A decent example of the following Judaea Capta tetradrachm has always eluded me. They are extremely rare and when found in trade are often seen with much wear. Recently, I was able to acquire this admirable specimen with a good degree of eye-appeal. Vespasian AR Tetradrachm, 14.33g Caesarea Maritima mint, 70-71 AD Obv: ΑΥΤΟΚΡ • ΚΑΙΣ - ΟΥΕΣΠΑΣΙΑΝ; Bust of Vespasian, laureate, r., with aegis Rev: ETOYΣ Γ IEPOY; Eagle standing, l., with wreath in beak on palm branch; club in l. field RPC 1965 (1 spec.). Prieur 129. Acquired from CGB, August 2021. A small issue of tetradrachms were stuck in southern Syria in the immediate aftermath of the siege and fall of Jerusalem. The coins have been connected by RPC to the Judaea Capta series struck at Caesarea Maritima for several reasons: the date coincides with the fall of Jerusalem, the series emphasises Titus's role (coins featuring Vespasian's portrait are much rarer), similar crude style to the bronze Judaea Capta coins, and the variable weight and fineness points to a military issue. Other authors (Prieur and Kraay) speculate Tyre as the mint. K. Butcher attributes them to a 'south' mint. Notably, the portraits are often depicted wearing an aegis. Either way, these tetradrachms were almost certainly produced for payment to the troops who had just successfully completed the siege of Jerusalem (c. 6 August 70 AD). I submit that a no truer Judaea Capta coin can be found! Feel free to post your Capta or military coins.
This Vespasian tetradrachm was one of my first Provincial coins (ex. Grant Edwards collection, 1989). It is also year three. Right or wrong(?), I have always called the item under the eagle an animal leg rather than a club and attributed it to Antioch. It came to me with the reference Wipuck 79var? Does anyone have that reference? I have not seen Prieur.
Your coin looks like McAlee 336/1, Year 3. Pictured below is a Tet from Antioch, year 2, that I sold long ago. The eagle on your coin is standing on a club, not an animal leg . The coin type David has posted is listed by Prieur as a product of the Antioch Mint, not the mint of Caesarea Maritima.
Pretty nice Tet and interesting suggestion about Caesarea. Just a detail: in the rpc they count 24 specimens and the one sold in 2019 is described as Antioch
The RPC frequency rating is 1 specimen cited in the major collections consulted, not all the specimens known to the authors at the date of publication (23 coins). Although the issue is catalogued under Antioch, RPC (following McAlee) considers the place of mintage most likely to be Caesarea Maritima based on the 'Judaea Capta' connection, as do I.
Did no know that. To me the 1 specimen give wrong impression that the coin is rare. Not really; 2 others are now for sale on web.
Years can go by without examples showing up in trade. So yes, it is a rare coin type - regardless of the 'false' impression given by RPC's frequency rating. If several are currently for sale now, that is what I would call a fluke. BTW, these are the 'core collections' RPC cites. Berlin, Staatliche Museen Cambridge, Fitzwilliam Museum Copenhagen, Nationalmuseet Glasgow, Hunterian Museum London, British Museum Munich, Staatliche Münzsammlung New York, American Numismatic Society Oxford, Ashmolean Museum Paris, Bibliothèque Nationale de France Vienna, Kunsthistorisches Museum
I don’t know much of flavian but bit about provincial. My focus is julio-claudio dinastia. I gather over the last 22 years over 1,300 of provincial coins. My experience with rpc is for every coin listed at least 4-5 other exist no recorded. I have in my coleccion many specimen with less than 5 examples in rpc (call rare if less than 5) that i can confirm 15 other exist. The error is rpc, acsearch, coin archive not record ebay sale, dealers small, coinshow... A quick look at coryssa and i find in 2 minutes 6 of your coin! You do not get me wrong, you have find beautiful vespasiano but 24 in rpc can not called « extremely rare ».
I was able to purchase another tetradrachm of Vespasian, with Titus on the reverse, in October 2020. This is the second coin of this type that I bought, but the first coin got lost in the US postal system during the upheaval at the USPS in the summer of 2020. This coin is dated year 2, which puts it at 69-70 AD, struck in the thick of the Jewish Revolt, so not really a "capta" coin, but almost. Vespasian, with Titus as Caesar, 69-79 AD Syria, Seleucis and Pieria, Antioch AR Tetradrachm, New Holy Year 2, struck 69/70 AD 13.4 grams
These are the coins that I most often hold in hand, contemplating that they may have been made from the silver from the Temple of Solomo. Great coins, David/everyone. Volume: II №: 1945 Reign: Vespasian Persons: Vespasian (Augustus) City: Antioch Region: Syria Province: Syria Denomination: Tetradrachm Average weight: 14.29 g. Issue: Tetradrachms: group 3, year 2 (AD 69/70) Obverse: ΑΥΤΟΚΡΑΤ ΚΑΙΣΑ ΟΥΕΣΠΑΣΙΑΝΟΥ; laureate head of Vespasian, r. Reverse: ΕΤΟΥΣ Β ΙΕΡΟΥ; eagle standing, l., on club; in field, palm branch Reference: Wruck 79, McAlee 11 Specimens: 40 SYRIA, Seleucis and Pieria. Antioch. Vespasian, with Titus as Caesar. AD 69-79. AR Tetradrachm (). Dated “New Holy Year” 2 (AD 69/70). Obverse: Small bust of Vespasian left, with slight drapery, above eagle standing left with one wing extended / Reverse: Laureate head of Titus right; lituus to left, barred B (date) to right. Reference: McAlee 331; RPC II 1944; Prieur 109. Weight: 14.41g, 12h Diameter: 25mm Conservation: Good Fine, lightly toned, minor porosity. Rare.
Here's my only Judea Capta. This was a bit of a controversial coin in our house since this was a rather low point of our history. However, I strongly believe it's a piece of history worth owning. Vespasian, 69-79. Denarius (Silver, 18 mm, 3.16 g, 7 h), Struck to commemorate the Roman victories in the first Jewish war, Rome, 72-73. IMP CAES VESP AVG COS IIII Laureate head of Vespasian to right. Rev. VICTORIA AVGVSTI Victory walking to right, placing wreath on standard. BMC 74. Cohen 618. RIC 362. Ex Nomos. Ex Moesa Collection, Switzerland.
If it's of any comfort, David Hendin does not consider these generic Victory types part of the Judaea Capta series.
A great coin David. I have several Flavian tets in my collection. Added this one a few months ago AYTOKPAT KAIΣA OYEΣΠAΣIANOY Laureate Head of Vespasian right ETOYΣ NEOY IEPOY B Eagle standing right, on thunderbolt; in right field, palm branch Antioch, Syria; 69-70 CE Group 1 year 2 14.34g RPC 1938 (3 spec.). Prieur 105 (6 spec.). Rare Nice toning with some encrustations remaining Group 1 Tetradrachm from Antioch with distinctly "Alexandrian" style. The dies either engraved by the Alexandrian mint and shipped to Syria or the coins were struck in Alexandria for Syrian distribution. An interesting series.
