Just landed a Domitian white whale UPDATE

I am absolutely thrilled that I won the following coin. It is a left facing bust of Domitian with a reverse that features the secular games. I wanted a secular games denarius for a while but I wanted a special one. This coin fits the bill because it also has the left facing bust. I believe this might be the 6th known specimen of this coin. The coin has one more thing going for it...a pedigree. It was a part of the "Morris Collection". I think the collector's real name has been mentioned on here before.

When I started to focus my collection on the Flavians I did not think I would ever own a left facing Domitian denarius. This one makes 3...so far.


This will be an important addition to my collection. Please post your own white whales that you have captured.

 

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6th known? Well hot dang, that's cool!

 

Outstanding acquisition @Orfew. Both the obverse and reverse. Glad it is in good hands.

 

Great catch bro. You're on quite a roll! Bonus, it looks like the RIC plate coin!

 

That's awesome!

 

Thanks @Jay GT4 and @Roman Collector

Jay I think you are right. It looks like the RIC plate coin to me as well. That would be amazing.

 

Die match, flan shape and the nics on the edge...same coin!

 

Great coin! Congrats on the score, and what a sweet bonus that it’s a RIC plate coin!

 

The question is...do you take such a rare and important coin out of the plastic tomb?

 

Good question Jay. I admit that I do not know what I will do yet.

 

That's a mighty cool reverse! Coingrats

 

Here's my RIC 596 which has the more common right facing portrait. Even though it's listed as C2 they're tough to come by in nice condition.


RIC 0596 Domitian Denarius

IMP CAES DOMIT AVG GERM P M TR P VIII
laureate head right.

COS XIIII LVD SAEC FEC
herald advancing left, wearing feathered cap, holding wand with right hand and shield with left.

Rome mint.
Struck 14 September-31 December 88 AD

3.5g

RIC II 596 (C2); BMCRE 131-2; BN 120-1; RSC 76/77.

Ex-Tom Vossen

 

That is a nice one Jay. Like @TIF I really like the reverse.

Here is an excerpt that mentions the heralds like the one on this reverse with a wand and shield.

"Some days before they commenced, heralds were sent about to invite the people to a spectacle which no one had ever beheld, and which no one would ever behold again. Hereupon the quindecemviri distributed, upon the Capitol and the Palatine, among the Roman citizens, torches, sulphur, and bitumen, by which they were to purify themselves. In the same places, and on the Aventine in the temple of Diana, the people received wheat, barley, and beans, which were to be offered at night-time to the Parcae, or according to others, were given as pay to the actors in the dramatic representations which were performed during the festive days. The festival took place in summer, and lasted for three days and three nights. On the first day the games commenced in the Tarentum, and sacrifices were offered to Jupiter, Juno, Neptune, Minerva, Venus, Apollo, Mercury, Ceres, Vulcan, Mars, Diana, Vesta, Hercules, Latona, the Parcae, and to Dis and Proserpina. The solemnities began at the second hour of the night, and the emperor opened them by the river side with the sacrifice of three lambs to the Parcae upon three altars erected for the purpose, and which were sprinkled with the blood of the victims. The lambs themselves were burnt. A temporary scene like that of a theatre was erected in the Tarentum, and illuminated with lights and fires" http://penelope.uchicago.edu/Thayer/E/Roman/Texts/secondary/SMIGRA*/Ludi_Saeculares.html

 

That's an amazing rarity! With an beautiful portrait. The provenance looks also interesting.

I am happy for you that something you thought was impossible has happened.
There are not many more left bust denarii for Domitian known than the ones you already have, right?

I would personally like to add one of these saecular games types, but they are hard to find in my price range.

 

Nice pick up, @Orfew! I had my eye on that one (as a secular games denarius enthusiast), but landed the Augustus secular cippus (RIC I 355) earlier in the auction.

 

I'm really glad you got that one. And it does appear to be the RIC plate coin.

My example shares the same obverse die.

Domitian
AR Denarius, 2.60g
Rome mint, 88 AD
Obv: IMP CAES DOMIT AVG GERM P M TR P VIII; Head of Domitian, laureate, bearded, l.
Rev: COS XIIII LVD SAEC FEC; Herald adv. l., with wand and shield
RIC 597 (R2). BMC 133 var. RSC - (cf. 77a). BNC -.
Acquired from Michael Trenerry, August 2017.

Now all you need is a RIC 597A.


Domitian
AR Denarius, 2.96g
Rome mint, 88 AD
Obv: IMP CAES DOMITIAN AVG GERM P M TR P VIII; Head of Domitian, laureate, bearded, l.
Rev: COS XIIII LVD SAEC FEC; Herald adv. l., with wand and shield
RIC 597A (R2). BMC -. RSC -. BNC -.
Ex Gemini X, 13 January 2013, Harry N. Sneh collection, lot 728.

BTW, break it out of the slab!

 

Thanks for the confirmation David. This coin shall be treasured.

I love the 597A. Is that the only one known?

 

No, the RIC II Addenda cites my specimen and one sold by G&N. So, only two known so far.

 

Sorry for the delay in responding, I have been busy at work. There are hundreds of denarius types listed for Domitian as either Caesar or Augustus. As for the left facing denarii there are 3 types for Domitian as Caesar and 14 for Domitian as Augustus. I believe all of them are either R2 (very few examples known) or R3 (one example known).