Dots, Dots, And More Dots ...

In a recent post by @dougsmit https://www.cointalk.com/threads/poll-which-claudius-ii-floats-your-boat.318755/page-2#post-3116448 he questioned the significance of dots on some of the denarii of Septimius Severus. It prompted me to examine more closely the dots that occasionally appear on Flavian denarii.

They first show up on the denarii of Titus, both left and right facing portraits, normally at the end of the obverse legend.


Titus
AR Denarius, 3.20g
Rome mint, 79 AD
RIC 35 (R). BMC 11. RSC 268a.
Obv: IMP TITVS CAES VESPASIAN AVG P M •; Head of Titus, Laureate, bearded, l.
Rev: TR P VIIII IMP XIIII COS VII P P; Venus stg. r. leaning on column, with helmet and spear


Titus
AR Denarius, 3.31g
Rome Mint, 79 - 80 AD
RIC 89 (C). BMC 106. RSC 25.
Obv: IMP TITVS CAES VESPASIAN AVG PM •; Head of Titus, laureate, bearded, r.
Rev: BONVS EVEN - TVS AVGVSTI; Bonus Eventus, a naked youth, standing l., holding patera in extended r. hand and corn-ears and poppy in l.

There is no discernible pattern here, other than the fact the earliest denarii struck under Titus do not have dots. In the issues that do feature dots about one out of three denarii have them.

They also appear on the denarii struck for Julia Titi and Domitian as Caesar under Titus.


Julia Titi
AR Denarius, 3.22g
Rome mint, 80-81 AD (Titus)
RIC 387 (R). BMC 140. RSC 12.
Obv: IVLIA AVGVSTA T AVG F •; Bust of Julia Titi, draped and diademed, r., hair in long plait
Rev: VENVS - AVG; Venus stg. r., leaning on column, with helmet and spear


Domitian as Caesar
AR Denarius, 3.09g
Rome Mint, 80 AD (Titus)
RIC 267(C). BMC 88. RSC 390.
Obv: CAESAR DIVI F DOMITIANVS COS VII •; Head of Domitian, laureate, bearded, r.
Rev: PRINCEPS - IVVENTVTIS; Goat standing l., in laurel-wreath.

Dots appear on Titus's cistophori struck at Rome for Asia Minor.


Titus
AR Cistophorus, 10.64g
Rome mint (for Asia), 80-81 AD
RIC 515 (R). BMC spec. acquired 1948. RSC - . RPC 860 (3 spec.).
Obv: IMP TITVS CAES - VESPASIAN AVG P M •; Head of Titus, laureate, bearded, r.
Rev: CAPIT across field, RESTIT in exergue; Temple of Capitoline Jupiter with 4 columns enclosing figures of Juno, seated Jupiter and Minverva



Dots show up again in the reign of Domitian, but not right away. They appear a few years after Domitian's coinage reform of 82 AD. This time they appear within the legend, usually multiple times.

This denarius from 85 has no less than four dots - after IMP, AVG, and POTES P P.


Domitian
AR Denarius, 3.35g
Rome mint, 85 AD
RIC 328 (R2). BMC (spec. acquired 1987). RSC - .
Obv: IMP•CAES DOMIT AVG• - GERM P M TR P IIII; Bust of Domitian, laureate, bearded, r., with aegis
Rev: IMP•VIIII COS•XI - CENS POTES•P•P; Minerva stg. r. on capital of rostral column, with spear and shield; to r., owl (M2)

This one has five - after IMP and CENS on the reverse and spacing out POT P P.


Domitian
AR Denarius, 3.41g
Rome mint, 85 AD
RIC 335 (R2). BMC p. 315 note. RSC 178 corr.
Obv: IMP CAES DOMIT AVG GERM P M TR P IIII; Head of Domitian, laureate, bearded, r.
Rev: IMP•VIIII COS XI - CENS•POT•P•P•; Minerva stg. l., with thunderbolt and spear; shield at her side (M3)

This one has a staggering seven dots - after IMP, GERM, CENS, and in between P M and P P.


Domitian
AR Denarius, 3.20g
Rome mint, 85 AD (fifth issue)
RIC 344 (R2). BMC - . RSC 186.
Obv: IMP•CAES DOMIT AVG GERM•P•M TR P V; Head of Domitian, laureate, bearded, r.
Rev: IMP•VIIII COS XI - CENS•POT P•P•; Minerva stg. l., with thunderbolt and spear; shield at her side (M3)


The dots when present seem to show up in regular spaces, commonly after IMP, DOMIT and AVG, and for spacing out any of the combinations of P P P. Rarely anywhere else. Perhaps they are internal officina control marks?

After 88/89, dots completely disappear from Domitian's coinage never to return. These are a couple of the latest dated denarii I have with dots, again spacing out P P P.



Domitian
AR Denarius, 3.44g
Rome mint, 88-89 AD
RIC 656 (R). BMC 147. RSC 246.
Obv: IMP CAES DOMIT AVG - GERM P M TR P VIII; Head of Domitian, laureate, bearded, r.
Rev: IMP XVII COS XIIII CENS•P•P•P•; Minerva adv r., with spear and shield (M1)

Across field too.


