Two recently arrived coins are both from the same issue, so it's only right to present them together. Both are fairly common and not so remarkable to warrant separate posts. Domitian Æ Dupondius, 13.28g Rome mint, 92-94 AD Obv: IMP CAES DOMIT AVG GERM COS XVI CENS PER P P; Head of Domitian, laureate, radiate, bearded, r. Rev: FORTVNAE AVGVSTI; S C in field; Fortuna stg. l., with rudder and cornucopiae RIC 753 (C). BMC 467. BNC 495. Acquired from Marc Breitsprecher, March 2021. This Fortuna type was repeatedly struck throughout Domitian's reign on his middle bronze. She also fleetingly showed up on the denarii in 82. Mattingly calls this Fortuna 'the special Fortuna that watches over the imperial office'. Suetonius writes that near the end of Domitian's reign on 1 January 96 'The Fortuna of Praeneste, which throughout the whole time he was emperor had habitually given him a happy and virtually the same answer to him whenever he entrusted the new year to her care, finally gave a most gloomy answer - and not without the mention of blood.' Next, is this rather handsome As struck for Domitian. Domitian Æ as, 11.66g Rome mint, 92-94 AD Obv: IMP CAES DOMIT AVG GERM COS XVI CENS PER P P; Head of Domitian, laureate, bearded, r. Rev: MONETA AVGVSTI; S C in field; Moneta stg. l., with scales and cornucopiae RIC 756 (C2). BMC 469. BNC 497. Acquired from Marc Breitsprecher, March 2021. An As featuring Moneta, 'mint goddess of the emperor' on the reverse. H. Mattingly believes Moneta in this context can be seen as symbolising Domitian's control of the mint and as paymaster to the empire. A fitting reverse design for an emperor who cared so much for his coinage. The COS XVI bronze issue was struck sometime between 92 and 94 and cannot be more precisely dated because Domitian did not take up the consulship again until 95. The issue is so common because it was struck over several years. Unlike the denarii, the bronze issue lacks IMP or TR P titles which makes it impossible to narrow the date down. Thank you for looking!
