It's not often you are lucky enough to be given a second chance at a coin. Three years ago a UK auction house put up an extremely rare year one Vespasian tetradrachm - unfortunately I missed out on it. Last month the same coin surfaced at a CNG auction and I wasn't going to let it slip by me again! I indeed secured the piece and was overjoyed when it arrived recently. Personally, this is one of those 'Bucket List' or 'Grail' coins I have waited years for. Vespasian AR Tetradrachm, 13.41g Antioch mint, 69 AD RPC 1936 (2 spec.). Obv : AYTOKPAT KAIΣA OYEΣΠAΣIANOY; Bust of Vespasian, laureate, r., with aegis Rev : ETOYΣ NEOY IEPOY A; Eagle standing r., on thunderbolt; in r. field, palm branch Ex CNG E418, 11 April 2018, lot 403. According to Tacitus, Vespasian immediately struck gold and silver coins at Antioch soon after being proclaimed emperor by the legions in the East (Hist. II, 82). This coin dated regnal year one at Antioch ( July - September 69) must have been one of the first coins to bear Vespasian's portrait. The style is indeed early, similar to the year ten Syrian tetradrachms coined for Nero. Although traditionally attributed to Antioch, the style is strongly Alexandrian. It almost certainly was struck at Alexandria for circulation in Syria along side a parallel Antiochcene issue. The goatskin aegis seen here is rare for Vespasian and exclusively appears on these early Alexandrian style tetradrachms. Only one obverse die is known for this year one type. Feel free to post your 'Bucket List' coins.
Exceptional coin David. That youngish portrait is amazing, and I love the reverse as well. Just goes to show one can have beauty and rarity in the same coin.
Thank you everyone for the kind comments. I must admit, whenever I see a 'grail' coin that I badly want listed at CNG my heart sinks because I never know if clio is waiting in the wings.
