JayGT4's Top 10(ish) of 2021

Looks like 2021 was devoted to finding rare Flavians, mostly of Titus. I've focused on Titus and Vespasian lately and left the Domitians for @Orfew even selling him a few. I'm still waiting on a few coins to arrive including an extremely rare Titus (R3) perhaps only the 2nd known. If it arrives it will be added as an addendum.

Here they are in no particular order, except that this first one is perhaps my favorite of the year:

#1


IMP CAES VESPASIAN AVG PM TR P P P COS IIII
Laureate head right

T IMP AVG F COS II CAESAR DOMITIANVS AVG F COS DESG II SC
Titus and Domitian standing front, each with spear and parazonium

Lugdunum (Lyons); 72 CE

25.00g

RIC 1185 (R2) very rare, only 2 on acsearch.

Ex-Roma e-Sale 87 lot 729 From the Antonio Carmona Collection. Improperly attributed to RIC 1186

Old cleaning scratches not as pronounced in hand. The lighting makes them appear deeper than they are.

#2


IMP T CAES DIVI VESP F AVG P M TR P P P COS VIII
Radiate head right

ROMA SC
Roma seated left on cuirass, with wreath and parazonium

Eastern Mint (Thrace?) 80-81 CE
after the deification of Vespasian

13.45g

RIC 503 (R)

NSB web auction 7 lot 432

Mattingly thought the mint for these coins with Latin legends was Lugdunum, but now it is believed to be in the Eastern Provinces, probably Thrace.

#3

Incredibly, David and I both acquired the same rare type this year, and by coincidence they were both delivered on the same day in two different countries!


IMP T CAES DIVI VES F AVG
Laureate head right

IVLIA AVGVSTA
Julia seateded left with patera and sceptre

Eastern mint (Thrace?) 80-81 CE, after the deification of Vespasian

4.05g

RIC 506 (R2)

Ex-Zeus Web Auction 18 lot 355

Mattingly thought the mint for these coins with Latin legends was Lugdunum, but now it is believed to be in the Eastern Provinces, probably Thrace.

#4


ΑΥΤΟΚΡ ΤΙΤΟ Σ ΚΑΙΣΑΡ
Laureate head of Titus right.
ΙΟΥΔΑΙΑΣ EAΛΩΚΥIΑΣ
Trophy, Judaea sits mourning left, her hands tied. Shield to the right of trophy

Caesarea Maritima,

13.45g
27mm

Hendin 1449, RPC 2313, Meshorer 384

Ex-Israeli dealer

#5


IMP TITVS CAES VESPASIAN AVG PM
Laureate head of Titus right

TR P VIIII IMP XIIII COS VII P P
Capricorn left, globe below

Reverse based on the coinage of Augustus

Rome 79 AD

3.06g

RIC 20 (R2)

Ex-Dara Museum E-Auction 2 lot 979

A very rare left facing Titus with an attractive portrait. Some encrustations remain on reverse.

#6



IMP CAESAR VESPASIANVS AVG
Head of Vespasian, laureate, r., a small 'o' mint mark below neck

PON MAX TR P COS VII (from high l.)
Winged caduceus

Unknown "O" mint, 76 CE
3.04g

RIC 1477A (R3)

Ted Buttrey has assigned it 1477A in the upcoming RIC II.1 Addenda.

A unique specimen of the caduceus type from the rare and mysterious 'O' mint. This rare variant has the reverse legend starting from the upper left, all other known examples start from the lower right.

Currently 3 on Forum, 2 in my own gallery and 1 in David Atherton's. All double die matched. (selling my 2nd one on Forum auctions)

#7



T CAES IM PONT
Laureate head right

COL ICO NIEN E Q
two standards; between them, star

Galatia, Iconium

19.3mm, 5.02g

RPC II 1610 (Rare 10 specimens) this coin #10 RPC online

Ex-Themis Numismatics Auction 9 lot 447

The reverse reads "Colony of Iconium, founded by the fifth Gallic legion"

#8



ΑΥΤΟΚΡΑ ΟΥΕϹΠΑϹΙΑΝΟϹ ΚΑΙϹΑΡ ϹƐΒΑϹΤΟϹ
Laureate head right

ƐΤΟΥϹ ΝƐΟΥ ΙƐΡΟΥ Γ
Eagle with wreath in beak standing left, on club.; in left field, palm branch

Antioch, Syria

70-71 CE (Group 4, year 3)

14.46g; 30mm

RPC 1955; 12 specimens.
A scarcer type

Ex-Barakat

Minted just after the destruction of Jerusalem.

