I'm always happy to add one of these Eastern denarii to the collection and would be content just to specialise in them. Vespasian AR Denarius, 2.59g Ephesus mint, 70 AD RIC 1409 (R2). BMC 442. RSC 66. RPC 818 (2 spec.). Obv: IMP CAESAR VESPAS AVG COS II TR P P P; Head of Vespasian, laureate, r. Rev: CONCORDIA AVG; Ceres std. l., on ornate high-backed chair, with corn ears and poppy and cornucopiae; in exergue, horizontal Φ Acquired from Incitatus Coins, March 2018. The Ceres reverse type was consistently struck at Ephesus from 69 through 74. The elaborate high back throne Ceres is seated upon distinguishes it from the similar contemporary Rome issue of the type. This scarce Group 3 example features an imperfectly struck Φ mintmark. For comparison, here is one from Rome. Notice the differences? Vespaisan AR Denarius, 3.10g Rome Mint, 72-73 AD RIC 357 (C2). BMC 65. RSC 74. Obv: IMP CAES VESP AVG P M COS IIII; Head of Vespasian, laureate, r. Rev: CONCORDIA AVGVSTI; Concordia, draped, seated l., holding patera extended in r. hand and cornucopiae in l. Acquired from Neptune Numismatics, January 2006.
Idk, I like the Ephesus minted coin and would gladly have it in my collection, but the portrait on the Rome minted coin is much better don't you think?
I guess it's a matter of personal taste but in general I find Flavian Ephesus portraits more artistic than Flavian Rome portraits. Edited: Oh, you meant on the two exact coins shown . Yeah... I have to agree with you with this pair but it might just be due to differences in condition.
Admittedly, it's a very mediocre styled Ephesian, but I do prefer it over the Rome example I posted above. Ephesus, like any other mint, had its good and bad days. IMHO, even on a bad day Ephesus could outshine most other mints.
Your post reminded me of something that has puzzled me for a while. Please indulge me while I go off on a bit of a tangent. I have wondered about the significance of a high-back on the throne of these issues of Herennia Etruscilla and whether it indicates merely a choice adopted by an individual celator or whether it is mint-specific. These ones from Rome show a high-backed chair on which Pudicitia sits: Whereas this one from Antioch (with dots below the obverse portrait and a particular way of rendering her hairstyle) has a low-backed chair: It makes one wonder if this is a mint-specific design feature, doesn't it? But this sestertius is almost certainly from Rome and it has a low-backed chair: And I've seen examples of antoniniani online from Rome with a low-backed chair, too. So I've been forced to reconsider my theory about whether the chair back means anything. It's interesting to note that in the case of this Vespasian issue, it seems to be significant. Or is it?
Cool @David Atherton ... Honestly, I like the Rome version with a more "hardened" of Vespasian. I see that the "style" is nicer for Eastern Mints. But, I see Vespasian more as a Bulldog. Interesting @Roman Collector on the high/low back seats. Here is my Vespasian Quinarius RI Vespasian 69-79 CE AR Quinarius IMP CAESAR VESPASIAN AVG Victory seated wreath palm RIC 802 RARE
High backed chairs do appear for other types at Rome for Vespasian ... however, they are not as elaborate nor as tall as those depicted on the Ephesian issues. Perhaps it was a cultural thing?
