Crawford 343/2b, Roman Republic, 89 BC., moneyer Marcus Porcius Cato, Quinarius

Roman Republic (Rome mint 89 BC.), moneyer Marcus Porcius Cato.
Quinarius (14 mm, 2,03 g), silver, axis irregular alignment ?? (ca. 230°),
Obv.: M·CATO , head of Bacchus or Liber r., wearing ivy-wreath; thunderbolt below.
Rev.: Victory seated right, holding a palm-branch over left shoulder, patera in right hand; VICTRIX in exergue.
Crawford 343/2b ; Sydenham 597c ; BMCRR Italy 687 ; Porcia 7 .
most fields with old iridescent cabinet tone, good VF

This moneyer was the grandson of Cato the Elder (234-149 BC), and the son of M. Porcius Cato Salonianus. He was the father of Cato of Utica. He was also a friend of Sulla. The denarius and quinarius of Marcus Porcius Cato were struck in the middle of the Social War (91-88 BC). This type was copied by his son Marcus Porcius Cato Uticensis (95-46 BC) for later issues in 47-46 BC.

For this type, Mr. Crawford noted an estimate of 400 obverse dies and 444 reverse dies which is much for a quinarius. This issue includes many symbols which are generally found right under the head of Bacchus, a thunderbolt on this coin.
The Victory reverse type recalls the temple dedicated to the Victoria virgo, by Cato the Elder, grandfather of the moneyer, for his military successes in Spain. The iconography of this quinarius is linked for the right to the denarius of Quintus Titius with the bust of Bacchus and the reverse to the quinarius of the same coinage with the victory. The reverse may recall the first Roman successes in the Social War.