These do not turn up for sale very often at all. There are several on Acsearch but there are duplicates among those. There is 1 on Forum Ancient Coins and that one belongs to @David Atherton . I think the word scarce is fitting for this one. If you are looking to add one to your collection you might be waiting a while to find one. What makes this one scarce is there "PON MAX" legend on the reverse. You can probably find dozens of the more common "TRI POT" type for sale at any given time, but not the "PON MAX" variety. I have no idea of why this should be the case. I know the coin is a bit rough around the edges but this is the first one I have seen for sale in the 3 years or so I have been focussing on the Flavians. Feel free to post your uncommon common coins or any coins of Vespasian. Vespasian AR Denarius 71 CE (18mm 3.24g) Obv: Head laureate right; IMP CAES VESP AVG PM Rev: VESTA seated left with simpulum; PON MAX across field RIC: 45; BMC 55; RSC 358
Interesting. I only have the more common version and had not paid any attention to the different reverse. Thanks for posting! Vespasian, AD 69-79. AR Denarius (18mm, 3.39g). Rome mint. Struck AD 71. Obv: IMP CAES VES-P ΛVG PM; Laureate head right. Rev: TRI-POT; Vesta, veiled and draped, seated left, holding simpulum in extended right hand and resting left hand at side. Ref: RIC II 46; RSC 561; BMCRE 57-8; BN 39-40. Ex-Amphora.
Interesting @Orfew. I do not own a Vespasian w/PON MAX across fields, but do own the following coin with PON MAX in the legend around Pax. I just wish it were in better condition. VESPASIAN AR Denarius OBVERSE: IMP CAESAR VESPASIANVS AVG, laureate head right REVERSE: PON MAX TR P COS VI, Pax seated left holding branch Struck at Rome, 75AD 2.9g, 18mm RIC 772
Indeed rarer in trade than the frequency rating indicates (of course it samples museum collections, giving a skewed picture). Congrats!
I like that coin @Bing the portrait has some charm to it. You are correct in that RIC 772 is a common coin. However, the next coin in the series is definitely not. RIC 773 is known from 2 examples. I own one and @David Atherton owns the other one. What makes 773 rare is not only the left facing bust but the fact that the head is bare and not laureate. There are only 2 denarius types that are left facing and bare headed RIC 773 and 853. 853 is known from 7 or 8 examples. As you can see below your coin has the same reverse as RIC 773.
Here is RIC 853. Vespasian AR Denarius, 3.41g Rome mint, 76 AD Obv: IMP CAESAR VESPASIANVS AVG; Head of Vespasian, bare, l. Rev: PON MAX TR P COS VII; Pax, bare to the waist, seated l., holding branch extended in r. hand, l. hand on lap RIC 853 (R2). BMC p. 34 note. RSC 374. BNC 161. Ex Private Collection, May 2015.
And as you can see from the excellent photo of David's RIC 853 the reverse legend is COS VII and not COS VI as it is on RIC 773. COS VII is a rare acclamation for denarii of VESPASIAN.
Rare for the Pax type, bare head or not! Very common for the other types of the issue (oxen, eagle on base). Vespasian AR Denarius, 3.25g Rome mint, 76 AD Obv: IMP CAESAR VESPASIANVS AVG; Head of Vespasian, laureate, r. Rev: PON MAX TR P COS VII; Pax, bare to the waist, seated l., holding branch extended in r. hand, l. hand on lap RIC 852 (C). BMC 184A. RSC 373. BNC 160. Ex eBay, September 2017.
That is still a great coin @Limes . I would love to own an 852. I would also like the next one in the series and 853. 853 has a bare headed left facing portrait. One out of only 2 types for Vespasian. The other is 773. Thanks for posting this coin I love it. The portrait is great.
