A Doughty Dupondius

Domitian's middle bronzes are quite affordable and can be easily found in trade. Aesthetically they are quite pleasing, especially the dupondii. My latest addition is one such coin - not too expensive and very easy on the eyes.



Domitian
Æ Dupondius, 10.34g
Rome mint, 90-91 AD
Obv: IMP CAES DOMIT AVG GERM COS XV CENS PER P P; Head of Domitian, radiate, bearded, r.
Rev: VIRTVTI AVGVSTI; S C in field; Virtus stg. r., foot on helmet, with spear and parazonium
RIC 706 (C2). BMC 446. BNC -.

The Virtus type was struck repeatedly on Domitian's middle bronze from 84 onwards. I. Carradice in his 1983 monograph on Domitian's coinage says the following concerning the type - 'Virtus is a military type, symbolic of the courage of Domitian and the mutual devotion between the army and emperor.' Virtus first appears on the coinage in the flurry of Germania Capta types that were struck soon after Domitian's German triumph. She is impressively depicted in traditional Amazon attire. This Virtus dupondius is fairly common but is oddly missing from the Paris collection.

Please feel free to post your affordable beauties.

 

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Nice example @David Atherton


DOMITIAN
AE As
OBVERSE: IMP CAES DOMIT AVG GERM COS XI CENS POT P P, laureate head right, aegis at tip of bust
REVERSE: MONETA AVGVSTI, S-C, Moneta standing left, holding scales & cornucopiae
Struck at Rome, 85AD
11.7g, 27mm
RIC 384


DOMITIAN
AE Dupondius
OBVERSE: IMP CAES DOMIT AVG GERM COS XII CENS PER P P, radiate head right
REVERSE: S-C, Mars advancing left, holding Victory & trophy
Struck at Rome, 86 AD
11.6g, 27mm
RIC 482


DOMITIAN
AE As
OBVERSE: IMP CAES DOMIT AVG GERM COS XVI CENS PER P P, laureate head right
REVERSE: MONETA AVGVSTI, Moneta standing left, holding scales and cornucopia
Struck at Rome, 92-94AD
10g, 26mm
RIC 756

 

Love the look and the reverse, great addition.

 

A fine addition! I like the colour and the artistic detail.

 

The dupondius is my favorite coin to collect. Only a bit smaller than the sestertius, with their often brassy appearance, they are beautiful but noticeably less expensive than their larger sestertius cousins and their portraits are much larger than the denarii. My avatar is dupondius.

 

Here are some of my Domitian middle bronzes that came in affordable:



Domitian (Augustus)
Coin: Bronze As
IMP CAES DOMIT AVG GERM COS XV CENS PER P P - Laureate head right
FORTVNAE AVGVSTI S-C - Fortuna standing left, holding rudder and cornucopiae.
Exergue:


Mint: Rome (90-91 AD)
Wt./Size/Axis: 10.89g / 27mm / 5h
References:
RIC II 707
Provenances:
London Ancient Coins (LAC)
Acquisition/Sale: London Ancient Coins (LAC) Internet $0.00 10/19
Notes: Nov 5, 19 - The Gary R. Wilson Collection



Domitian (Augustus)
Coin: Bronze As
IMP CAES DOMITIAN AVG GERM COS XI - Laureate bust right, wearing aegis
IOVI - CONSERVAT, S - C - Jupiter standing left, holding thunderbolt and sceptre
Exergue:


Mint: Rome (85AD)
Wt./Size/Axis: 8.84g / 26.94mm / 180
Rarity: R2-Rare
References:
RIC II 302 Rome
BMCRE 313A
Paris 336
Provenances:
Marc Breitsprecher
Acquisition/Sale: Marc R. Breitsprecher Internet $0.00 01/18
Notes: Jan 5, 19 - The Gary R. Wilson Collection



Domitian (Augustus)
Coin: Bronze As
IMP CAES DOMIT AVG GERM COS XI CENS PER P P - Bust of Domitian, laureate, right with aegis
MONETA AVGVSTI S-C - Moneta standing left, holding scales and cornucopiae.
Exergue:


Mint: Rome (85AD)
Wt./Size/Axis: 11.55g / 28mm / 180
References:
RIC II, Pt 1 (second edition) Domitian 417
Acquisition/Sale: servuscoins Ebay $0.00 11/17
Notes: Jan 22, 19 - The Gary R. Wilson Collection

 

That coin does have some nice eye appeal. Thanks for sharing!

