Roman Imperatorial period AR quinarius(2.00g). The Liberators, Brutus, Spring to early Summer 42 BC, military mint with Brutus in Lycia. Laureate head of Libertas right; before, LEIBERTAS upwards. Border of dots / Prow-stem and anchor in saltire. Border of dots. Crawford 506/3; Sear HCRI 210; cf Woytek Arma et Nummi p 516 & 557
Privately purchased from a friend on 16 January 2025 at NYINC 2025, ex Numismatica Ars Classica 100, 29 May 2017, 1658, ex E.E. Clain-Stefanelli collection
This issue, while technically anonymous, has been almost universally attributed to Brutus but there has been some debate over exactly where it should be placed within the coinage of Brutus and also the meaning of the reverse devices. The obverse of Libertas lines up nicely with prior issues of Brutus as far back as his coinage early in his career as moneyer which featured Libertas on the obverse(Crawford 433/1). Grueber in BMCRR placed this quinarius with the denarius of Brutus featuring Libertas on the obverse and a lyre, quiver and laurel branch on the reverse(Crawford 501/1 & HCRI 199), likely based on the similarity of obverse arrangement since both coins feature Libertas and the legend "LEIBERTAS" around counterclockwise starting from the bottom right.
Crawford on the other hand places this issue with the slightly later denarius(Crawford 506/2 & HCRI 209) of Brutus with legate Pedanius Costa, saying of the issue "Formal details and stylistic similarities link 3(this quinarius) with 2" but otherwise providing no real commentary and it's tough to understand what he means by details and stylistic similarities. Sear in HCRI likewise places it with the Costa denarius "for convenience" but seems without any real conviction.
Finally, Woytek in Arma et Nummi has restored Grueber's original link to Brutus's slightly earlier LEIBERTAS(501/1) denarii pointing out that both issues were almost certainly struck in Lycia during Brutus's time there based on a few pieces of key evidence. First from a stylistic point of view, the rendering of the legend LEIBERTAS is similar on both, particularly the odd form of B. Second, both types have uncontrolled die alignment, whereas all other types minted by Brutus and Cassius exhibit regular, controlled die alignment. Third, both types are(somewhat loosely) based on Lycian prototypes: the denarii on the hemidrachms of the Lycian league which feature lyres and this quinarius on the bronzes of Lycia featuring crossed bows and quivers. This is the attribution I've gone with and the one I believe likely correct.
As mentioned the obverse is a common Liberator motif but the meaning of the reverse is not entirely clear other than the obvious naval theme. It may be a general reference to the perceived strength of the Liberators' fleet or they may be a more specific reference to the Lycian fleet which came under the control of Brutus during his time there.
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