Roman Republic, Quinarius

The obverse of this quinarius from the year 88 BC depicts the bearded head of Jupiter, the highest Roman god, wearing a laurel wreath. The reverse depicts the goddess Victory crowning a trophy. Below her is the inscription CN. LENT, probably for the moneyer Cn. Cornelius Lentulus Clodianus.

The quinarius, a Roman silver coin of the value of half a denarius, was issued sporadically into the early 2nd century BC. Thereafter its production lapsed, until it was revived in the early 1st century BC.