Domitian
AR Denarius, 3.12g
Rome mint, 88 AD
RIC 568 (R2). BMC 139. RSC 27.
Obv: IMP CAES DOMIT AVG GERMANIC COS XIIII; Head of Domitian, laureate, bearded, r.
Rev: CENS - P•P•P• across field; Minerva stg. l., with thunderbolt and spear; shield at her l. side (M3)

It may very well be that the dots are nothing more than space fillers, but I have a hunch they are some sort of internal mint control marks. The fact they appear most regularly at certain points in the legend and not at random speaks to a pattern of usage. Figuring out that pattern will take more time, but hopefully it will be a very fruitful endeavour.

 

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Here's my Juli Titi, apparently without dots:



Dotless Domitian:



Manlia Scantilla with dots:


MANLIA•SCAN-TILLA•AVG, Woodward, Didius, obverse die 6.

 

Not every die from Didius Julianus and his family used dots, though some did. You can read Woodward's die study here: https://www.scribd.com/document/265871515/The-coinage-of-Didius-Julianus-and-his-family-A-M-Woodward

That's how I know the obverse inscription of this sestertius of Didia Clara reads
DIDIA•CLA-RA•AVG -- because it's Woodward obverse die 3.

 

I cant offer any ground breaking answers for you unfortunately, I have always wondered why though, I too thought they were legend markers.
As I don't collect 1st century I have nothing to post but here is a Macrinus Provincial with lots of dots.
Kibyra, PHRYGIA
Obverse - *AVT*KAI*M*O*CE*MAKPEINOC ( 6 DOTS )

 

Here are some Republican DOTS


RR Saturninus 104 BC Roma Saturn hldng Sickle Quad 2 dots-V S (very interesting control mark) 193 Cr 317-3a var
Ex: @Valentinian http://augustuscoins.com/

 

I have a Maximin Daia with some dots.

AE FOLLIS, 26mm, 10.2 grams

Obverse: GAL VAL MAXIMINVS PF AVG, Laureate Bust Right

Reverse: GENIO IMPERATORIS, Genius Standing Left, 3 dots in right field

 

Hardest dots for me to understand are those placed in the middle of words.

MONETA.E AVG


VICT A.VG. (Anyone have an SS victory on ball like this? This is my only one.)

 

In my opinion they are usually: separators between words or periods denoting the end of the inscription. Obviously there is some variation, like Doug pointed out, but I think that is easily explained away as a simple error. Now, just why some coins appear with them and others do not within the same general time frame of issue? I think it is likely just the individual style of the celator (or how he was taught to engrave). I really dont think there is anything mysterious to uncover here.

 

The image is not enlargeable but aren't there more than seven dots? In addition to what you've recorded, isn't there a dot between CAES and DOMIT, between DOMIT and AVG, and between AVG and GERM?

I'm with Ken-- the dots are stops indicating the end of the abbreviated word, just like we do when writing an abbreviation. Maybe they aren't consistent but that's how it looks to me.

Not all are word separators, as Doug showed. In those cases, who knows? Space fillers? Mistakes from illiterate apprentices?

 

That likely could be the answer. But what puzzles me is why were these 'training wheels' used only on certain dies and words? Dots occur under Domitian for just 3 or 4 years, and even then not every coin has them, so apparently their use was not mandatory.

And then you have the occasional dot at the end of the legend under Titus. What functional need is there for that dot?

However, if I was to use Occam's Razor, I'd have to go with your answer, unsexy as it may be.

 

I erred on the side of caution, since I don't have the coin in hand at the moment. Although, it certainly looks like I missed one between CAES and DOMIT. If you are correct @TIF, that would make 10 dots in all! Apparently, the 'training wheels' were still needed by this particular engraver.

 

I know nothing about the dots David, But I wanted to say that I really enjoyed seeing several of your coins at once. I especially like the last Domitian you posted.

 

That last denarius has one of my all time favourite portraits of Domitian. Any excuse to post it I'll take!

 

This is a subject that need to die without further discussion. Curtis Clay declared the Emesa dots to be meaningless accidents or decorations several years ago and no one will go against him. Of course I don't know if there is anyone studying the coins seriously either so who would be prepared to have a meaningful opinion?

Below are two meaningless triangular dots MONET .. AVG

and BONA SPEI ..

The obverse of this last coin has a small round dot separating SE.V and wedged the COSII tightly before the point of the bust rather than splitting the two I's or placing both beyond the point as seen on other dies. It does appear that the dies with a space between SE and V were earlier in style than the SEV continuous dies. Other breaks are less common and may be accidents. IDK!
SEVP ERT



Scholars consider these random variations also without significance. I am more certain we will never know the answer than I am that there is nothing to know.

 

We can all recall how hard it was when first collecting to read Latin coin legends that were without spaces like in English to indicate where words began and ended. Do you suppose there were a few radical die-engravers who thought tiny dots might help and used them, only to lose the battle with the conservative establishment who said, "When I grew up there were no dots in legends and we got along fine without them. You young whippersnappers are ruining the world! We will not use dots!"

 

Ha! That's just as likely as anything else I've heard!

 

dots all folks...

 

On Morgan and Peace dollars, the dots are interpreted as space fillers.

 

I do. Only one. Same reverse die.

 

SE Dot V on obverse (this happens on many if these dies) and after AVG on reverse

VICT dot AVG

GEM Dot M Dot V Dot

SPEI Dot Dot (not sure that it is the same die as Doug illustrates)

TROPA Dot

CAE L Dot SEP Dot