Vespasian Bargain Basement Victory

Last week I posted a bargain that lacked beauty. This week I would like to share a recent acquisition that is I believe both a bargain and a beauty.

Vespasian
Æ As, 9.85g
Rome mint, 74 AD
RIC 897 (R). BMC p. 169 note.
Obv: IMP CAESAR VESP AVG COS VII; Head of Vespasian, laureate, r.
Rev: VICTORIA AVGVST; S C in field; Victory stg. r. on prow, with wreath and palm
Ex eBay, 30 October 2018.

This As is part of a small bronze issue struck during the middle part of the Vespasian's reign and features the perennial favourite reverse of Victory on prow, a type more commonly found on the As issues at Rome. Unlike the VICTORIA NAVALIS type which likely celebrated a minor naval victory from the Jewish War, this Victory can be viewed in more generic terms. A similar type was also struck in silver on the denarii the previous year.

I placed a snipe bid on the coin for $51 and forgot about all it. Needless to say, I was pleasantly surprised the morning after the auction ended to find an eBay invoice for the piece. Really? Nobody else was willing to pay more for it? Happily for me, they were not.

Post your surprise wins, Victories, or anything else you feel is relevant!

 

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A beauty and a bargain, well done @David Atherton !

Q

 

Gorgeous coin, @David Atherton ! A great addition to your Flavian collection!

Here's a bargain and a Victory:

My very best uncleaned score is this VICTORIA GOTTHI antoninianus of Tacitus. Compare it to this one from CNG. Yes, from an uncleaned lot.


Tacitus, AD 275-276.
Roman billon antoninianus, 3.57 gm, 21.1 mm.
Ticinum, AD 276.
Obv: IMP C M CL TACITVS AVG, radiate and cuirassed bust, right.
Rev: VICTORIA GOTTHI, Victoria standing left, holding wreath and palm; P in exergue.
Refs: RIC 172; Cohen 158; Sear 11821; Hunter 59; CBN 1676.

 

A handsome bronze, David. Decent price for it too.

 

A great portrait and an interesting reverse type. Very nice pickup David.

 

Those type of auction wins are the best as you can be sure you have a bargain. Great type and relatively scarce. Mine was won the same way with a couple of others in a not to well known auction in Switzerland.

 

Dynamite Deal and nice looking As @David Atherton !

I have Vespasian's Quinarius with a Victory reverse:


RI Vespasian 69-79 CE AR Quinarius Victory seated wreath palm RIC 802

 

I love that quinarius Brian. Great coin.

 

Thank you. One of the favorites of mine.

 

Well that looks like a nice bronze to me, appealing portrait with pronounced "pincer-like" hooked nose and chin, congrats!

I'm not sure 32.00 is "basement" for this common denarius, but it was and still is my only Vespasian silver



A.D. 75 Vespasian Denarius. 19mm 2.61g IMP CAESAR VESPASIANVS AVG, laureate head right / PON MAX TR P COS VI, Victory standing left on prow of ship, holding wreath & palm. Seems rather underweight, with the flan quite thin on the "VESPASIANVS" side.

 

You stole that one! Great type; I love the nice chocolate patina.
Here's my left facing variety with Titus as Caesar.

Titus as Caesar
79-81 AD. Æ As 28mm 8.6 gm. Struck 74 AD.
O: T CAES IMP PON TR P COS III CENS, laureate head left
R: VICTORIA AVGVST, S C across field, Victory standing right on prow, holding wreath and palm. RIC 755 (Vespasian); BMCRE 711A (Vespasian) note var. (head right); cf. Cohen 363.

This obverse legend with PON TR P added and CAESAR abbreviated to CAES is only known on one coin paired with this reverse type (BMCRE 711A note), but that coin's obverse has Titus facing right. The references mentioned are from the only other example I could find online. I believe this is the third known left facing example.

The Victoria Avgvst, Avgvsti and Navalis Victory on the prow types may commemorate Titus' pursuit of the Jews at Tarichæa on rafts, and the same circumstance doubtless explains why Titus brought a large number of ships with him when he entered Rome in triumph.

 

Indeed that is a V I C T O R Y !! Nice score.

 

Nice coin. In keeping with the Flavian AEs, this past summer I landed a Domitian As on eBay, a common MONETA with a lot of wear, but it was only $5.99 (in an ex-Littleton Coin flip). It is very green:




Domitian Æ As
(c. 92-94 A.D.)
Rome Mint
IMP CAES DOMIT AVG GERM COS XVI CENS PER P P, laureate head right / MONETA AVGVSTI, Moneta standing left, holding scales and cornucopiae.
RIC 756; BMC 469.
(10.22 grams / 28 mm)

 

I think you did very well!

 

Wow. Nice coin at a super cheap price!

 

A most envious coin!

 

I love an unexpected win! I was 99% sure I wasn't going to win this one.



Aelius Caesar, 136-138 AD, AE drachm

O: bust r. draped, R: Homonia seated on throne l., holding patera. A cornucopia at her side. Ref. Dattari 2076 BMC 923 Alexandria 33 mm, 22.1g

 

Me too. I placed my snipe bid and never gave it another thought. Won it for $48 with shipping. Not bad at all.

You got a nice win there as well!