I am Finally Taking the Plunge!

There comes a time with any speciality collection when coins needed to fill holes become harder and harder to find in trade. I am nearing that point with my collection. So, after 15 years of collecting exclusively Flavian silver, I have decided to begin adding Flavian bronze as well. I hope to bring the same attention to detail to the bronze coinage that I have with the silver.

The first coin to begin the journey is a rather humble Vespasian dupondius.

Vespasian
Æ Dupondius, 10.55g
Rome mint, 74 AD
RIC 715 (C2). BMC 696.
Obv: IMP CAES VESP AVG P M T P COS V CENS; Head of Vespasian, radiate, r.
Rev: FELICITAS PVBLICA; S C in field; Felicitas stg. l., with caduceus and cornucopiae
Acquired from Aegean Numismatics, August 2018.

A fairly large bronze coinage was struck for Vespasian in 74 with many of the types repeated from past issues. The Felicitas on the reverse symbolises the prosperity and abundance Vespasian has brought to the empire. It is easily one of the commonest reverse types of the issue.

Feel free to post your Felicitas coins or anything you feel is relevant.

 

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Nice one David, great start to your Flavian bronze collection, love the patina gives nice eye appeal. I have one a year earlier with left facing bust.

 

Lovely dupondius, David! I have only one dupondius with a FELICITAS reverse and that's this one of Faustina II issued by her father, Antoninus Pius:


Faustina Jr, Augusta AD 147-175.
Roman AE dupondius, 11.41 g, 23.8 mm.
Rome, AD 149-156.
Obv: FAVSTINA AVG PII AVG FIL, bare-headed and draped bust, right.
Rev: FELICITAS SC, Felicitas standing left, holding caduceus, left hand on hip.
Refs: RIC (Pius) 1395; BMCRE 2187; Cohen 108; RCV --.

 

As long as you stick to Imperial bronze we can remain friends

 

It is a real beauty. Congrats.

 

The thing I find interesting about Flavian Imperial bronzes is the fabric variations as they relate to both types and denominations. There are broadly struck sestertii that seem a leftover from the 68-69 rulers and some smaller and chunkier. There are dupondii lacking radiate crowns. I know from your denarius postings that you are a great deal more interested in the dating devices than I am but I would hope your look into the AE will include fabric.

Green patina makes this radiate, chunky flan dupondius harder to diagnose.


This thin spread flan orichalcum dupondius benefits from showing its color since it has a laurel wreath but is too light to be a sestertius.


I enjoy my low grade sestertius from the early period when they were still making sestertii of impressive heft. In mint state, this would be a great coin despite its common type.

 

Very nice! I have a sestertius of Vespasian featuring Roma reverse:

And this Alexandria diobol featuring Isis on reverse (offered with assurances to @TIF that I have no intention of usurping her domain ):

 

Those Flavian bronze coins will keep you busy for the coming years, David

Vespa Felicitas lefty and facing right one :

 

@David Atherton I'm interested to see where this new focus will take you!

 

That is a nice Vespasian bronze piece @David Atherton . You are right, there comes a time when the needed pieces are just too tough to acquire with any regularity. As we are collectors, that will not stop us. I envy what is ahead of you, exploring a new avenue of collecting with many discoveries to be made along the way.

 

Nice coin @David Atherton - the next phase of your collection should keep you very busy for years, pretty exciting.

 

I was wondering when the time would come that you would start the bronzes, seems it came much sooner than expected.

I can only assume this will take a very long time to assemble since you like minute detail differences.

Very nice first coin in this area for your set.

 

LOL! I'll leave any interesting Alexandrian bronze to you - except if another 'snake on horseback' diobol shows up again!

 

I think it was my previous silver purchase (Judaea Capta denarius) that helped me decide. When you start looking to see if a captive's legs are straight or not, then you know it may be time to expand your horizons! Plus, I've always been fascinated by the vast Flavian bronze coinage, so many avenues to explore ...

 

well David..i guess going bronze does qualify as a big change..even tho its still in the realm of Flavians..i was bidding on a Sest. SPQR shield Vespasian with you in mind the past week , nice dupondius!..

 

Congrats on taking the plunge! I think you'll be quite pretty busy for the next 15 years.

After I bought my first ever group of ancients, I didn't make another purchase for a full year. This Vespasian dupondius was the first one I bought when I started again. It was also my first ever Flavian and still one of my favorite coins.


VESPASIAN
AE Dupondius. 12.35g, 26.3mm. Rome mint, AD 71. RIC 279. O: IMP CAES VESPASIAN AVG COS III, radiate head right. R: Roma seated left on cuirass, holding wreath and parazonium, two shields behind; S-C across fields, ROMA in exergue.

 

I hope so!

 

I am glad to hear you are expanding your collection to Flavian AE material, David. Your posts on the silver are interesting and informative and I always look forward to reading them.

My Flavian AE collection is tiny, but I have been baffled by this As of Vespasian. It appears to have an obverse legend variation, but I'm stumped - CAES VESPAS? So when you get up to speed, I am hoping you can help me out (how's that for selfishness on my part? - but seriously, I am looking forward to your posts.)








Vespasian Æ As
(75 or 76 A.D.)
Rome Mint
IMP CAES VESPAS AVG COS [VI or VII ?], laureate head right / S-C, Spes standing left holding flower and hem of skirt. Holed planchet.
RIC 816 (VI) or 894 (VII)?
("CAES VESPAS" var. ?)
(9.89 grams / 26 mm)

 

@David Atherton Did you always intend to envelop bronze coins? I've always intended to collect Sicilian bronze; but always get side tracked when bright tets, similarly priced, appear.