Fine style Syrian portrait in good silver. Nice toning in hand.

#9



T CAES IMP AVG F TR P COS VI CENSOR
Laureate head right

IVDAEA CAPTA SC
Palm tree; Judaea seated right; to left of tree, arms

Lugdunum (Lyon), 77-8 CE

8.81g

RIC 1268 Vespasian (C2)

Ex-Incitatus

A common but important type. Minted 8 years after the conquest of Judea by Titus. A reminder of Titus' military prowess and his place as his father's successor.

Surfaces not as rough in hand as appear in photo.

#10



Head of beardless Heracles right wearing lion skin headdress

AΛEΞANΔPOY BAΣIΛEΩΣ
Zeus seated on stool-throne left, eagle on outstretched right hand, sceptre in left hand AP monogram below throne

Arados, 328-320 BCE

17.14g

Price 3309

Late lifetime or early posthumous issue.

Ex-Barakat


Two more to come...

 

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#11



('B'LTRS' in Aramaic)
Baal of Tarsos seated left, holding holding eagle-tipped scepter; grain ear, grape-bunch, and Aramaic R in left field

MZDY ZY 'BRNHR' W ḤLK (Mazaios who is over Eber Nahara and Cilicia)
Lion bringing down bull above a pair of crenellated walls, each with four towers.

Tarsos, Cilicia 361/0-334 BC
10.74g

Casabonne Series 4, Group A; SNG BN 354-60 var. (control marks); SNG Levante 115

Ex-Dara Antiquities Auction 3, lot 1044

Hendin translates the Aramaic as "Mazaios who is over Eber Nahara and Cilicia." The similarity of this inscription and a descriptive phrase used in the Biblical texts of Ezra and Nehemiah has led to Hendin's suggestion that the walls on this coin represent the ones encompassing Jerusalem, which less than a century before had been rebuilt by Nehemiah, as related in the Books of Ezra and Nehemiah. Both Nehemiah and Mazaeus (Mazdai) were Persian court officials, so they used similar phraseology for administrative and geographical regions. Mazaeus was governor, or satrap, of the land of Beyond the River around 350 BCE. Governing from Tarsus, the administrative capital, Mazaeus is telling us that he is in charge of "Beyond the River."

#12



Helmeted head of Athena right decorated with olive wreath (crude style)

‬ (YHD) to right of owl standing right, head facing, small lily above left.

Jerusalem mint?
After restoration of Jerusalem to before 333 BCE

0.38g; 8mm

Hendin 1050;

Ex-Holyland (Shick) e-Auction 17 lot 40 with export permit, ex-Menashe Landman collection

Persian rule issue

 

Great year for you!
The Judea Capta is my favorite of the group, followed by the tiny owl. Would love to see a size comparison of it next to the Alexander Tetradrachm

 

Very nice additions this year @Jay GT4 . 11 and 8 are my favorites. 8 because it looks great and interesting time of minting and 11 I am uncertain why, but I keep going back to look.

 

Thanks @furryfrog02 I'll try to get a pic of that on the weekend. For now I have it on a penny...

 

Stellar year! Very nice lifetime ATG!
And I totally see why, beyond its having 3 emperors on 1 coin(!!!), you picked your #1. It's the iconic Flavian high five:

 

1, 8, and 11 are my favorites. A great year for you!

 

Yep a very nice group! 1, 8 and 9 are my favs but all are interesting.
Congrats.

 

Great coins, I like 1 and 10.

 

Excellent coins, your 2021 was really good

My favorites:
#11, # 5 and #8, and # 7 and ........

 

Congrats on picking up so many rare Flavians, most seldom seen, I do
love your Winged caduceus Vespasian fantastic portrait.

 

Jay, you had quite a good coin year! Hard to argue with your #1 too.

I'm still amazed about the Titus semis coincidence! If I recall correctly, we never even discussed our acquisitions until the day they both arrived!

 

No we didn't. That's what made it so amazing. What are the chances?

 

@Jay GT4 voted for 8 and 10

 

#s 1, 9, 11 and 12 stand out for me.

 

Wow Jay you picked up some fantastic Flavian rarities this year. Congrats on an amazing coin year.

 

Jay, my favorite is #8, the handsome Tet from Antioch , followed by #1, & #6.

 

Thanks everyone. It's interesting to see what people are drawn to. I enjoy looking at everyone's top 10

 

Interesting coins! The Capricorn is neat. My favorite is Vespasian / IVDAEA CAPTA