Obverse: CAESAR AVGVST PONT MAX TRIBVNIC POT, Bare head left.

Reverse: P LVRIVS AGRIPPA IIIVIR AAAFF. , Large S C

12g and 27mm

RIC 427


This coin still features the name and titles of the moneyer (P Lurius Agrippa) on the back, in the republican tradition, even if Rome is at this point quickly transitioning into the principate.

His title of Tresvir Monetalis (IIIVIR) - properly tresviri aere argento auro flando feriundo or three men for striking silber, gold and brass - means that he was one of the officials appointed as mint magistrates for the year 7 BCE. This moneyer comes from a family (Lurius) of little renown, and so very little is known of him. He would have been around 30 years old when he held this office.

From a cointalk discussion:

The other contemporary familiar Lurius was Marcus, cognomen not clearly recorded, who played a crucial role of Commander of the right wing of the Caesarean fleet under Octavian at least up to the battle of Actium in 31 BC. If Publius was approximately 30 in 7 BC, then he would have been a young child at the time of Actium, consistent with being a child of one of the top Caesarians, who were mostly young men.