I am Finally Taking the Plunge!

I knew sooner or later the day would come. When I first started I only collected denarii, later I decided to include all imperial silver and then a few years after that provincial silver. By leaps and bounds the collection's scope has expanded, IMHO for the better.

 

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It's about time!

Here's a happy Vespasian


And Titus

 

Exactly!

 

Well, welcome to the 'bronze' side, David.

From the very beginning of my ancient collection almost 30 years ago I was primarily attracted to Roman bronzes; interestingly, not so much to silver.
I can't tell you whether it was the sheer size of the coins, the fact that well-detailed bronzes seemed (are!) so much scarcer than denarii, (specially 1st and 2nd. century), or something else. 30 years on, it still is that way.
At any rate, I hope you enjoy your 'new' collecting area!

 

Here is one of my Flavian bronzes.

Issued by Domitian in celebration of the Ludi Saeculares:

 

Excellent David, a great opportunity to find true gems with the flavian bronzes

my only two


Titus as ceasar, As struck AD 77
T CAES IMP AVG F TR P COS VI CENSOR, Laureate head of Titus right
VICTORIA NAVALIS, Victory standing right, on a prow of galley. S C in field
10.14 gr
Ref : Cohen #390, RCV #2485 var



Domitianus, As - Rome mint, AD 85
IMP CAES DOMITIAN AVG GERM COS XI, Laureate bust of Domitian right
MONETA AVGVSTI, Moneta standing left, holding cornucopia and scales. SC in field
11.08 gr
Ref : Cohen #325, RCV #2807v

the last one without the walker ( @TIF)

Q

 

Nice introduction to bronze! What about some gold too?
Here's one of my favorites.

TITUS, as Caesar
TITUS, as Caesar. 69-79 AD. Rome Mint AE Sestertius (36mm, 26.62 g). Struck 72 AD. O: Laureate head right, T CAES VESPASIAN IMP PON TR POT COS II R: Titus in military dress, cloak flying behind him, his horse rearing as he attacks prostrate Jew who is armed with sword and shield. SC in exergue. RIC 430, Hendin 1524, Ex Harry N. Sneh Collection Gemini Auction X, ex Goldberg 41, part of lot 2841 (Alan Levin Collection)

This coin likely refers to a battle recorded in Josephus Wars Book V Chapter 2, where Titus was ambushed by Jews who “leaped out suddenly at the towers called the "Women's Towers," through that gate which was over against the monuments of queen Helena.”

Cut off from his men, the account goes on, “So he perceived that his preservation must be wholly owing to his own courage, and turned his horse about, and cried out aloud to those that were about him to follow him, and ran with violence into the midst of his enemies, in order to force his way through them to his own men. And hence we may principally learn, that both the success of wars, and the dangers that kings are in, are under the providence of God; for while such a number of darts were thrown at Titus, when he had neither his head-piece on, nor his breastplate, (for, as I told you, he went out not to fight, but to view the city,) none of them touched his body, but went aside without hurting him; as if all of them missed him on purpose, and only made a noise as they passed by him. So he diverted those perpetually with his sword that came on his side, and overturned many of those that directly met him, and made his horse ride over those that were overthrown.

 

Excellent - I'm very excited about the cool Flavian bronze we'll be seeing from you!!


Domitian as Caesar, Spes. RIC 350 (Titus).

 

much beter

 

beter vespasian felicitas

 

I think the restitution coinage of Titus is especially lovely as exemplified by this Sestertius:



RIC Vol. II (1962 edition), TITUS, SESTERTIUS - CLAUDIUS RESTITUTION ISSUE, Rome, No. 234
New RIC II, Part 1 (second edition): Claudius No. 472
80-81 AD, (34.5mm, 24.3gm)
Obverse depiction: Claudius, laureate head facing right
Inscription: TI CLAVDIVS CAESAR AVG PM TRP IMP PP
Reverse depiction: Personification of Spes
holding flower in right hand and raising skirt with left hand
Inscription: IMP T VESP AVG REST - S C (left and right)
Titus was a Military Tribune in Britain AD 60-63

Edit: or should it be RESTORATION coinage? - see following posts.

 

Restoration/Restitution coinage

Both of the above terms are employed by modern day authors to describe this coinage. I think that the REST which is inscribed on the reverse of these coins is an abbreviation of the Latin noun Restitutio = reinstatement, restoration, giving back.

* One purpose for issuing restored coins was to provide substitutes for familar coin types that were being recalled due to excessive wear.
* Another purpose was to honor deceased and revered Emperors (and sometimes members of their families)
* They were struck from newly made dies designed to produce coins that closely resembled the originals.
* They were always marked REST (together with the name of the issuing Augustus) as part of the reverse inscription.
* This coinage should not be confused with Commemorative coinage (which was not marked REST)
* It was issued under the auspices of (in chronological order) Titus, Domitian, Nerva and Trajan
* Only Trajan issued this coinage in silver and gold.
* Trajan also issued this coinage to honor Distinguished Republican families.

There is some very interesting information relating to Restoration/Restitution coinage in this CNG listing. Note especially the Curtis Clay and Harold Mattingly information.

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Restitution

 

Oh, what the heck, why not?

 

Congrats on the sweet big ol Vespy @David Atherton! I started my 12 geezers portrait journey exclusively with bronze until, funny enough, I came across a beautiful Vespasian Denarius that led my down the Denarii rabbit hole. Though I don't have one of his bronzes I've got his boys:
The good boy...

Titus
79-81 CE Æ Sestertius
(33.5mm, 22.76 g.)
Romemint, struck AD 80-81.
Obv.Laureate head left.
Rev. Pax standing left,
holding olive branch and
cornucopia.
RIC II 155Brown patina

The baaaaad boy...

Domitian
Æ As 81-96 CE Rome, AD
88/9. IMP CAES DOMIT
AVG GERM COS XIIII
CENS PER P P, laureate
head of Domitian right.
Reverse: MONETA
AVGVSTI, S C across field,
Moneta standing facing,
head left, holding scales and
cornucopiae. RIC 649;

 

Maybe the terminology should be RESTITUTION/RESTORATION coinage?

Harold Mattingly, "The 'Restored' Coinage of Titus, Domitian and Nerva," Vol. 20 Numismatic Chronicle and Journal of the Royal Numismatic Society (1920): 177-207.

.......... and David Sear at:

http://www.wildwinds.com/coins/sear5/s2601.html

 

FWIW, the new RIC II.1 refers to it as a restitution issue.

 

Threes definitely some wonderful Flavian Aes out there.

I only have ok examples :/

 

Nemo, what a beautiful (and rare!) sestertius of Titus.

At first I thought I was looking at a portrait of Vitellius.