My latest coin is an As from the Restoration series struck by Titus. In hand the piece is quite appealing. Tiberius, Restored by Titus Æ As, 10.16g Rome mint, 80-81 AD Obv: TI CAESAR DIVI AVG F AVGVST IMP VIII; Head of Tiberius, bare, l. Rev: IMP T CAES DIVI VESP F AVG REST; S C in centre RIC 432 (C). BMC -. BNC 294. Acquired from Ken Dorney, May 2021. Ex James Pickering Collection. Titus struck an extensive restoration series of bronze coins of Flavian approved past emperors and imperial family members which reproduced the original coins in their entirety. While this veneration of past coinages was not a new idea (Vespasian copied past types on many reverses for the precious metal issues) it was quite an innovation to copy both the obverse and reverse of these past coinages. To do so likely had a dual purpose - one, to recoin types that were being recalled or falling out of circulation and to keep their memory alive, and secondly to link the Flavian house with those past revered personages. The meaning is quite clear on the reverse with Titus declaring he has restored (REST) the coin. This restoration As struck for Tiberius copies a familiar type originally struck by both Augustus and Tiberius as emperor. From a modern point of view the choice of the coin's subject for restoration is puzzling. Long before Suetonius's infamous swimming pool scene in his Life of Tiberius immortalised Tiberius as a sexual deviant, he apparently was considered in Flavian times as one of the 'good' emperors worthy of remembering, despite his lack of deification. Please feel free to share your coins of Tiberius.
Before Tiberius, Augustus issued the same type. On the death of Augustus, some of these coins were updated with a countermark TIBerius Caesar Augustus Filius.
Great looking coin, David. I own no Restoration coins. My favorite Tiberius, even over my Tet. Tiberius & Drusus ( 14 - 37 A.D.) AR Drachm CAPPADOCIA, Caesarea-Eusebia O: [TI C]AES AVG PM TRP XXXV, Laureate head of Tiberius right. R: DRVSVS CAES TI] AVG F COS II R P, Head of Drusus left. Caesarea in Cappadocia mint 33- 34 A.D. 3.47g 19mm RIC I 87; RPC I 3622. Syd 46
The coin isn't "good" in this case, but Tiberius is shown being good - helping out Sardes after an earthquake: Tiberius & Livia Æ 18 Sardes, Lydia (c. 17-37 A.D.) ΣEBAΣTOΣ KAIΣAΡEΩN ΣAΡΔIANΩN, Tiberius, togate, standing left, Tyche kneeling r. / ΣEBAΣTH IOYΛIOΣ KΛEΩN KAI MEMNΩN, Livia as Ceres seated right, with sceptre & grain. RPC 2991; SNG Cop. 515. (4.61 grams / 18 x 16 mm) Note: Commemorating the financial assistance to Sardes after the earthquake of 17 A.D.
Tiberius denarius with Livia as Pax. Tribute penny type: ex Davisson's Mark 12: 13-17 And they send unto him certain of the Pharisees and of the Herodians, to catch him in his words. And when they were come, they say unto him, Master, we know that thou art true, and carest for no man: for thou regardest not the person of men, but teachest the way of God in truth: Is it lawful to give tribute to Caesar, or not? Shall we give, or shall we not give? But he, knowing their hypocrisy, said unto them, Why tempt ye me? bring me a penny, that I may see it. And they brought it. And he saith unto them, Whose is this image and superscription? And they said unto him, Caesar's. And Jesus answering said unto them, Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and to God the things that are God's. And they marvelled at him.
This coin isn’t quite a “restoration” issue, but it’s part of a series from Alexandria which Nero put out to emphasize his connection to the other Julio-Claudian emperors: Nero, Tetradrachm, Alexandria, (22 mm, 13.54g), 66-67 AD, NEPΩ KΛAY KAIΣ ΣEB ΓEP AY, Radiate bust of Nero to left, wearing aegis; Rev. TIBEPIOΣ KAIΣAP, Radiate head of Tiberius to right. RPC I 5295
Interesting coin @David Atherton! Makes one wonder if Tiberius was not that bad after all? I don't have bronzes of Tiberius, nor restitution issues, but I'll add a scarcer denarius type of Tiberius:
