USPS domestic mail has been agonisingly slow over the last week or so. But this neat little rarity made it through the postal gauntlet today! Vespasian Æ As, 12.50g Tarraco(?) mint, 70 AD Obv: IMP CAESAR VESPASIANVS AVG; Head of Vespasian, laureate, r. Rev: S C in field; COS ITER FORT RED; Fortuna, draped, standing l.,setting r. hand on prow and holding cornucopiae in l. hand RIC 1323 (R). BMC -. BNC 798. Acquired from eBay, December 2020. Spain declared for Vespasian late in 69 after the second battle of Cremona in October. Spanish mints immediately began striking coinage in all metals for Vespasian, with perhaps Tarraco being the main mint of the province. The early aes coinage copies many of the reverse designs seen on the precious metals at Rome, as is the case with this Fortuna type. All the coins from the issue are quite rare indicating they were not struck for any length of time, perhaps only to address a shortage of bronze coinage in the region. FORT RED - 'Fortuna the home-bringer' alludes to Vespasian's safe return to Rome in October 70. Most of the Vespasianic coins seen in trade from Spain are denarii, very few bronze coins ever surface. For comparison, here is the Rome mint denarius of the type. Vespasian AR Denarius, 3.17g Rome mint, January - June 70 AD Obv: IMP CAESAR VESPASIANVS AVG; Head of Vespasian, laureate, r. Rev: COS ITER FORT RED; Fortuna, draped, standing l.,setting r. hand on prow and holding cornucopiae in l. hand RIC 19 (C). BMC 7. RSC 84. BNC 7. Acquired from Beast Coins, March 2005. Please post your bronzes that copy precious metal designs, or vice versa!
Wow David...nice catch. I do believe this is the first time I have ever seen this reverse on a bronze Flavian coin.
