TYPE Roman Republic, ca. 225-212 BC, silver quadrigatus (didrachm), 5.26g DESCRIPTION . Obv: Laureate Janiform head of Dioskouri (or Janus or Fountus) Rev: Jupiter in galloping quadriga driven by Victory, raised letters ROMA below in linear frame REFERENCE: SR 80 var., Syd 68 GRADING: AEF / VF, small weak area, slightly rough gray toning ORDER INFO: R1506, $175 An affordable example of this famous issue of the first unified Roman silver coinage, historically also important for its association with the Second Punic War. This is a late type, but still of decent metal and impressive style, particularly the delicate reverse miniature of Jupiter, as well as the finely styled rendition of Janus - the Roman god of beginnings, looking both at past at present, here at a point where the Roman star began to rise for centuries to come...