How's that for alliteration? Still waiting on a few coins to arrive before the end of the year but I don't think they'd make my Best of list, at least not today. Here are my top coins for 2020: #10 I love the portrait and patina of this one. Doesn't hurt that it was misattributed: https://www.forumancientcoins.com/gallery/displayimage.php?pos=-162892 CAES DIVI AVG VESP F DOMITIAN COS VII Laureate head left SC Minerva standing left with thunderbold and spear, shield at her side Rome 80-81 AD 9.63g RIC 315 (R2) (improperly attibuted as RIC 346) #9 A very rare type for Vespasian with bare head. Missing from many collections, this one was again misattributed. https://www.forumancientcoins.com/gallery/displayimage.php?pos=-163731 IMP CAESAR VESPASIANVS AVG Bare head left PON MAX TR P COS VII Pax seated left with branch Rome 76 AD 3.12g RIC 853 (R2) A very rare issue with bare head rather than the usual laureate. #8 A very rare coin by Agrippa II for Titus. https://www.forumancientcoins.com/gallery/displayimage.php?pos=-166046 AVTOK TITOC KAICAP CЄBAC Laureate head of Titus right Victory advancing right, holding wreath and palm; ЄT-KϚ BA (date) across upper fields; AΓ-PIΠ across lower fields. Caesarea Panias mint. Struck in regnal year 26 (AD 74/5). 11.25g Meshorer 160b very rare. 3 examples on acsearch. Same dies as CNG 91, lot 679. #7 One that hits two of my collecting interests...Mark Antony and the Flavians. From the Andrew Short collection https://www.forumancientcoins.com/gallery/displayimage.php?pos=-166458 T CAESAR IMP VESPASIANVS Laureate head of Titus right. COS VI Prow of galley right, sides ornameted with intricate cross-hatch and maeander patterns; above, star with sixteen rays. Rome, 77-78 CE 3.25g RIC 950 (R); Reverse copied from a Mark Antony denarius Ex: Incitatus Coins; Ex-Andrew Short Collection #6 Another rarity that was misattributed https://www.forumancientcoins.com/gallery/displayimage.php?pos=-166480 IMP CAESAR DOMITIANVS AVG Laureate head right TR P COS VII Dolphin coiled around anchor Rome, September 13-December 31 81 CE 3.38g RIC 2 (R) Ex-Gatewest coins #5 Listed as common, this one is actually quite scarce and hard to come by in trade. None for sale anywhere when I was looking. https://www.forumancientcoins.com/gallery/displayimage.php?pos=-166596 IMP CAESAR VESPASIANVS AVG Laureate head right PON MAX TR P COS VI Victory standing left on prow, with wreath and palm Rome 75 CE 2.97g RIC 777 (C2) Ex-Coin Cabinet #4 An early portrait for Vespasian https://www.forumancientcoins.com/gallery/displayimage.php?pos=-162162 IMP CAESAR VESPASIANVS AVG Laureate head right COS ITER TR POT Mars advancing right with spear and Aquila Rome, January- June 70 AD RIC 23 (C) 3.36g Ex-Gert Boersema; Ex-Col. Franz Pouwel, Netherlands #3 Another rarity for Vespasian copied from an earlier issue by Augustus https://www.forumancientcoins.com/gallery/displayimage.php?pos=-166595 IMP CAESAR VESP AVG Laureate head right COS V Laurel trees upright Rome 74 CE 3.03g RIC 681 (R) Antiquarian type copying the denarius of Octavian #2 Nothing needs to be said about the historical importance of these types, common though they are: https://www.forumancientcoins.com/gallery/displayimage.php?pos=-167044 IMP CAES VESPASIAN AVG PM TR P P P COS III Laureate head right IVDAEA CAPTA SC (in exergue) Palm tree; to left, captive standing right; to right, Judaea seated right on cuirass; both figures surrounded by arms Rome, 71 AD 24.22g; 36mm RIC 159 (C3) #1 This one made it to number 1 because I considered the previous owner a friend. He was often misunderstood online and some didn't believe he owned the incredible coins he continually posted. I got his sense of humor and had the pleasure of helping him edit some of his photos. It was a wonderful collection and I'm glad to own one coin from the "Benito" collection: https://www.forumancientcoins.com/gallery/displayimage.php?pos=-166452 CAES AVG F DOMIT COS II Laureate head of Domitian right No legend Domitian on horseback prancing left, right hand raised, holding human-headed (helmet) sceptre in left Rome 73 AD 3.40g RIC 680 (C); Sear 2627 Ex-CNG eAuction 478 lot 395; Ex-Benito collection The reverse depicts Domitian participating in the Judaea Capta triumph of 71 A.D. He is, as Josephus described him, riding alongside in magnificent apparel and mounted on a horse that was itself a site worth seeing. In actuality there is no real order to these coins. In fact I left several off the list. It's just the way I view them today. Tomorrow it could be a completely different line up of Fantastic Flavian favorites from 2020.
I definitely go for the serpentine Dolphin! Didn't the Romans know that dolphins were not, in fact, related to snakes..
WOW Jay, you had an excellent year. My fave is the RIC 853 with the bare head portrait. There are only 2 types of denarii that use the bare headed portrait of Vespasian; RIC 773 and RIC 853. These are really rare. I love them all!
Great coins! Id love to own a Vespasian iudaea capta sestertius one day! Due to eye appeal, your no. 1 is a beauty and my favorite.
Thanks everyone for your kind words. This one didn't make the list and came 2 days before the one above... IMP CAES VESPASIAN AVG PM TR P P P COS III Laureate head right IVDAEA CAPTA SC in exergue Palm tree; to left Vespasian standing right with spear and parazonium, foot on helmet; to right Judaea seated right Rome, 71 AD 22.69g; 32mm RIC 167 (C3) Ex-Ritter (mis-attributed as RIC 159; two captives) A decent example of a common but sought after type. Nice big coin with major devices visible. Better in hand.
Great coins, Jay! Sometimes I wish I were a Flavian collector. I need at least one jaw-dripping Sestertius. Maybe 2021 will be the year!
No wonder I can't find Flavian coins, expecially Titus. Too many Flavian collectors! I like 'em all and can't figure which to pick to be better than the others.
Flavian Fantastics that's what I would call them Jay, two that stand out are your numbers 10 & 1, 10 for it's great portrait and one for being a stunning Denarius both have great eye appeal. congrats on what looks like a great year of collecting.
I like them all. My favorite is No. 1 with Domitian on horseback on the reverse -- it's amazing. Next for me is No. 5, the Vespasian with Victory standing on a prow on the reverse. There's something about Vespasian's portrait that I really love -- perhaps the combination of that face with his hair sticking up in little bristles on top.
A solid list Jay! A nice mix of rarities and iconic types. #9 is my favourite - fantastically rare and aesthetically pleasing.