A rare Titus...it is also a RIC plate coin

Discussion in 'Ancient Coins' started by Orfew, Jan 12, 2020.

  1. Orfew

    Orfew Draco dormiens nunquam titillandus

    I am very excited about this one. It is R3-only one known by the authors of RIC. However, I know of one other. It sold in a Pegasi bid or buy auction in 2017. It is the coin in the acsearch results. Rarity is one thing but when the coin is a RIC plate coin-that gets me excited.

    RSC makes reference to the Ashmolean museum regarding this coin. Since until recently there was only 1 known I guess that makes my coin the Oxford coin.

    Many thanks to our own @Jay GT4 for alerting me to this coin when it popped up on Forum. I immediately purchased it by layaway.

    Please post your plate coins or your ultra rarities.


    RS92923 Titus Silver denarius, 74 CE
    RIC II-2 695 [VESP] (R3, this coin), RSC II 161a, BMCRE II -, SRCV I -, Cohen I -, Hunter I -,
    aVF/F, toned, nice portrait, reverses slightly off center, Rome mint, weight 3.160g, maximum diameter 19.3mm, die axis 180o, as caesar,
    Obv: T CAESAR IMP VESP counter-clockwise from lower right, laureate head right;
    Rev: PONTIF TR POT (priest, holder of Tribunitian power) counter-clockwise from lower right, Titus seated right on curule chair, long scepter vertical in right hand, palm branch in extended left hand;
    this is the RIC plate coin! no recorded sales of the type on Coin Archives for the last two decades; extremely rare


    Screen Shot 2020-01-12 at 6.03.34 PM.png
     
  2. Avatar

    Guest User Guest



    to hide this ad.
  3. Jay GT4

    Jay GT4 Well-Known Member

    Don't thank me too much, if I had the money it would be in my collection! :D Seriously I'm glad you made the decision to buy it so quickly. It's amazing when the coin you own is the actual coin in the references.

    20200112_201338.jpg
     
  4. dougsmit

    dougsmit Member

    Under what circumstances was it deaccessioned?
     
  5. Orfew

    Orfew Draco dormiens nunquam titillandus

    Sorry Doug, I do not know. I would love to know more about the history of this coin.
     
  6. Bing

    Bing Illegitimi non carborundum Supporter

  7. Jay GT4

    Jay GT4 Well-Known Member

    RIC says it is "L File" which means British Museum, London but from "other records, photographs or cast". I take that to mean it may not have actually been in the BM collection.
     
  8. Orfew

    Orfew Draco dormiens nunquam titillandus

    Thanks Jay, I read that in RIC as well. Maybe that means that this coin was photographed while it was a part of the Ashmolean collection. I guess that also means there is no example in the British museum.
     
  9. Jay GT4

    Jay GT4 Well-Known Member

    Send an email to Carradice, maybe he has a note on this one. I believe he told me that he no longer has access to the actual BM collection.
     
  10. Roman Collector

    Roman Collector Well-Known Member

    Wow, @Orfew ! Quite an acquisition for your collection!! Congrats!

    Plate coin:

    [​IMG]
    Annia Faustina, 3rd wife of Elagabalus, Augusta, 221 CE.
    Isinda, Pisidia; AE 25.0 mm, 8.55 gm
    Obv: ANNIAN FAVCTEINAN, Dr. bust of Faustina r.
    Rev: Confronted heads of Serapis and Isis, in field, E-Delta (yr. 4 ).
    Refs: Ex Lindgren I A1322A, ex von Aulock, Pisidia I 833 (Plate coin for both references).

    Here is the info from Lindgren I:

    [​IMG]
    [​IMG]
     
  11. Parthicus Maximus

    Parthicus Maximus Well-Known Member

    Congrats with this rarity! Maybe a strange question, but what exactly makes this coin rare, the obverse or reverse legend or something else?
     
  12. Orfew

    Orfew Draco dormiens nunquam titillandus

    No, that is not strange at all. Thanks for the question.

    This reverse legend occurs on only 5 types-1 for Vespasian and 4 for Titus as Caesar. Of the 5, 3 are aurei-1 for Vespasian and 2 for Titus as Caesar. This means there are only 2 denarii of this type (RIC 694 and RIC 695). Both of these are rare. RIC 694 is rated R2 (very few examples known) and RIC 695 is R3 (one example known).

    Strangely, 2 of the aurei are actually rated as much more common than the denarii. RIC 696 is rated C and 707 is rated C as well. Of these 2 only RIC 696 has the same reverse legend of the denarii. The other aureus is for Vespasian (RIC 687) and is rated as R3.

    To sum up, there are only 3 types which are for Titus as Caesar that have this reverse legend and this obverse legend (RIC 694, 695, and 696). The obverse legend is T CAESAR IMP VESP. There are only 8 types which use this obverse legend. 3 of those include RIC 694, 695, and 696. Among the 8 types 2 are aurei and the rest are denarii.

    I hope this helps.
     
  13. ancient coin hunter

    ancient coin hunter 3rd Century Usurper

    Nice pick-up. It's great when one can find and acquire a legacy coin like this one.
     
    Orfew likes this.
  14. David Atherton

    David Atherton Flavian Fanatic

    Superb addition Andrew! I've been on the hunt for a V695 for over a decade, I guess I was too slow checking Forvm' s catalogue!

    At least it's going to a good home. Congrats!
     
    Jay GT4 and Orfew like this.
  15. Jay GT4

    Jay GT4 Well-Known Member

    Slow also checking email! :) but I agree, glad it went to one of you!
     
  16. Nemo

    Nemo Well-Known Member

    That is an awesome acquisition, likely once in a lifetime. Congrats!
     
    Orfew likes this.
Draft saved Draft deleted

Share This Page