I was extremely thrilled when this toned little beauty arrived last week! Domitian AR Denarius, 3.43g Rome mint, 81 AD RIC 16 (R2). BMC - . RSC - . Obv: IMP CAES DOMITIANVS AVG PONT; Head of Domitian, laureate, bearded, r. Rev: P P COS VII DES VIII; Seat, draped; above, semicircular frame decorated with three crescents Acquired from Germania Inferior, June 2018. Domitian seems to have been somewhat in a hurry to strike coins as Augustus after Titus' death in mid September 81 AD, presumably for a legionary donative. This denarius was struck before Domitian had been awarded the power of the tribunate (TR P) and pontifex maximus (PM). Here his only titles are Augustus (AVG), Imperator (IMP), Consul for the 7th time (COS VII), and pater patriae, father of the country (P P). Perhaps it may have taken a few days for the Senate to award the power of the tribunate to Domitian because they had assembled at the small town of Reate where Titus had died and needed to be in Rome in order to vote him the right. The religious ceremonies required for Domitian to assume the title pontifex maximus had not yet finished by this time either, here he is simply PONT, or in other words a member of the College of Pontiffs. Some have argued that PONT is the same as PM, I disagree. Titus as Caesar early on had also used the title PONT on his denarii and he was never pontifex maximus under Vespasian - only the emperor can be Pontifex Maximus or greatest priest. Although this Group 2 denarius is not part of Domitian's first RIC issue, it is very likely to have been struck within the first few days of him assuming the purple. RIC notes the chronology is not precise with these issues from 81 and they are grouped only for 'convenience'. Judging by the rarity of the Group 2 denarii they could not have been struck for any length of time. This is one of the darkest coins I've ever come across. It must have sat ages in someone's coin cabinet!
It is a lovely coin David. I have been after a group 2 denarius of Domitian since I read about them last year. I love the toning and the portrait, na that reverse has some great detail. What a great addition to your collection.
Very cool! I love how the titulature of Roman coins reflects the historical events; this is a fascinating example of that.
Great coin David, all of my early Domitians are not early enough! RIC 48 Domitian IMP CAES DOMITIANVS AVG PM Laureate head right TR P COS VII DES VIII Curule chair, wreath above Rome, September 13-December 31, 81 AD 3.5g RIC 48 (C) Ex- RM Collection, Ex-Calgary Coin
Am I correct you read this as a coin completely cleaned and retoned in the last few hundred years rather than an 'as found' example? While I have a couple of black, black Severan silvers, this is my darkest Flavian. Is that 'cabinet friction'? Right at the moment, I believe brightly cleaned ancients are more popular than darkly toned. Things cleaned 50-100 years ago and looking like popular US toned silver may do better than either extreme but 'natural' is hard to define in a 2000 year sense.
I love the dark toning of the OP example. Here's an Augustus denarius I bought from Jeff Clark in 2004. It looks like it's been dipped in dark chocolate. Is this a "find" toning, or did this appearance more probably develop in a cabinet over a long period of time. It looks more like a patina than toning, though I don't think silver can develop a "patina," can it?
The lack of any deposits incline me to believe the piece was toned after discovery in someone's collection over many years. Although, it is possible it was found in that condition. Either way, I will go against the current fad and keep it as is.
