Domitian Denarius: Not Beautiful Nor Banal

I am finally nearing the end of cataloguing my January purchases! This Domitian denarius has waited patiently in its mailer for over a month. It would be a cliché to say of the coin 'last but not least', but it is the last of the bunch and not any respects 'least'.


Domitian
AR Denarius, 2.93g
Rome mint, 81 AD
RIC 12 (R3). BMC - . RSC - .
Obv: IMP CAES DOMITIANVS AVG PONT; Head of Domitian, laureate, bearded, r.
Rev: P P COS VII DES VIII; Dolphin coiled around anchor
Acquired from Marc Breitsprecher, January 2018.

A lot of interesting things are going on with this 81 AD Group 2 pulvinar denarius. Firstly, there is the rare 'PONT' obverse legend with DOMITIANVS fully spelled out. Secondly, an exceedingly rare reverse legend beginning with P P. And lastly, there is no TRP number. All of these elements combine together resulting in a very rare variant of a common type; as a matter of fact, this is the second known specimen! The new RIC II.1 was the first catalogue to publish this rare variant. Of note, my example is a reverse die match with the RIC 13 plate coin, which is the other rare dolphin/anchor variant from the group with the shorter DOMITIAN obverse legend.

A brief word about the dolphin/anchor reverse type. It is carried over from Titus' reign (as are all the pulvinar types) to the beginning of Domitian's for a couple of reasons: 1. Very likely the religious ceremonies the pulvinar coins commemorated were still ongoing. It has been proposed the opening of the Colosseum is the religious ceremonial occasion in question, a good possibility since the structure was completed under Domitian. 2. Domitian had yet to put his own stamp on the mint, so in the absence of any new types, the old ones were recycled, perhaps serving a duel purpose.

NB: 1. I am at a loss to explain why this issue lacks a TRP number, considering the previous issue (Domitian's first) records it. 2. The 'PONT' in the obverse legend came before Domitian completed the religious rites required to be Pontifex Maximus (P M).

Please post any coins you feel may not be beautiful, but are of interest nonetheless.

 

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Mine is too beautiful for the call as presented but gets posted for its similarity to the coin shown. The PP moved to the other side on this die. The obverse shows advance to PM from Pontif.

 

I dare say, better than my own off-centred example!

 

I am posting this ugly coin for a couple of reasons. First, because of the Φ mint mark behind the bust on the reverse, but also because I found it in a batch of uncleaned coins completely encrusted within a think lump of tar-like gunk.

Vespasian
Provincial Silver Denarius
Phillipi mint, A.D. 69-70
Obv: IMP CAES VESPAS AVG
Rev: PACI OPB TERR AVG - Turretted female bust
Φ behind bust
RIC (New) 1407
18mm, 2.8g.

 

Great acquisition, @David Atherton ! The eye for rarities belongs to the specialist collector.

 

Not to disparage Mr. Breitsprecher, but the coin was missattributed ... as is the case with many Domitian denarii seen in trade!

 

congrats David,

here is my anchor/ with dolphin
EGYPT, Alexandria. Hadrian Obol 126-27 AD Dolphin
Reference.
Emmett 1152.10 r3; Milne 1168; RPC III, 5613/12 (this coin); Köln 919; Dattari-Savio Pl. 100, 2025 (this coin).

Issue L ΔΕΚΑΤΟΥ or L ΔΕ = year 10

Obv. ΑΥΤ ΚΑΙ - ΤΡΑΙ ΑΔΡΙΑ СƐΒ
Laureate bust right, drapery on left shoulder.

Rev. L-ΔE
Dolphin coiled around anchor

5.09 gr
19 mm
12h

 

wow! what a find~!

 

Great find! I would have missed it

 

Wow David, another great catch.

 

This coin I bought quite recently. It's a Provincial bronze of Gallienus from Nicaea, in poor condition, but I fell for the four elephants in their quadriga, all in a different pose, like ladies on a stage.
AE23 Nicaea in Bithynia, obv. portrait to the right, rev. Dionysos seated left on quadriga of elephants, pouring libation from cantharus. Weight 6.5 gr.

 

Is there an explanation for the lack of year nine bronze coins? Year ten is very common but Emmett lists noting for 9 in several denominations.

 

A great eye David. Here's mine from 81AD but group 3 and only (R)...



IMP CAES DOMITIANVS AVG P M
Laureate head right

COS VII DES VIII P P
Dolphin coiled round anchor

Rome 81 A.D. (3rd group)

3.3g

RIC 26 (R), RSC 63


Ex-Enrico collection

Extra fine portrait!

 

One thing is perfectly clear from the above posts-I need more Domitian denarii.

 

Here's my not beautiful but interesting 1/192nd electrum stater. It's a tiny, tiny fleck (3mm, 0.07g) but large enough to be a die match to the three other known examples of the denomination.

I haven't been able to work out what the punches are. It's the Rorschach Test of electrum coinage:

 

Incredible Joe!

 

Here is one. Definitely not beautiful but definitely interesting. This coin was struck during the civil war between Stephen and the Empress Maude. In the end it was Stephen who got to rule. However, it was Maude's son who became king.

These coins were crudely struck on irregular flans and so cannot be called beautiful by any stretch, but they are emblematic of a tumultuous time in British history.

Stephen (c.1136-1145AD)
(19.9 mm 1.15 g)
Obv: + STIEFNE RE :, bust right, crowned and diademed, holding scepter in right hand
Rev: cross moline with fleur in each quadrant.
Some clear detail with a patchy tone, some edge damage.
Spink 1278, BMC I North 873 - Cross Moline Type
Purchased from Hall’s Hammered Coins October 5 2017

 

You won't get an argument from me!

 

Man, that really is a gorgeous coin!

Who are you and what have you done with Doug Smith?

 

I don't know these issues, so take this with a grain of salt, but that may not be a year 10 issue. The number 9 in Greek is represented by a theta. Theta is, of course, the first letter of the word thanatos, meaning death. It was considered an unlucky letter and often other combinations of numbers were used to represent it. I wonder if delta (4) epsilon (5) is just such a combination and that's a year 9 issue.