I have wanted one of these for a while. Many think the elephant on the reverse means that this coin was commemorating the opening of the coliseum. Whatever the meaning it is a cool coin. I have noticed these are very popular. I have seen the prices for these rise on the last several month. I would love to have one in better condition but this will serve for now. I like this coin with the left facing portrait on the reverse. While this type is not rare, it is interesting. Please post your coins with elephants. Ttitus AR denarius 80 CE Obv: Head Laureate left; IMP TITUS CAES VESPASIAN AVG PM Rev: Elephant standing left RIC 116 Purchased from CGB February 10 2021
Nice @Orfew I have also seen that prices for some Flavians has gone up quite a lot as you say, especially for this type and Judea capta coins. Yours looks like an elephant I've seen several versions with more of a weird mouse-like kind of a creature.
Hi @Orfew, if the deposits bother you so much that you regard it as a placeholder,: this specimen will clean up rather nicely imho. It's a combination of horn silver and copper deposits.
I think that's more than a placeholder! It's in perfectly nice condition, especially considering that this type doesn't come up that often. So, congratulations. I've posted before about my fondness for ancient coins with animal reverses, and have wanted one like yours since I first saw the type more than a year ago. In fact, I just ordered one myself -- from Germany, no less, even after vowing not to order coins from that country again until the mail service returns to something approaching normality. I won't post a photo here until I receive it, though -- I'm trying to prepare myself mentally not to see it for a few months anyway, and don't want to jinx things further!
This my only ancient depicting an elephant, on the reverse. Athens, tetradrachm, Antiochus, 163-162 BC. Thompson 396d ex Harlan Berk, early 90's 16.8 grams
Lovely coin @Orfew ! I don't have any elephants. Only a dirty, smelly camel from the Roman Republic M. Aemilius Scaurus and P. Plautius Hypsaeus AR Denarius. Rome, 58 BC. Obv: M•SCAVR AED CVR, kneeling figure right (King Aretas of Nabataea), holding olive branch and reins of camel beside him; EX-S•C across fields, REX ARETA in exergue Rev: [P•HVPSAE] AED CVR, Jupiter in quadriga left, holding reins in left hand and hurling thunderbolt with right; scorpion below horses; CAPTV on right; C HVPSAE COS PREIVE in exergue. Crawford 422/1b; BMCRR Rome 3878; RSC Aemilia 8 and Plautia 8. 4.07g
ELEPHANT, but not a Vespasian... I really like this "placeholder" in my collection... don't think I will ever be able to uptick this one for a while. Etruria 3rd C BCE AE 18mm 4.76g Head African r Elephant r letter below SNG Cop 48 HNI 69 SNG Paris 138-140 SNG Morcom 44 RARE
Demetrios I Soter (162-150 BC). Serrate AE. 17 mm, 3.35 g. Antioch mint. Horse's head left. / BAΣIΛEΩΣ ΔHMHTPIOY, elephant's head right.
Elephants to right (unusual): Divus Vespasian. Died AD 79. Æ Sestertius (33 mm, 25.45 g, 5h). Rome mint. Struck under Titus, 80-81 AD. Obv: Deified Vespasian seated right, holding scepter and Victory in cart drawn by a quadriga of elephants with riders. Rev: Legend around large S • C. RIC II 257 (Titus)
This is a modern elephant placeholder. Obv. ESPANA 2011 10 EURO - Laureate head of Melqart with features of Hannibal left Rev. Elephant walking right Mint: Madrid (10,000) Wt./Size/Axis: 27.00g / 33.0mm / 0h Acquisition: Real Casa de la Moneda Madrid 20-Sep-2012 Notes: Nov 15, 12 - Reproduction of Hispano-Punic coin of Hannibal I just realised that I had the right-facing Titus version of the OP's coin. This coin survived a trip to the washing machine Obv. IMP TITVS CAES VESPASIAN AVG P M - Laureate head right Rev. TR P IX IMP XV COS VIII P P - Elephant left Mint: Rome (79 AD) Wt./Size/Axis: 3.18g / 18mm / 8h References: RSC 303 BMC 43 RIC 115 RIC 22a (old) Acquisition: Coinee eBay 27-Oct-2009 ATB, Aidan.
