I just bought this Titus. On first glance it is nothing too special. It is a very common coin for Titus. However, take a closer look at the reverse. Underneath the triangular frame is a lituus. This turns out to be a rare variant of RIC 124. This type was carried over into the first issue of Domitian's coinage. RIC 3 for Domitian shows the pulvinar with the triangular frame. It is a rare coin but also has with a rare variant, a lituus under the frame. I have both of these for Domitian. For some time I have wanted the Titus variant. According to @David Atherton on his forum gallery pages, there are 3 known varieties of the lituus type for Titus. One has 3 palmettes, one has five, and one has nine. Mine is the type with nine palmettes. This makes my coin RIC 124c in the yet to be published addendum to RIC II Part 1. This is a worn but still pleasing coin imho. I am very happy to add this one to my collection. As an added bonus this coin completes my 3rd 12 Caesars set. Please show your coins of Titus. Titus AR Denarius. Rome Mint 79-81 CE (17 mm 3.15 g) Obv: IMP TITVS CAES VESPASIAN AVG P M, laureate head right Rev:TR P IX IMP XV — COS VIII P P, draped processional chair, triangular frame by decorated with nine Palmattes Lituus under triangular frame. RIC 124c (in the as yet unpublished addendum to RIC II Part 1) Ex: Savoca 16thBlue auction Lot 978 February 10, 2019
I don't have any coins of Titus but I like yours. Perhaps do you know why they chose to do the inscription counter-clockwise on the obverse but clockwise on the reverse? I've been wondering that.
A respectable example of the type! Also, a slight attribution correction - it is 124c (lower case). The triangular frame on square seat pulvinaria type comes in three different variants: RIC 124a with five palmettes, RIC 124b with three palmettes (the rarest of the three variants), and RIC 124c with nine palmettes. Some rare variants show a lituus within the triangular frame. Only the five palmettes with lituus has been assigned its own unique RIC number - 124A. I don't recall contacting Ted Buttrey or Ian Carradice about the 9 palmettes with lituus, so it still should remain 124c without a unique RIC number. Although, I suppose it needs one!
Golly @Orfew! Seems like every post you have I think, "Now there's another coin that I could spend a night drinking scotch and rolling through my fingers." Coingrats on the saweet Titus rarity! Here's mine of the military great that we lost far to soon... TITUS, 79-81 CE AR Denarius (3.29 gm) of Rome, as Caesar, 76 AD. Laureate head right / Eagle on cippus. RSC.59a. RIC.191a. RIC2.861
One like yours: Titus. 79-81 AD. AR Denarius (3.51 gm). Rome mint. Struck 80 AD. Obv: Laureate head right. Rev: Ornamented throne with triangular back with central palmette and three vertical objects on each side; and with lituus within triangle. RIC II 124a; BMCRE 58; RSC 313a.
TITUS AR Denarius OBVERSE: T CAES IMP VESP CENS, laureate head right, "o" beneath neck REVERSE: FIDES PVBL, hands clasped over caduceus, two poppies and two corn-ears Struck at Uncertain Asian Mint or Ephesus, 76AD 2.9g, 19mm RIC V 1485 (Vesp), RPC 1459 Ex David Atherton; ex Harry Sneh Collection; ex Sayles; ex Lavender
Wow, that is a great example @PeteB I love it. Thanks for posting that one. @Bing I really like that coin. I have been looking for a "Fides Pvbl" for a couple of months.
I love the coins of Titus , and his father. He was a powerful general, and his coins make him look the part, especially this dupondius.
Yes and thanks very much. I have been hunting down Titus and his father for many years. I like the style of their coins and I especially love the history of Rome from Nero through to Domitian.
Great coins @octavius My favourite is actually the reverse inspired by Marcus Antonius-the prow with star. Mine is nowhere near as pristine as yours but I still love it. it was a tough coin to find in any condition.
Thanks. It took a lot of patience to track down that reverse in that condition, but ironically, I don't have the original of M. Antonius.
Sweet! Here's mine although Vespasian not Titus. The Antony is a fouree RIC 941 Vespasian denarius IMP CAESAR VESPASIANVS AVG Laureate head right COS VIII Prow of galley right, star above. Rome 77-8 AD 3.39g RIC II 941; BMCRE 210; RSC 136. Rare. Ex-Ancient Treasures, Ex-ANE. This reverse type copied from aurei and denarii of Ahenobarbus struck for Mark Antony in 40 BC, Crawford 521 . ANT IMP III VIR R P C Bare head of Mark Antony right, lituus behind CN DOMIT AHENOBARBVS IMP Prow of galley right star above Corcyra? Summer 40BC 2.08g Sear 1472 Ex-ANE Cn. Domitius Ahenobarbus was a republican admiral who accompanied Brutus to Macedonia after Caesar's assassination. He was given command of the fleet in the Adriatic. After Cassius and Brutus were defeated at Philippi, Ahenobarbus turned to piracy and was in command of up to 2 legions and 70 ships. He was reconciled to Antony's side by Asinius Pollio and after the Pact of Brundisium he was given back his civic rights and was appointed Governor of Bithynia. He remained loyal to Antony almost to the end but deserted him just prior to Actium, dying shortly after of illness.
