Roman Republic, AR Denarius(4.09g) Publius Cornelius Lentulus Spinther, quaestor, 71 BC. Rome mint. Bearded head of Hercules right; behind, Q·S·C downwards. Border of dots/Genius of the Roman People seated, veiled, facing, on curule chair, holding cornucopiae in right hand and sceptre in Ieft hand, placing right foot on globe and left foot on uncertain object, crowned by flying Victory; on left, P·LENT·P·F downwards; on right, L·N upwards. Border of dots. Crawford 397/1(74 BC); Sydenham 791
Ex Andrew McCabe Lambeth Bridge Collection, Numismatica Ars Classica 152, 18 May 2025, 277, ex Nomisma 58, 6 November 2018, 80, ex Monnaies et Médailles S.A. Bâle (Munzen & Medaillen) 28, 19 June 1964, 204
The reverse of this coin depicts the Genius of the Roman People with his feet planted on a globe and some other object, crowned by victory. If Hersh & Walker are correct in their 71 BC date this may be an allusion to the various ongoing and recently quelled conflicts with Sertorius, Mithridates and Spartacus, and the Roman state's assertion of its dominance over its territory.
We don't know the nature of this issue of coinage but the Q•S•C on the obverse tells us the man that minted it was a quaestor issuing coinage under a senatorial decree suggesting it has some special purpose, possibly related to one of the wars going on, but its scarcity, having been only struck with about 10 die pairs, suggests only a relatively small and specific need which has unfortunately likely been lost to history.
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