 

Great coins everybody! Alas, I have none to add, but I do have a request. I know it's a little gauche to talk about prices paid for stuff, but, if we're going to say things are "affordable," we should get that out there. What's affordable for me is not necessarily affordable for a college student, and what's affordable for someone who bids on Eid Mar denarii isn't necessarily affordable for me.

 

Good point Paul M. I Paid $ 20 for this Domitian Virtus As, affordable ?

 

My sole Domitian did not cost an arm and a leg.





I've noticed that the portrait has a bit of an upward gaze like Constantine...

 

Wonderful acquisition @David Atherton !

I only have one so-called middle bronze of Domitian, an As, though a dupondius would be a nice addition...You are quite right about the affordability of this category for Domitian. When I saw this coin at a show, randomly among a collection of higher grade tetrarchic folles, I was pleasantly surprised by its price. I just happened to look through the box first, and others at the table asked me to see it once they saw me pull it from the box. In response, I said that I already made up my mind to purchase it...and I am sure glad that I did! It ended up being 1/5 of what I usually spend on sestertii (generally) of the same/similar grade.

 

At the last CNG auction I was bidding on two, won one and lost one that was a Dupondius, so I was trying to make up for my loss.

Do you also feel this pain when you lose or am I losing it?

A Domitian Dupondius was soon coming up. I decided to bid - and I won. It is a common one, and with a flan crack, nevertheless I liked it and it eased a bit my pain. Just hope the crack is not too deep:

Æ Dupondius, Rome, 86 AD
28.5 mm, 11.25 g
Ref.: RIC II 484; BN III, 295, 414;

Ob.: IMP CAES DOMIT AVG GERM COS XII CENS PER P P, radiate bust right wearing aegis
Rev.: VIRTVTI AVGVSTI, Virtus wearing long dress, standing right, foot on helmet, holding spear with her r. hand and parazonium with her l. hand; S C

Pictures from CNG:

​

 

The middle bronzes of Nerva, Trajan, and Hadrian are quite affordable and often very artistically rendered:


Nerva, AD 96-98.
Roman Æ as, 11.96 g, 26.3 mm, 6 h.
Rome, AD 97.
Obv: IMP NERVA CAES AVG P M TR P COS III P P, radiate head, right.
Rev: LIBERTAS PVBLICA S C, Libertas standing left, holding pileus and scepter.
Refs: RIC 86; BMCRE 131; Cohen 115; RCV --; ERIC II 152.


Hadrian, AD 117-138.
Roman Æ dupondius, 13.78 g, , 26.1 mm, 7 h.
Rome, ca. AD 119-124.
Obv: IMP CAESAR TRAIAN HADRIANVS AVG P M TR P COS III, radiate and draped bust, right.
Rev: PIETAS AVGVSTI, Pietas, veiled, draped, standing facing right before a lighted altar, raising her right hand and holding a box of incense in her left.
Refs: RIC 601c; BMCRE 1233-34; Cohen 1044; Strack 542; RCV 3665; Hill 257.

 

Nice, @David Atherton ...

I have always enjoyed my Dupondius of his father.

His 's'-eating grin emulates his personality and is fitting to Felicitas on the reverse.


Vespasian, AD 69-79
Æ Dupondius, 12.2g, 27mm, 6h; Rome mint, AD 73.
Obv.: IMP CAES VESP AVG PM TP COS IIII CENS; Radiate head left.
Rev.: Felicitas standing left, holding caduceus and cornucopia, S - C
Reference: RIC II 539(b), p. 78
Ex: @John Anthony