Vespasian's Hope

I purchased this Vespasian as because of the portrait - a veristic delight from the early part of the reign. I wonder if this old school republican style portrait inspired respect and confidence?

Vespasian
Æ As, 10.91g
Rome mint, 74 AD
RIC 730 (C). BMC 703.
Obv: IMP CAESAR VESP AVG COS V CENS; Head of Vespasian, laureate, r.
Rev: S C in field; Spes stg. l., with flower
Acquired from Roman Coin Shop, September 2018. Ex Künker eLive Auction 40, 18 May 2016, lot 7566.

Spes is a common reverse type that was struck repeatedly throughout the Flavian era, she is mostly associated with Domitian in both silver and bronze. Here Spes represents Vespasian's hope for a happy dynastic future. The prosperity that dynastic stability could bring cannot be underestimated. The depiction of Spes raising skirt and holding a flower likely copies a familiar cult statue of the goddess.

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Strong portrait, fine style, a very spes-cial coin indeed !
My Spesses :


Aelius, Denarius - Rome mint, AD 137
L AELIVS CAESAR, bare head right
TR POT COS II, Spes standing left holding flower and lifting skirt
3.25 gr
Ref : Cohen # 55, RCV # 3977



Diadumenian, Denarius - Rome mint, AD 217-218
M OPEL ANT DIADVMENIAN CAES, draped and cuirassed bust right, seen from behind
SPES PVBLICA, Spes walking left, holding a flower and her dress
3,23 gr, 21 mm
Ref : Cohen # 21, RIC # 117



Aemilian, Antoninianus - Rome mint, AD 253
IMP CAES AEMILIANVS P F AVG, radiate, draped and cuirassed bust right, seen from behind
SPES PVBLICA, Spes standing left, holding flower and lifting skirt
3.70 gr
Ref : RCV # 9844, RIC # 20, Cohen # 48



etricus II, imitative Antoninianus minted c. AD 273-274
C PIVS ESV TETRICVS CAES, Radiate bust of Tetricus right
[SP]ES AV[GG], Spes standing left holding her dress and a flower
2.8 gr
Ref : RCV #11292, Cohen #88

Q

 

Lovely example, @David Atherton ! Spes is probably the most frequently encountered reverse type on sestertii of Aelius:


Aelius, Caesar AD 136-138.
Roman orichalcum sestertius, 27.19 g, 30.6 mm, 7 h.
Rome, AD 137.
Obv: L AELIVS CAESAR, bare head, right.
Rev: TR POT COS II, Spes advancing left, holding flower and raising skirt.
Refs: RIC 1055; BMCRE 1914; Cohen 56; RCV 3986; UCR 825.

Also in the Antonine era, Spes appears on coins of Faustina II, who was once betrothed to Aelius's son, Lucius Verus:


Faustina II, AD 147-176.
Roman AR Denarius, 3.44 gm, 16.6 mm.
Rome mint under Antoninus Pius, AD 154-157.
Obv: FAVSTINA AVGVSTA, bare-headed and draped bust, right.
Rev: AVGVSTI PII FIL, Spes standing left, holding flower and raising skirt.
Refs: RIC 497; Sear 4702; BMC 1106.

I don't have any examples in my collection on coins from the Severan era, but I do have a couple from the tumultuous mid-to-late third century. Spes is perhaps the most common reverse type found on coins of Tetricus II, still in the stylized walking left, holding flower and hem of skirt pose seen on coins 200 years earlier:


Tetricus II, Caesar AD 273-274
Roman Æ antoninianus, 3.51 g, 18.8 mm, 5 h.
Mainz or Trier, AD 273-4.
Obv: C PIV ESV TETRICVS CAES, radiate bust right.
Rev: SPES AVGG, Spes advancing left, holding flower and lifting skirt.
Refs: RIC 270; Cohen 88; Elmer 791; AGK 9a; Cunetio 2647; DaWitte 73; Hunter 11; RVC 11292.


Claudius II, AD 268-270.
Roman billon antoninianus, 18mm, 3.8g, 12h.
Milan, issue 1, officina 1, c. September 268 – mid 269.
Obv: IMP CLAVDIVS P F AVG, Bust right, radiate, cuirassed and draped with paludamentum, seen from rear.
Ref: SPES PVBLICA, Spes walking left, holding flower in right hand and raising skirt with left hand; –/–//P.
Refs: RIC 168; Cohen 284; MER/RIC temp 26; RCV 11374; Normanby 1004; Hunter 26.

 

Wonderful! Interesting to see how the depiction of Spes developed over time.

 

Very nice RC! Your coins along with Q's show the style of the type may change over the years but the general design does not.

 

A nice addition, David.

I have several with spes. I'll post one that isn't shared much.


Trajan (98 - 117 A.D.)
AR Denarius
O: IMP TRAIANO AVG GER DAC P M TR P, Laureate bust right, slight drapery on left shoulder.
R: COS V P P S P Q R OPTIMO PRINC, Spes walking left, flower in right, raising hem of skirt.
Rome
3.5g
20mm
SRCV II 3127, RIC II 127, RSC II 84

Alexandrian Spes.


Lucilla (164 - 182 A.D.)
Billion Tetradrachm
EGYPT, Alexandria
O: ΛOVKIΛΛA C–ЄB ANT CЄ ΘV, draped bust right.
R: Elpis stdg. l. holding flowers & lifting skirt. LS=6th yr.
Alexandria Mint
24mm
11.33g
Dattari 3816, Emmett 2473, R5

 

Domitian as Caesar sestertius

 

I have the silver equivalent.


Domitian as Caesar
AR Denarius, 3.36g
Rome mint, 74 AD (Vespasian)
RIC 788 (C). BMC 156. RSC 375.
Obv: CAES AVG F DOMIT COS III; Head of Domitian, laureate, bearded, r.
Rev: PRINCEPS IVVENTVT; Spes, draped, advancing l., holding up flower in r. hand and with l. holding up her skirt.
Ex Harlan J Berk 155, 31 July 2007, lot 247.

 

That's a very pleasing looking coin @David Atherton !

Here is my less pleasing Vespasian/Spes combo.

 

Here is another example of the OP Vespasian with Spes reverse type:


27 mm. 10.21 grams.
RIC 894. Sear I 2360 obverse legend variety. IMP CAESAR VESP AVG COS VII which dates it to AD 76.
This piece also has a good portrait in spite of showing a lot of wear.

 

Sweet coin!

 

Don't have a Vespasian, only a Saloninus - Spes, Antoninianus, 21 mm, 3.65 g;
Colonia Agrippinensis, 258 - 259 AD; Struck under the authority of Valerianus and Gallienus
Ref.: RIC V Saloninus 13; RSC 93; Göbl 915e; Sear 3082A;
Obverse: SALON VALERIANVS CAES Bust of Saloninus, radiate, draped, right
Reverse: SPES PVBLICA Spes, draped, walking right, holding flower in right hand and raising robe with left hand