I have been looking for one of these for a while. It is worn and part of the obverse legend is missing but I still really like the look of it. Thanks go to @David Atherton for confirming what I was looking at. I first saw an example of this coin in David's FAC gallery and have wanted one since. I happened upon this one today while perusing unsold lots from the Dr. Busso Peus Nach. auction. Please post your coins of Vespasian. Vespasian, 69-79. Denarius 74, Rome. Head / Emperor with branch and scepter on a Curule chair. RIC II / 1, 683 C. 363 3.17 g. Rarely beautiful - very nice
I guess I will have to ask what makes this coin so special that you've been chasing an example? Don't get me wrong, I like the coin, especially the portrait. Congratulations on finding what you were looking for. Here is one of my Vespasian examples: VESPASIAN AR Denarius OBVERSE: IMP CAES VESP AVG CENS, laureate head right REVERSE: PONTIF MAXIM, Vespasian seated right, holding scepter & branch Struck at Rome, 73AD 3.1g, 19mm RIC 546 And one other: VESPASIAN AR Denarius OBVERSE: IMP CAESAR VESPASIANVS AVG, laureate head right REVERSE: COS ITER TR POT, Pax seated left, holding branch and caduceus Struck at Rome, 69-71 AD 3.31g, 18mm RIC 29; RSC 94h; Sear 2285
Nice coin @Orfew . I do not have the Emperor seated on the reverse, but I do have Victory seated on a Quinarius (yes, you have seen my coin a few times...but it is the only seated version of Vespasian that I have.) RI Vespasian 69-79 CE AR Quinarius Victory seated wreath palm RIC 802 Rare
I has a rare obverse legend "IMP CAESAR VESP AVG". There are only ten coin types of Vespasian with this legend. I happen to have another one but with a different reverse type. RIC 685 Thanks for posting your examples @Bing
Congrats on another rare pick up Orfew, what makes my worn one special is it was issued not long before his death and Mount Vesuvius eruption. Vespasian Denarius 79 AD, 2.6gm, Sear 2308.
Very nice pickup Orfew... Here is my very well circulated Vespasian sestertius... While there is some variance... his portraits usually remind me of the actor Peter Boyle...
I'm with Bing on this one. Those who do not specialize in a series may not appreciate rarities. Is there something indicated by the legend that makes it special other than being different? Does it allow dating of the coin more to a specific period? I know I do the same thing when posting odd Septimius Severus variations and need to remember that not everyone will understand or recognize how and why something is special to specialists. Ordinary one with CENS: The Vespasian below is special to me because I bought it from the great NFA as a fourree 30 years ago but it was just in need of cleaning due to being stored in the bad kind of plastic. The other four coins in the lot actually were fourree but this is solid.
It's a coin type that only a specialist could love. Rare with that obverse and reverse legend combo. I can understand why those who do not specialise in the area are left scratching their heads.
Vespasian, AD 69-79. Roman AR denarius, 3.18 g, 18.4 mm, 6 h. Rome, AD 73. Obv: IMP CAES VESP AVG P M COS IIII CEN, laureate head, right. Rev: SALVS AVG, Salus seated left, holding patera, left hand at side. Refs: RIC 58; RIC 2.1 522; BMCRE 87-89; Cohen/RSC 432; CBN 76; RCV 2307.
Fun coins! And coingrats on the rarity @Orfew. Very cool Here is the furrowed brow that all furrowed brows there after were to be judged. Vespasian (69-79), Denarius, Rome, AD 70; AR (g 3,027; mm 18.1; h 6); IMP CAES[AR VESPASIAN]VS AVG, laureate head r. , Rv. COS ITER - TR POT, Pax seated l., holding branch and caduceus. RIC I 10 = II 29; C 94
I showed this coin before a few threads ago but this seems to be right place to show it again Love the portrait of a strong looking emperor. Vespasian, denarius RIC II 702, RSC 364. Rome mint, 74 AD. Obv. IMP CAESAR VESPASIANVS AVG, laureate head right. Rev. PON MAX TR P COS V, Vespasian seated right, branch in left hand, scepter in right. Although the seated figure is male, this reverse strongly reminds me of the 'Tribute Penny' type of Tiberius.
For good reason! It is indeed a reverse type that copies the early one struck under Tiberius. Many of Vespasian's denarius reverse types were antiquarian in nature.
I have always wondered why some types seemed so appealing and were reused by several reigns while others rarely if ever pop up again. We will never know these things but can only dream of records or diaries that no longer exist if they ever did.
there was no place for the legend, so big head and reverse/ metal could not be bigger with making, only the stamp is to big / nothing rare on it/ the rare is the stamp was to big for the metal
That RIC 685 coin is indeed much rarer than the rest of the Pax issues in silver. Just over 1% of the total :-O
Thanks for that information @Suarez . I knew it was rare but I picked it up because it was part of the J. Eric Engstrom collection and he wrote a book on Coins in Shakespeare that I really liked.