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<p>[QUOTE=&quot;Eduard, post: 2543782, member: 8959&quot;]Yes, it has been at least a couple of years (or more) since I last posted here. A waning interest in ancients coupled with persistent health issues, the starting of a new business as an independent consultant, as well as a few other issues kept me away. </p><p><br /></p><p>I am happy to say that my interest in roman coinage has returned. I went to my local coin show here in the Rhine area a couple of weeks ago. I went there with the usual intention of finding Napoleonic Era german, or older U.S coins. This show is only held twice a year, once in the spring and once in the fall. It is one of the few significant shows around here, so I always make it a point not to miss it. </p><p>Well, there was not much in my specific areas which caught my eye, at least nothing which I had to have, but I did meet up with an old dealer acquaintance who specializes in ancients coins and whom I had not seen for a few years. The gentleman insistently called me over to his table and said he had something to show me that he thought I may want to have. I used to buy from him over the years, primarily 1st century roman bronzes, and he kept this in mind as he showed me a few coins.</p><p>&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; </p><p>He had, among others a beautiful sestertius of Titus and a Nero dupondius with Roma seated. Both with beautiful green patina. Nice but expensive!&nbsp; I thought that was it then,</p><p>as I was not about to spend large amounts in roman coinage at that point. However he then pointed my attention to a tray containing a series of more moderately priced bronzes , among which this a sestertius of Vespasian. </p><p>The obverse is worn, but one look at the reverse and I decided I had to have it. </p><p><br /></p><p>So here is the one coin which revived my interest in ancients coins:</p><p><br /></p><p>[ATTACH=full]545464[/ATTACH] [ATTACH=full]545465[/ATTACH]&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; </p><p><br /></p><p>My dealer friend mentioned that we was not sure of the attribution, but did say the reverse was a rare variety. </p><p>Because of this and been quite rusty myself with regard to attribution, I posted the coin in another Forum where a member very kindly corrected the wrong attribution and provided very interesting further information.&nbsp; </p><p><br /></p><p>This is the correct attribution:</p><p><br /></p><p>Vespasian, 69 - 79 n. Chr. Sestertius. Same obverse and reverse dies as BMCRE 581. R.I.C&nbsp; 127 variant. </p><p><a href="http://www.forumancientcoins.com/numiswiki/view.asp?key=obv." target="_blank" class="externalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="http://www.forumancientcoins.com/numiswiki/view.asp?key=obv." rel="nofollow">Obv.</a>: IMP CAESAR VESPASIANVS AVG P M T P (P P COS III), bust of Vespasian with <a href="http://www.forumancientcoins.com/numiswiki/view.asp?key=wreath" target="_blank" class="externalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="http://www.forumancientcoins.com/numiswiki/view.asp?key=wreath" rel="nofollow">wreath</a> facing right. </p><p><a href="http://www.forumancientcoins.com/numiswiki/view.asp?key=rev." target="_blank" class="externalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="http://www.forumancientcoins.com/numiswiki/view.asp?key=rev." rel="nofollow">Rev.</a>: AVGUSTI&nbsp; <a href="http://www.forumancientcoins.com/numiswiki/view.asp?key=victoria" target="_blank" class="externalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="http://www.forumancientcoins.com/numiswiki/view.asp?key=victoria" rel="nofollow">VICTORIA</a> / <a href="http://www.forumancientcoins.com/numiswiki/view.asp?key=s%20-%20c" target="_blank" class="externalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="http://www.forumancientcoins.com/numiswiki/view.asp?key=s%20-%20c" rel="nofollow">S - C</a>, <a href="http://www.forumancientcoins.com/numiswiki/view.asp?key=victoria" target="_blank" class="externalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="http://www.forumancientcoins.com/numiswiki/view.asp?key=victoria" rel="nofollow">Victoria</a>, foot on helm, inscribing on <a href="http://www.forumancientcoins.com/numiswiki/view.asp?key=shield" target="_blank" class="externalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="http://www.forumancientcoins.com/numiswiki/view.asp?key=shield" rel="nofollow">shield</a> affixed to a <a href="http://www.forumancientcoins.com/numiswiki/view.asp?key=palm" target="_blank" class="externalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="http://www.forumancientcoins.com/numiswiki/view.asp?key=palm" rel="nofollow">palm</a> tree OB / CIV / <a href="http://www.forumancientcoins.com/numiswiki/view.asp?key=ser" target="_blank" class="externalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="http://www.forumancientcoins.com/numiswiki/view.asp?key=ser" rel="nofollow">SER</a>. </p><p><br /></p><p>You experts guys will recognize this coin as part of Vespasian&#039;s Judaea Capta series celebrating Roman victories in the Jewish War. It uses a reverse type first introduced by Vitellius showing Victoria inscribing a shield affixed to a palm tree. </p><p>As mentioned, this is a variant of RIC 127, with the exception that the reverse legend reads AVGVSTI VICTORIA instead of the usual VICTORIA AVGVSTI. As such, it appears to be a rare variant of which only one other example is known, namely BMCRE 581 in the British Museum Collection.&nbsp; </p><p><br /></p><p>So I guess I am back into ancients and roman, and I must say, it is nice to be back.[/QUOTE]</p><p><br /></p>

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