The "Restored" Coins of Titus, Domitian and Nerva

Discussion in 'Ancient Coins' started by jamesicus, Sep 3, 2019.

  1. jamesicus

    jamesicus Well-Known Member

    Please post any commentary - or comments - relating to this (my) coin.

    [​IMG][​IMG]
    AE SESTERTIUS - CLAUDIUS/TITUS RESTORATION/RESTITUTION ISSUE
    BMCRE Volume II, Rome, Titus No. 297
    RIC Volume II (1962 Edition), Rome, Titus, No. 234
    RIC Volume II, Part 1 (second edition), Titus, No. 472 (Sear No. 2601)
    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 demurely 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

    Sear Roman Coins and their Values (RCV 2000 Edition) Number 2601 (Wildwinds - Claudius RIC 472)

    Sale: CNG, Triton XII, Lot: 555 (5 January 2009)

    Provenance: Ex Dr. V.J.A. Flynn Collection
     
    Last edited: Sep 3, 2019
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  3. Marsman

    Marsman Well-Known Member

    Beautiful coin. Congrats !
     
    jamesicus likes this.
  4. Bing

    Bing Illegitimi non carborundum Supporter

    Very nice coin with good provenance!
     
  5. jamesicus

    jamesicus Well-Known Member

    Thank you @Bing and @Marsman. I am not trying to be devious or mysterious here. I am revising a web page I wrote relating to these fascinating coins and I want to be sure I append any observations or reservations that result from comments posted here. I thought I would just post a bare request without any embellishment by me to preclude any hint of outside influence.

    Thanks
     
    Last edited: Sep 4, 2019
  6. Roman Collector

    Roman Collector Well-Known Member

    Gorgeous! Much nicer than the British Museum specimen, too!
     
    jamesicus likes this.
  7. ominus1

    ominus1 Well-Known Member

    dandy coin! :)
     
    jamesicus likes this.
  8. jamesicus

    jamesicus Well-Known Member

    Please visit my new (rewritten) web page at ……………

    https://jp29.org/000rest.htm

    …………… I will greatly appreciate all comments, corrections and suggestions.

    Thank you.

    Added: Please note thread title change.
     
    Last edited: Sep 4, 2019
    TIF likes this.
  9. jamesicus

    jamesicus Well-Known Member

    The Journal article: The “Restored” coins of Titus, Domitian and Nerva (Harold Mattingly) - The Numismatic Chronicle and Journal of the Royal Numismatic Society, Fourth Series, Vol. 20 (1920), pp. 177-207 (31 pages) - is available via JSTOR (free account) as a PDF or online readable download. It is a usual excellent Mattingly presentation. I use JSTOR, but there may be other similar facilities.
     
    galba68 likes this.
  10. randygeki

    randygeki Coin Collector

    It's a great looking coin!
     
  11. Terence Cheesman

    Terence Cheesman Well-Known Member

    As of Germanicus restored by Titus Obv Head of Germanicus left GERMANICVS CAESAR TI. AVG.F. DIVI AVG.N. Rv T. CAES. DIVI VESP. F. AVG. REST around large S. C. RIC 228 80-81 A.D. 9.20 grms 25 mm germanicus5.JPG
     
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  12. jamesicus

    jamesicus Well-Known Member

    Outstanding example, Terence! Thank you for posting that.
     
  13. jamesicus

    jamesicus Well-Known Member

    For current iteration of my web page please see below.
     
    Last edited: Sep 8, 2019
    Johndakerftw and Bing like this.
  14. jamesicus

    jamesicus Well-Known Member

    To all visitors:

    Please post pics of any “Restoration” coins (as defined here) you have in your collection.
     
  15. Jay GT4

    Jay GT4 Well-Known Member

    Ive always loved these restoration issues of Titus. This one is no longer mine but I kinda wish I kept it. Tough to find an affordable replacement.

    DrususRest.jpg

    Drusus AE As, struck under Titus.

    DRVSVS CAESAR TI AVG F DIVI AVG N
    Bare head of Drusus left

    IMP T CAES DIVI VESP F AVG P M TR P P P COS VIII RESTITVIT
    in two lines around large SC.

    Rome 80 AD
    11.03g

    Cohen 7, RIC(2) 415

    Very rare

    Ex-Londinium Coins

    Sold to Calgary Coin February 2017
     
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  16. jamesicus

    jamesicus Well-Known Member

    Excellent @Jay GT4 - thank you for posting that. I have always liked this particular issue. I also let one slip through my fingers much to my eternal regret.
     
  17. Archeocultura

    Archeocultura Well-Known Member

    II Titus 403 Augustus restoration sestertius klein 5-096.jpg This is one of my recent buys; couldn't resist this relatively rare coin.
     
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  18. jamesicus

    jamesicus Well-Known Member

    That is a great coin @Archeocultura - thank you for posting it! There is one like yours for sale on Vcoins at present:

    https://www.vcoins.com/en/stores/ma...us_restoration__a_beauty/1069293/Default.aspx

    It is of higher grade for sure but your coin is very nice indeed with REST clearly visible above the SC on the reverse - it seems that this is often completely worn off on coins of this issue.

    There is another one at:

    Fhttps://www.vcoins.com/en/stores/ro...ion_titus_ric_401_rare_vf/644217/Default.aspx
     
    Last edited: Sep 6, 2019
  19. Archeocultura

    Archeocultura Well-Known Member

    I got this one at 2% of the asking price of the V-coins coin! So, yes, mine is allowed to be of lesser quality:joyful:
     
  20. jamesicus

    jamesicus Well-Known Member

    Absolutely! In my opinion you got it at a great price.
     
