No Spoilers! I have a website on reverse types of Roman coins that are unique to a particular emperor. I have lots of ideas of coins to add to it and this one I added today as one from which the mintmark can be cropped and you can still tell, not only the emperor, but also the mint. I expect many of you will know which emperor issued it and not so many will recognize the mint. SECVRITAS REIPVB, bull standing right. If you want to know who issued it and the mint, go to http://augustuscoins.com/ed/unique/unique.html#bull and click on the image for the longer story. Please don't spoil it for others by posting who it is. If you have a coin with a reverse type issued by only one emperor, show us!
This odd reverse type was only struck under Vespasian for himself and Titus as Caesar. Vespasian AR Denarius, 3.19g Rome mint, 77-78 AD RIC 977 (R). BMC 220. RSC 220. Obv: CAESAR VESPASIANVS AVG; Head of Vespasian, laureate, r. Rev: IMP XIX in exergue; Goatherd std. l., milking goat l. Acquired from Ancient Delights, August 2012. Titus as Caesar AR Denarius, 3.53g Rome Mint, July 77 AD - December 78 AD RIC V985 (R). BMC V230. RSC 103. Obv: T CAESAR VESPASIANVS; Head of Titus, laureate, bearded, r. Rev: IMP XIII in exergue; Goatherd std. l., milking goat l. Ex Harry N. Sneh Collection.
ok... i don't know who issued the bull.. but today i purchased a hippo so i know who that is ^^..i don't have it in hand yet, but i'll show ya when i gets it!
Well, I got the bull type right. Saw that particular ruler's very distinctive, bearded face in my mind's eye right away. I also got a few of the others on your quiz page, but by no means all of them. (Did actually guess a few more than I thought I'd be able to.) What in the world is going on with that goatherd's back? He looks like a human-porcupine hybrid!
For those who think this is a mind game for people who have collected too long, the bull question is not at all unreasonable since the type pretty much defines this ruler's place in history. You might think cropping off the mint mark and asking the mint is expecting you to guess by style but here there is something added to this bull reverse that was only used by one mint so the question is not post-graduate level either. There are hundreds of one ruler types but the best, IMHO, are the ones like the bull that are not only singular uses but that tell you something about the ruler who issued it that makes it obvious that he would have been the one to use that type. One of my favorites is the Temple of Janus series by Nero. Nero was proud to have brought the Empire to a state of peace. When the Judean revolt broke his peace, he was not happy and sent Vespasian to punish the rebels. Many of Vespasian's types were shared with his sons so we lose coins that would be good for this thread. Nero was alone so we have this as with the closed doors on the temple of Janus.
This fascinating Maia reverse type struck for Domitian is, as far as I know, unique to him. Domitian AR Denarius, 3.06g Rome Mint, 95-96 AD RIC 786 (R2). BMC 237A. RSC 295. Obv: IMP CAES DOMIT AVG GERM P M TR P XV; Head of Domitian, laureate, bearded, r. Rev: IMP XXII COS XVII CENS P P P; Maia adv. l., with dove and caduceus Ex Gemini XI, 12 January 2014, lot 418. Ex C. Clay Collection. Ex Voirol Collection, M&M 38, 6-7 December 1968, lot 403. Ex M&M VI, 6-7 December 1946, lot 804. This specimen published by H. A. Cahn, 'Flaviana indedita', Num. Chronicle 1946 p. 22, 50.
This DEO VOLKANO reverse was only issued by Valerian I and only at the Cologne mint: Valerian I, AD 253-260. Roman AR antoninianus, 2.69 g, 21.2 mm, 7 h. Colonia Agrippina (Cologne) mint, AD 259-260. Obv: VALERIANVS·P·F·AVG, radiate, draped, and cuirassed bust right. Rev: DEO VOLKANO, Vulcan standing left within tetrastyle temple, hammer raised in right hand, tongs downward in left. Refs: RIC 5 (inaccurately attributed to the Lugdunum mint); Cohen 2 (inaccurately attributed to Valerian II); RSC 50c; Göbl 884d; Hunter IV 56; RCV 9934.
Another chance to post this Constantiniana Dafne coin. Unique to Constantine and unique to Constantinople! It is due for a re-picture very soon. 328 A.D., Constantinople Mint, 2nd Officina 3.08g, 19.74mm, 7H Obverse: CONSTANTI-NVS MAX AVG, Bust of Constantine I, rosette-diademed, draped, cuirassed, facing right Reverse: CONSTANTINI-ANA DAFNE, Victory, winged, draped, seated left on cippus, head right, holding palm in each hand; before her, trophy; at foot of trophy, kneeling captive, head turned, being spurned by Victory Exergue: B/-//CONS
Interesting theme for a thread ! I think (not 100 % sure) that reverse is specific to Salonina And cherry on the cake it's ex-Keith Emmett collection Salonina, Antoninianus Lyon mint (RIC) or Cologne mint (Göbl), AD 259-260 SALONINA AVG, draped bust on crescent, hair waved in rows with stephane DEAE SEGETIAE, Segetiae standing facing in tetrastyle temple, hands raised 2.86 gr, 20/23 mm Ref : RCV # 10631, Göbl # 902c, RIC V part I # 5, Cohen # 36 Ex Keith Emmett collection Q
