So I bought this coin as an unsold lot on Roma. I was interested in it because I had a hard time finding any information on it at all. It is listed as RIC 36. On Acsearch I found one example. In my copy of RIC II part 1 (2007) the conversion table reports that Titus 36 and 37 are plated hybrids. I know this reverse is common for Domitian but I hav never seen it on a coin of titus until today. I hope that @David Atherton will chime in and be able to tell me more. Here is the coin. Titus AR Denarius. Rome, AD 79. IMP TITVS CAES VESPASIAN AVG P M, laureate head right / PRINCEPS IVVENTVTIS, goat standing left within laurel wreath. RIC II 36. 2.97g, 14mm, 6h. Near Very Fine.
There is a very good reason for this - under Titus, PRINCEPS IVVENTVTIS (The first of youths) would only apply to Domitian as Caesar. So, any coin featuring Titus on the obverse with this reverse legend is a hybrid/mule. My hunch is it's an unofficial hybrid. The weight and size are a bit off for it to be official. Regardless, a very interesting piece to be sure! However, officially produced mules are not unheard of under Titus. I have this very rare mule featuring Titus on the obverse paired with a reverse intended for Divus Vespasian. Titus AR Denarius, 3.30g Rome mint, 79-80 AD RIC 368 (R3). BMC - . RSC - . Obv: IMP TITVS CAES VESPASIAN AVG P M; Head of Titus, laureate, bearded, l. Rev: EX S C across field; Victory adv. l., placing shield on trophy; below, Judaea std. l. 3.30 g Congrats on such an neat acquisition Andrew!
Thanks for the confirmation @David Atherton. I assumed it was a mule but it is very nice to have your opinion on the matter. Thanks for taking the time to comment.
Here's my ancient Flavian counterfeit mule IMP CAES VESP AVG PM COS IIII laureate head right PONTIF MAXIM Vespasian seated right, holding scepter and branch. 2.59 g 18.8 mm Rome 72-73 AD RIC -; RSC 388; BMCRE p.12 Ex-Vcoins Auction, Ex-Imperial coins Some insight why this may not be official from Curtis Clay: 1. For mint mules the obv. and rev. should belong to either the same issue or to immediately successive issues. But on Jay's coin the obv. is of 72-early 73 (COS IIII without CENS), but the PONTIF MAXIM rev. is not otherwise known with that COS IIII obv. legend, nor with the next legend with COS IIII CEN, nor with the legend after that with just CEN and still clockwise, but only with the third obv. legend thereafter, namely CEN but counterclockwise. That rev. type is probably of 74 AD, since at its last stage it occurs with a legend specifically dated to 74, PON MAX TR P COS V. Obv. of 72-early 73, rev. of 74: that's a combination that the official mint was unlikely to produce. 2. IMI for IMP in obv. legend, an error that an official engraver was unlikely to make.
@Orfew and @Jay GT4, you two are encouraging me to collect ancient Flavian counterfeits! What a cool notion to have a coin box full of unofficial hybrids and fourrées!
Great coin @Orfew! I've always been a fan of mules, unofficial hybrids and fourrées. Here is my official sestertius mule, the only one known under Titus. Domitian Caesar / Titus Judaea Capta Æ Sestertius Mule, 25.38 g. Rome mint, struck 80/81 O: [CAES DIVI] AVG VESP F DOMITIAN[VS COS VII] - RIC II 288-306 (Titus) R: IVD CAP across fields; SC in field below; mourning Jewess to left of palm on pile of arms; Jew on right with hands bound, arms on ground. - Titus RIC 153 (Perhaps a die match); Hendin 1593b; Upcoming addenda Titus 287A. The only known sestertius mule under Titus. From the patina it was likely found in eastern Europe, perhaps Bulgaria, a rich find spot for a lot of the judaea sestertii. What evidence points to RIC II 288 / 306? As noted by Curtis Clay, "Obverse legends beginning CAESAR are rare, and so far only known with portrait laur. left, according to RIC 275-7. Legends beginning CAES are very much more common. With the N of DOMITIAN placed before Domitian's mouth, too much space seems to remain for just COS VII. We almost need that added VS to fill out the space. Flavian mules in gold or silver occur with some regularity, though they are all rare individually. It's not surprising, however, that very few sestertius mules occurred. 1. Vespasian struck c. 90% of the sestertii of his reign in the single year 71. Mules were impossible, because he hadn't yet begun striking sestertii for Titus and Domitian! 2. Later, when sestertii were being struck for Titus and Domitian too, the rev. types were not usually personalized, for example by carrying on the imperial titulature of each emperor, but were general and could be shared among the emperors, for example S C Spes advancing, or PAX AVGVSTI S C. Virtually all of the rev. types were appropriate for all three emperors, so there could be no mules! Under Titus the possibilities for mules increased, since more types were introduced that were apparently meant for just one of the two imperial brothers, for example: Titus: the Judaea Capta types, ANNONA AVG without S C, FELICIT PVBLIC, PIETAS AVGVST (Titus and Dom. shaking hands), PROVIDENT AVGVST (Vesp. hands globe to Titus), S C (Roma hands Palladium to Titus on horseback) Domitian: S C (Minerva fighting right)."
Thanks @Nemo for the kind words. I really enjoyed seeing that coin and I enjoyed reading about it as well.
@Orfew , you are starting to really nail some cool coins! You are becoming Andrew the Great with some of these coin accretions! I will toss out one of my Ugly Titus' jsut to make your look even GREATER! This one is a real pig! RI Titus 79-81 CE AR Denarius Sow piglets
