AR Denarius L. Scribonius Libo 62 B.C. Rome

AR Denarius L. Scribonius Libo 62 B.C.
Rome (21.5mm 4g)

Obv: Diademed head of Bonus Eventus r. BON EVENT before, LIBO behind

Rev: The Puteal Scribonianum decorated with garland between two lyres and a hammer at base PVTEAL above SCRIBON below.

Sear 367, RRC 416/1. CRR 9287, RSC Scribonia 8-8b
ex. Ancient Imports

The Front (Obverse): A Wish for Good Luck

On the front, you'll see a profile head wearing a royal headband (a diadem).

• The Face: This is Bonus Eventus, the Roman god of "Good Outcomes" or holy good luck. In the messy world of late Republican Roman politics, everyone was looking for a successful outcome!
• The Words:
  • In front of the face, it reads BON EVENT (short for Bonus Eventus).
  • Behind the head, it says LIBO, which is the family name of the guy who minted the coin.

The Back (Reverse): A Sacred Lightning Strike!

The back of the coin features a very specific structure called the Puteal Scribonianum (the Scribonian Wellhead). This is where the story gets really fun.

• The Imagery: The central object looks like an ornate, decorated cylinder. It is dressed up with hanging green garlands, flanked by two musical lyres (string instruments), and has a blacksmith's hammer resting at the bottom.
• The Story: Centuries before this coin was made, lightning struck a spot in the middle of the Roman Forum. Romans believed that anywhere lightning touched was sacred and belonged to the gods, so they had to wall it off. An ancestor of our moneyer, named Scribonius, was the official who built a stone decorative border—shaped like an old wellhead—around the strike zone to protect it. Over time, this spot became a famous landmark in Rome where bankers, lawyers, and merchants hung out.
• The Words:
  • Above the structure, it reads PVTEAL (Wellhead).
  • Below, it reads SCRIBON (Scribonian).