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<p>[QUOTE=&quot;Orfew, post: 2860800, member: 74968&quot;]That Aureus is superb!</p><p><br /></p><p>Here are my more pedestrian coins of Vespasian. I have more coins of Vespasian in my collection than of any other emperor.</p><p><br /></p><p>Vespasian, 69-79 A.D. AR Denarius, 3.16g. 21.41mm. Rome, 73 A.D.</p><p>Obv:&nbsp; IMP CAES VESP AVG CENS. Laureate head of Vespasian to right.</p><p>Rev: MAXIM PONTIF. Nemesis walking to right holding caduceus over snake.</p><p>C 385, RIC 544. SRCV I (2000) 2304</p><p>Ex: E. E. Clain-Stefanelli collection. Ex: Numismatica Ars Classica - Auction 92 Part 2, Lot 2133 May 24, 2016; Ex: Ed Waddell</p><p>Coin depicted in the Wildwinds.com database.</p><p><br /></p><p>This denarius of Vespasian is interesting because of the reverse. The reverse features Nemesis walking with a snake. This reverse was also used earlier by Claudius. In fact, Vespasian revived many of the earlier coin types for his own coinage.</p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p>The other interesting fact about this denarius is the provenance. This coin once belonged to E. E. Clain-Stefanelli. She&nbsp; was senior Curator of the National Numismatic Collection in the Numismatics Division of the National Museum of American History, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, DC. She also published works concerning ancient coins and their history.</p><p><br /></p><p>[ATTACH=full]681157[/ATTACH] </p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p>Vespasian. AD 69-79. AR Denarius Rome mint. Struck AD 74.</p><p>(18.47 mm, 3.39 g, 6h).</p><p>Obv: IMP CAESAR VESP AUG Laureate head right</p><p>Rev: PONTIF MAXIM Vespasian seated right, holding scepter and branch.</p><p>RIC II 685; BMCRE pg. 27 ; RSC 386. SRCV 1 (2000) 2305.</p><p>Ex: J. Eric Engstrom Collection</p><p>Ex: CNG E-auction 373, Lot 366 April 20, 2016</p><p><br /></p><p>I like collecting interesting coins of Vespasian. While not as rare as my examples already posted, this one is certainly not all that easy to find either. What attracted me to this coin was the dark toning. I really like the way the highlights on the portrait and the figure on the reverse seem to come to life against the darker background.</p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p>This coin is an example where the emperor is featured on both sides of the coin. His portrait is on the obverse, but he is pictured seated on the reverse. This coin has plenty of detail left on both sides. I also really like that the full legend on both the obverse and reverse are preserved. The legend &quot;Maxim Pontiff&quot; refers to Vespasian&#039;s role as chief priest of the empire.</p><p>[ATTACH=full]681156[/ATTACH] </p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p>Vespasian (69-79). AR Denarius (18.08mm, 3.50g, 6h). Rome, AD 75.</p><p>Obv: Bare head l. R IMP CEASAR VESPASIANUS AUG</p><p>Rev: Pax seated l., resting l. elbow on throne and holding branch.</p><p>PON MAX TRP COS VI</p><p>RIC II 773 (this coin); RSC –. Extremely Rare variety, near VF.</p><p>Ex Vecchi sale 13, 1998, 757.</p><p>Ex: St Paul Antiques auction 7 Lot 285 June 11, 2017</p><p>Coin depicted in the Wildwinds.com database.</p><p><br /></p><p>Vespasian ruled Rome for 10 years, and he was the last emperor in the year of the four emperors. His rule brought stability to the empire. He was famous for his military response to the Jewish revolt, and for the construction of the Flavian amphitheater. The looting of Jerusalem provided the funding for this building project. The colosseum was completed by his son Titus who became emperor after the death of Vespasian. The Flavian era had three emperors, Vespasian, his son Titus and his other son Domitian.</p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p>While this coin is worn, please take note of the bare head of Vespasian. There are only 2 known coin types that feature Vespasian with a bare head, all others are laureate. For one coin type there are several examples known to exist. For the coin type displayed below, this coin is the only one to have surfaced so far. The reference Roman Imperial Coinage II Part 1 refers to this coin but does not have a photo of the coin.</p><p><br /></p><p>[ATTACH=full]681158[/ATTACH] </p><p>Egypt, Alexandria. Dattari. Vespasian, 69-79 Diobol circa 70-71 (year 3), Æ</p><p>( 26.5mm., 9.15g.)</p><p>Obv: Laureate head r.</p><p>&nbsp;Rev. Bust of Isis r.; in front, LΓ. RPC 2430 (this coin cited). Dattari-Savio Pl. 14, 382 (this coin).</p><p>Brown tone. Very Fine.</p><p><i>From the Dattari collection.</i></p><p>Naville Numismatics Auction #30, Lot 283, April 02, 2017.</p><p>Coin depicted in the Wildwinds.com database.</p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p>I really like the look of this coin. I also like that it was in the Dattari collection. It is also the plate coin for this issue in Dattari-Salvio.</p><p><br /></p><p>[ATTACH=full]681159[/ATTACH] </p><p><br /></p><p>Roman Empire, Vespasian 69-79, Denarius,</p><p>(17.49 mm&nbsp; 3.24g)</p><p>Obv: Laureate head of Vespasian right &quot;IMP CAESAR VESPAS AVG COS II TRPPP&quot; Rev: &quot;AVG&quot; within an wreath, Phi-Alpha monogram above ties. &quot;AVG&quot; in the center. RIC 1414. Ephesos mint, Some roughness on the reverse.</p><p>Ex Savoca Auction #9, lot 533 8/21/16, realized 350 Euro + buyer&#039;s fee</p><p>Lot 152 Aegean Nuismatics Agora Auctions July 20. 2017.</p><p>Coin depicted in the Wildwinds.com database</p><p><br /></p><p>Yes, this is yet another denarius of Vespasian. I like his coins for the variety they offer. There are many interesting reverses on his coinage. this one has an exceptional portrait. You might notice a difference in the portrait style of the denarius when compared to other denarii of Vespasian. This coin was minted in Ephesus. Apparently, the engravers that worked in that mint included some masters of the art. Compare the portrait style to the Rome mint denarii I posted earlier on this blog.</p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p>The other interesting thing abut this coin is the reverse. It only has very simple design elements, the wreath and the title AVG forAugustus. Yet there is a real elegance to this reverse for all of its simplicity. There are other Vespasian denarii with this reverse, but my example is one of the rarer examples.</p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p>As long as there are interesting and artistic example such as this one, I will continue to add Vespasian&#039;s denarii to my collection.</p><p>[ATTACH=full]681160[/ATTACH][/QUOTE]</p><p><br /></p>

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