One of the First Bronze Coins Struck for Vespasian

I really do love the first regnal year issues struck for Vespasian at Alexandria. They truly are the first coins produced in his name. This regnal year one diobol is one you don't see everyday!


Vespasian
Æ Diobol, 7.77g
Alexandria mint, 69 AD
Obv: ΑΥΤ ΤΙΤ ΦΛΑΥΙ ΟΥΕΣΠΑΣΙΑΝ ΚΑΙΣ; Head of Vespasian, laureate, r.
Rev: LΑ; Bust of Sarapis, r.
RPC 2408 (4 spec.). Emmett 218.1. Dattari-Savio 346.
Acquired from Carthago Numismatics, March 2022.

The first coins struck for Vespasian anywhere in the empire are those dated "Year 1" (LA) from Alexandria Egypt. The two legions stationed there under the Prefect Tiberius Julius Alexander were the first to declare him emperor. According to Tacitus - "The first move to convey imperial status to Vespasian took place at Alexandria. This was due to the eagerness of Tiberius Alexander, who caused his legions to swear allegiance to the new emperor on 1 July" (Hist 2.79). The year 1 coins were struck between 1 July and 28 August (in contrast, Vespasian's first coins at Rome are no earlier than late December!). The obverse legend of these first coins lack the title Augustus (sebastos). However, those dated Year 2 (29 August 69 - 28 August 70) include the title, which is strong evidence that Vespasian did not immediately adopt it during the first two months of his reign. Vespasian did not arrive in Alexandria until December, so the Alexandrian die engravers probably had no idea of the new emperor's appearance. This bronze diobol features a portrait somewhat removed from the bald, overweight soldier-emperor we are accustomed to. These regnal year one bronze issues tend to be rarer than the corresponding billon tetradrachms.

Feel free to show your 'first' coins.

Thanks for looking!

 

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Pretty cool to see a « slim » Vespasian. I’ll contribute to this thread with (again) some first issues of Victorinus, one from Trier and the second one from Cologne (both featuring Marius’s portrait). The third coin I’m not sure if it’s a « first » but anyway it is an Elagabalus RIC 1…

 

Cool, @David Atherton! This is the first issue for Faustina I, issued before Antoninus Pius had been given the title of Pater Patriae -- there is no "P P" at the end of the obverse legend. Subsequent issues bear the obverse inscription FAVSTINA AVG ANTONINI AVG P P.


Faustina I, AD 138-140.
Roman AR denarius, 2.85 g, 16.6 mm, 5 h.
Rome, first issue, July 138 - end February 139.
Obv: FAVSTINA AVG ANTONINI AVG, bare-headed and draped bust of Faustina, right.
Rev: CONCORDIA AVG, Concordia seated left, holding patera and resting left arm on throne, cornucopiae under chair.
Refs: British Museum 1978, 0314.2; cf. Strack 391 (Ashmolean), Hunter 1 (GLAHM 26918). RIC --; Cohen --; RCV --; CRE --.
Notes: BMC p. 8* cites Strack 392 in error; RSC 146b correctly cites Strack 391 and cites BMC p.8*. Obverse die-match to the British Museum specimen acquired in 1978.

Here's a later issue for comparison. Note the P P at the end of the obverse inscription.

 

Nice one David. Here's my year 1 Vespasian from Alexandria



VT TIT ΦΛAVI OYEΣΠAΣIAN KAIΣ
Laureate head right, LA (year 1) lower right

Nike (Victory) flying left, raising wreath in extended right hand,
palm frond in left hand;

Alexandria, Egypt

1 July - 28 Aug 69 A.D

11.44g

RPC 2402; Emmett 205/1 (R1)

Ex-Forum from the Errett Bishop Collection

The Roman legions in Alexandria proclaimed Vespasian emperor on 1 July 69 A.D. This coin was struck within the two months before the Egyptian new year began on 29 August 69 A.D. A fairly rare type that doesn't come to market often compared with year 2 coins.

https://www.forumancientcoins.com/gallery/displayimage.php?pid=166799

 

Like the coin shown by Jay GT4, my tetradrachm has the date LA on the obverse. It also has reverse legend naming EIPHNH. Is there a theory on which came first? Were these issued before Vespasian was recognized in Rome?


I have a particular fondness for early coins that show a portrait that resembles the predecessor.

Vitellius with features of Otho:


Trajan looking like Nerva:


Septimius Severus resembling Didius Julianus:


This one is unofficial (fourree core) but suggests the cutter was more familiar with Septimius than with Clodius Albinus. The reverse is left over from Commodus. It must be hard on counterfeiters when rulers change so often!


Firsts, lasts and oddballs are some things considered collectable by those of us who appreciate coins for something other than their grading letters.

 

I confess to sometimes being a tad less enthusiastic than you about Flavian coins but this is one I can really get into. I love firsts and lasts, especially scarce ones. Will keep my eyes peeled for one!

Since you inspired me to pursue something of a specialist sub-collection (despite my generalist inclinations) I think this is my most appropriate First to post. It's a first issue (proclamation/1st donative) dupondius for Severus Alexander, part of my attempt at an SA middle bronze type set:

I've only seen one other.

 

Yes.

 

Yes