Civil War coinage includes a number of fascinating denarii struck during the same period — Venus and trophy types, priestly implement reverses, military trophy issues, types referencing Caesar's claimed ancestry through Venus Genetrix, and issues celebrating victories in Gaul and the Civil War. These traveling mint denarii often feel raw and historical compared to later imperial Roman coinage, struck under wartime conditions during the final collapse of the Roman Republic.

Collecting Caesar on a Budget: The Bronze Issues

Not every Julius Caesar coin needs to cost thousands of dollars. One area that remains somewhat overlooked compared to his silver coinage is the bronze issues associated with Caesar and his era.

Provincial Bronzes
Issues like the Lampsacus bronzes from Mysia provide genuine lifetime Caesar material at a fraction of the cost of portrait silver — historically important, less competitive, and accessible to newer collectors
Colonial & Magistrate Issues
Bronzes struck under magistrates associated with Caesar's regime, colonial issues, and late Republican bronzes connected to his authority — a rich collecting area that rewards research

For newer collectors, these types can represent genuine lifetime Caesar material, affordable entry points, historically important provincial coinage, and a far less competitive collecting area than his silver denarii. Some bronzes from the late Republican period connected to Caesar's authority remain surprisingly accessible.

Divus Julius: Caesar Becomes a God

After Caesar's assassination in 44 BC, his adopted heir Augustus used Caesar's memory as a powerful political tool. Caesar was officially deified as Divus Julius — the Divine Julius. This created some of the most historically important coinage in Roman history.

One especially fascinating bronze type bears the inscriptions CAESAR DIVI F on the obverse with a bare head of Octavian, and DIVOS IVLIVS on the reverse with a wreathed head of Divus Julius Caesar. Often attributed to southern Italy around 38 BC, this issue is remarkable because it visually links Octavian directly to the deified Caesar. The inscription CAESAR DIVI F — "Caesar, son of the divine one" — became one of the foundational political messages of Augustus' rise to power. These Divus Julius issues sit directly at the transition between the Roman Republic and the Roman Empire. They are not simply coins of Caesar. They are coins documenting the birth of imperial Rome.

Collectors can also pursue coinage featuring the famous comet associated with Caesar's deification, as well as commemorative issues struck under Octavian/Augustus and colonial and provincial types honoring the deified Caesar.

The Portrait Coins: Caesar's Most Famous Issues

For many collectors, the ultimate Julius Caesar coins are his lifetime portrait issues — among the most historically important coins in all of Roman numismatics. Roman tradition had long resisted placing living rulers' portraits on official coinage in a monarchic style. When Caesar's portrait began appearing on coins during his lifetime, many Romans viewed it as a shocking concentration of personal power.

These portrait issues were struck only during the final months of Caesar's life before his assassination in 44 BC. That short production period matters enormously. Unlike the elephant denarius and many traveling mint types struck in substantial quantities during years of campaigning, Caesar's portrait issues had far less time to be produced and circulate.

There are numerous portrait varieties — DICT PERPETVO issues, veiled portrait types, different reverse designs, varying magistrate attributions, and military and religious imagery. Some portrait types are significantly rarer and more desirable than others, particularly well-centered examples with strong portraits and complete legends. That scarcity combined with Caesar's enormous historical importance drives prices dramatically higher. For many collectors, these portrait denarii become long-term grail acquisitions. They are not simply Roman coins. They are among the very few coins struck during the lifetime of one of history's most famous individuals bearing his actual portrait.

Hold what the greats held.

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