My latest addition has a lot of neat things going on with it. Firstly, it's a handsome Vespasian Fortuna sestertius with a rare variant bust left (all his sestertii with left busts are indeed quite scarce). And secondly, according to the seller, it is a Cayón plate coin (Cayón 39). It's also in fine style and near EF condition. Æ Sestertius, 26.08g Rome mint, 71 AD Obv: IMP CAES VESPASIAN AVG P M TR P P P COS III; Head of Vespasian, laureate, l. Rev: FORTVNAE REDVCI; S C in exergue; Fortuna stg. l., with branch and rudder on globe, and cornucopiae RIC 158 (R2). BMC 757. BNC-. Acquired from Praefectus Coins, February 2020. Vespasian struck a massive bronze issue in 71 which easily dwarfs any other of the reign. The issue is dominated by the Judaea Capta series, but many other important themes are employed by the mint. This Fortuna reverse carries an important propaganda message concerning the safe return of the imperial household. Mattingly in BMCRE explains it as 'the Fortuna who brings Titus home in June 71; the branch which she holds, beside her own rudder and cornucopiae, is either the olive branch of Pax or the laurel of the home-returning conqueror.' Titus had been absent from Rome completing the successful siege of Jerusalem and was en route home in Spring 71. Additionally, the coin came slabbed. Needless to say it is free from the plastic tomb! I do not have access to Cayón to double check the attribution. If anyone can be of help I would supremely appreciate it!
I just catalogued this example, which I wish was as nice as yours. I can't help with Cayón as I only have volume III
That's a beauty. By the way, aren't you the guy who was only collecting Flavian's silver not so long ago ???
Yes, that would be me. A year and a half ago I took the plunge into bronze as well and couldn't be happier. My new collecting focus is to systematically collect silver and representatively collect bronze of the Flavian dynasty. Hopefully I can put together a collection of some interest with those goals as a guide.
Oh yeah. Thanks for the reminder. I was stuck with Banti in my head. Unfortunately I sold my Cayon years ago (https://cngcoins.com/Coin.aspx?CoinID=307498). Barry
It's a tough reference to locate. I would love to have vol I, but would likely not get much practical use out of it.
Thanks to @curtislclay I now have confirmation that the coin is indeed a Cayón plate coin. Also, he provided this additional provenance: Santamaria, 4 June 1952, Signorelli Collection Part II, lot 1256.