I have a fondness for Domitian's first year bronzes, which are somewhat overshadowed by the contemporaneous massive denarius issues. Recently I came across this fine example. Domitian Æ As, 11.10g Rome mint, 81 AD Obv: IMP CAES DIVI VESP F DOMITIAN AVG P M; Head of Domitian, laureate, bearded, r. Rev: TR P COS VII DES VIII P P; S C in field; Minerva adv. r., with spear and shield RIC 87 (C). BMC 269. BNC 279. Acquired from Ken Dorney, March 2021. A common As from Domitian's first bronze issue struck in late 81. The reverse features his patron deity Minerva in a design which would later become more familiar on his denarii. It is likely based on a cult image. For comparison, here is the same Minerva type struck for a denarius. Domitian AR Denarius, 2.98g Rome mint, 86 AD Obv: IMP•CAES DOMIT AVG GERM P M TR P V; Head of Domitian, laureate, bearded, r. Rev: IMP XII COS XII CENS P P P; Minerva adv. r., with spear and shield (M1) RIC 435 (R). BMC 93. RSC 201b. BNC 97. Ex Dionysos, eBay, April 2016. Do you have a coin type that is more commonly seen on another denomination? If so, I'd like to see it!
Just got one of these. Mine's not nearly as nice as yours, @David Atherton The only thing about it I thought a bit noteworthy was the very large obverse lettering - I looked at quite a few of them, and this one was the only one I could find with such large lettering. At first I thought it might be an Eastern mint, which got my tail wagging, but no such thing exists for this issue. The portrait looks more Vespasian than Domitian too, but that might be from the gloppy patina it is afflicted with. Domitian Æ As (81 A.D.) Rome Mint IMP CA[ES] DIVI VESP F DOMITIAN A[VG P M], laureate head right / TR P COS VII [DES VIII P] P, S-C, Minerva advancing right, brandishing spear and holding round shield on left RIC II.1 (2nd) 87; BMCRE 268. (10.38 grams / 28 x 24 mm) eBay June 2023
Nice coins all! Here is my Domitian Minerva denarius. Domitian, 81-96 Denarius 92-93, AR 18.5mm., 3.40g. Laureate head r. Rev. Minerva standing r. on capital of rostral column, brandishing spear and holding round shield; at feet to right, owl standing facing. RIC 740. C 281.
Here's a Provincial Domitian from Anazarbos (sorry, I've probably posted before). You can't see Minerva on this one because she's still inside Zeus/Jupiter. Later, she'll burst forth from his head (usually with the help of Vulcan), fully clad in the armor that her mother, Metis, forged while inside Zeus' belly. (Zeus ate the pregnant Metis to keep Athena/Minerva from being born and overthrowing him. Didn't work!) (Lindgren I 2192 [corr.] = Lindgren III 773 = Ziegler 73.3 = RPC I [Supplement 1: p. 50], 5146 ["Delete"!] = RPC II 1750.2 = this coin)
I have read that Domitianus had "a thing" for Minerva... Here is a sestertius I have depicting Domitian worshipping at Minervas temple.