Crawford 409/1, Roman Republic, 67 BC., moneyer Marcus Plaetorius M. F. Cestianus, Denarius

Roman Republic (Rome mint 67 BC.), moneyer Marcus Plaetorius M. F. Cestianus. (Marcus Plaetorius Marci Filius Aedilis Curilis)
Denarius (17-17,5 mm, 3,53 g), silver, axis irregular alignment ?? (ca. 140°),
Obv.: CESTIANVS behind, S. C. before, draped bust of Vacuna(?) right, hair falling in ringlets, wearing crested helmet, encircled with wreath of laurel, corn, poppy, and lotus; bow and quiver on shoulder, cornucopiae below chin; all within bead and reel border.
Rev.: M. PLAET-ORIVS M F AED. - CVR around, eagle standing right on thunderbolt with wings spread, head left; all within bead and reel border. “Marcus Plaetorius Marci Filius aedilis Curilis”, (Marcus Plaetorius son of Marcus Aedilis Curilis).
Crawford 409/1 ; Sydenham 809 ; Bab. Plaetoria 4 ; BMCRR Rome 3596-3601 .
Perfect surface, golden toning in lower fields, near EF

Crawford noted an estimate of 58 obverse dies and 64 reverse dies for this type. This denarius inspired small bronze and silver coins attributed to Gallic tribes (Arvernes, Carnutes, and perhaps the Véliocasses).
The gens Plaetoria came from the town of Sabina and was of plebeian origin. Marcus Pl?torius Cestianus was curule aedile in 67 BC. The Aediles were in charge of looking after the provisioning of Rome, the Public Games and the City Police. Marcus Pl?torius Cestianus access the praetorship in 66 BC before seeking the consulship. In 51 BC he was condemned.
Vacuna, a goddess of Sabine origin, is comparable to the Roman Ceres. She is the goddess of the rest of the fields. On the reverse, the magistracy of aedile curule is given (AED CVR), which indicates the senatorial position of the moneyer in the cursus honorum which could lead him to the Consulate. One had to be over thirty-seven years old to access this position before performing the praetorship. The identification of the obverse type is somewhat uncertain, as the female has attributes of Isis, Minerva, Apollo, Diana, and Victory.