A rare gold coin, dating back over 2,000 years and commemorating the assassination of Roman general Julius Caesar, is set to be auctioned for up to 5 million pounds this month, experts announced.
Considered one of the first three known gold designs, the coin is dubbed a “holy grail” for collectors and has been held in a private European collection until now. London-based auction house Roma Numismatics will host the auction on October 29.
Front and back images of gold coins.
Initially estimated at £500,000, experts predict the coin will fetch significantly higher bids, potentially reaching £3-5 million, breaking previous records.
Mark Salzberg, president of Numismatic Guaranty in Sarasota, Florida, confirmed the coin’s origin in 42 BC, just two years after Caesar’s assassination, describing it as “one of the most important and valuable coins of the ancient world.”
While nearly 100 ‘Ides of March’ coins are known, primarily in silver, only two other gold ones exist, with one housed in the British Museum and the other in the Deutsche Bundesbank’s permanent collection.