    Last edited: Sep 6, 2019
  21. jamesicus

    jamesicus Well-Known Member

    Current iteration of my web page:

    The "Restored" Coins of Titus, Domitian and Nerva
    Plus information relating to the Restored coinage of Trajan

    Last updated: 8 September 2019

    [​IMG]
    AUGUSTUS, AS, RESTORATION ISSUE, 80-81 AD
    (27mm, 10.71 gm)
    RIC Volume II, Part 1 (second edition), Titus, No. 462
    Obverse depiction: Augustus, radiate head facing left
    Inscription: DIVVS AVGVSTVS PATER
    Reverse depiction: Eagle with wings spread standing on Globe
    Inscription: IMP T CAES AVG RESTITVIT - S C (above, left and right)

    Wildwinds Augustus RIC 462 [titus] text has incorrect obverse inscription DIVI AVGVSTVS PATER

    Provenance:
    Ex Ancient Resource

    [​IMG][​IMG]
    CLAUDIUS/TITUS SESTERTIUS - RESTORATION ISSUE, 80-81 AD
    (34.5mm, 23.12 gm)
    BMCRE Volume II, Rome, Titus No. 297
    RIC Volume II (1962 Edition), Rome, Titus, No. 234
    RIC Volume II, Part 1 (second edition), Titus, No. 472 (Sear No. 2601)
    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 demurely raising skirt with left hand
    Inscription: IMP T VESP AVG REST - S C (left and right)

    Sear Roman Coins and their Values (RCV 2000 Edition) Number 2601 (via Wildwinds Claudius)

    Sale: CNG, Triton XII, Lot: 555 (5 January 2009)

    Provenance:
    Ex Dr. V.J.A. Flynn Collection
    Ex Praefectus coins

    Background Notes

    Although both Restoration and Restitution are employed by modern day authors to describe this coinage, I employ Restoration here because that is the nomenclature used by Harold Mattingly in his seminal reference: THE "RESTORED" COINS OF OF TITUS, DOMITIAN AND NERVA - The Numismatic Chronicle and Journal of the Royal Numismatic Society Fourth Series, Vol. 20 (1920), pp. 177-207 (31 pages) and on which much of the information presented here is based.

    Upon assuming the purple, Vespasian adopted a policy of honoring illustrious members of the Julio-Claudian dynasty by issuing several commemorative coin types in their memory. Commemoration of the illustrious dead on coins originated during the later Republic and became an integral part of the legacy of deified Emperors.

    Titus perpetuated his father's policy of honoring the illustrious dead, by issuing commemorative coinage in a like manner. However, he now also began issuing coins that were struck using newly made dies designed to produce coins that closely resembled original coin types of the honorees but in a more contemporary style.

    It is essential to understand what original coins are being restored. For example the restored AVGUSTUS As depicted here was based on an original As struck at the Rome mint by Tiberius to honor the deified Augustus and depicts a left facing radiate bust of Augustus on the Obverse with the legend DIVVS AVGVSTVS PATER. A spead winged Eagle sitting on a Globe is depicted on the reverse with large S C left and right. This coin is cataloged in BMCRE (British Museum Coins Roman Empire), H. Mattingly, Vol. I, as Tiberius No. 155 and in RIC (Roman Imperial Coins, Spink), C.H.V. Sutherland, Vol. 1, as Tiberius No. 82. Mattingly notes that the eagle is not a Roman bird but rather a symbol of immortality (bearing the soul of Augustus toward heaven?). As restored by Titus, the obverse of this coin retains the depiction of Augustus and the legend intact. The reverse retains the original spread winged eagle depiction but the legend becomes IMP T CAES AVG RESTITVIT - S C (above, left and right) which roughly equates to "The Emperor Titus is the restorer of this coin".

    RESTITVIT is sometimes abbreviated to REST

    There are variations of these reverse titulature inscriptions throughout the Restoration coin issues.

    The above restoration became the general model used by Titus for his coin restorations, again with some variances

    Only Aes coins - As, Dupondius and Sestertius - were restored. It was essentially Senatorial coinage yet was issued by Titus. Vespasian alone determined the style and content of his commemorative coinage. Titus, however, sought input from the Senate in the design and content of the restoration coinage. Evidentally it was important to him to have the two main powers of the State jointly honor the illustrious dead in this fashion and co-operation was reinforced by the striking of "Aes" coins bearing the usual Senatorial S C (Senatus Consulto) together with the "Restoration" legend. Of course, the Emperor was the supreme authority, and the Senate was subservient to him, but the traditional Senatorial control of the "Aes" coinage still had some relevance.

    The Emperor and the Senate, acting together, selected the deceased Augusti and family members they deemed worthy of being honored by the issuance of Restored coinage - a kind of official judgment of their records. Augustus, Tiberius, Claudius, Galba - and selected family members - were included. Caligula, Nero, Otho, Vitellius - and their family members were excluded.

    The Restoration coinage of Domitian in general followed that of Titus, but the output was much lighter and appears to be restricted to a short period at the beginning of his reign.

    The Restoration coinage of Nerva is different in that it only includes two honorees: Divus Augustus and Agrippina senior.

    Trajan's Restoration/Restitution coinage was based on different criteria and he issued it in bronze, silver and gold. He also issued this coinage to honor Distinguished Republican families. There is some very interesting information relating to the Restoration/Restitution coinage of Trajan in this CNG listing. Note especially the Curtis Clay Commentary.

     
    Last edited: Sep 9, 2019
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