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<p>[QUOTE="David Atherton, post: 4535747, member: 82616"]Recently, I was able to obtain a budget example of a coin that has been on by 'grail' list for quite some time. Although it's worn - there is no tooling, no smoothing, no bronze disease, and no fake patina, in other words an honest piece. I'm happy.</p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p>[ATTACH=full]1123134[/ATTACH]<b>Titus</b></p><p>Æ Sestertius, 24.04g</p><p>Eastern Mint (Thrace?), 80-81 AD</p><p>Obv: IMP T CAES DIVI VESP F AVG P M TR P P P COS VIII; Head of Titus, laureate, bearded, r.</p><p>Rev: IVD CAP; S C in field; Palm tree; to l., Judaea std. l. on arms; to r., captive stg. r.</p><p>RIC 500 (R2). BMC p. 433 note. BNC -. RPC 503 (1 spec.).</p><p>Acquired from Incitatus Coins, May 2020.</p><p><br /></p><p>The Jewish War was a gift that kept on giving for the Flavian dynasty. This rare Judaea Capta sestertius was struck a decade after the fall of Jerusalem for Titus as Augustus. The new emperor wished to remind the Roman populace of his military bona fides. The coin is from of a very mysterious issue of bronze struck in 80-81. The style (heavily seriffed letters, large portraits, and massive reverse figures), unique obverse legends (DIVI VESP F for Titus), and uncommon fabric (convex flans) all suggest a mint other than Rome. Attributing exactly where these coins were struck has historically been a moving target - Mattingly in BMCRE thought Lugdunum, H.A. Cahn believed somewhere in Bithynia. More recent scholarship has looked towards Thrace as a possible location for production based on the Balkan distribution pattern of found specimens. Although the region of mintage has been narrowed down, the city itself remains elusive. RPC has suggested possibly Perinthus. Presumably a shortage of bronze coins in the region during Titus' reign prompted a localised imperial issue, which in the main copied types from Rome. The striking of imperial bronze outside of Rome was an exceptional step at the time considering the last imperial branch mint at Lugdunum had shuttered late in Vespasian's reign.</p><p><br /></p><p>Fittingly, a few days before the coin arrived this wonderful translation of Josephus' <i>The Jewish War</i> showed up in my PO Box.</p><p><br /></p><p>[ATTACH=full]1123136[/ATTACH]</p><p><br /></p><p>With copious notes and introduction by Martin Goodman and an engaging translation by Martin Hammond, this is by far the best edition of the work in English currently available. My antiquated Loeb edition can rest easy now.</p><p><br /></p><p>Feel free to post your (budget) Bucket List coins.[/QUOTE]</p><p><br /></p>
[QUOTE="David Atherton, post: 4535747, member: 82616"]Recently, I was able to obtain a budget example of a coin that has been on by 'grail' list for quite some time. Although it's worn - there is no tooling, no smoothing, no bronze disease, and no fake patina, in other words an honest piece. I'm happy. [ATTACH=full]1123134[/ATTACH][B]Titus[/B] Æ Sestertius, 24.04g Eastern Mint (Thrace?), 80-81 AD Obv: IMP T CAES DIVI VESP F AVG P M TR P P P COS VIII; Head of Titus, laureate, bearded, r. Rev: IVD CAP; S C in field; Palm tree; to l., Judaea std. l. on arms; to r., captive stg. r. RIC 500 (R2). BMC p. 433 note. BNC -. RPC 503 (1 spec.). Acquired from Incitatus Coins, May 2020. The Jewish War was a gift that kept on giving for the Flavian dynasty. This rare Judaea Capta sestertius was struck a decade after the fall of Jerusalem for Titus as Augustus. The new emperor wished to remind the Roman populace of his military bona fides. The coin is from of a very mysterious issue of bronze struck in 80-81. The style (heavily seriffed letters, large portraits, and massive reverse figures), unique obverse legends (DIVI VESP F for Titus), and uncommon fabric (convex flans) all suggest a mint other than Rome. Attributing exactly where these coins were struck has historically been a moving target - Mattingly in BMCRE thought Lugdunum, H.A. Cahn believed somewhere in Bithynia. More recent scholarship has looked towards Thrace as a possible location for production based on the Balkan distribution pattern of found specimens. Although the region of mintage has been narrowed down, the city itself remains elusive. RPC has suggested possibly Perinthus. Presumably a shortage of bronze coins in the region during Titus' reign prompted a localised imperial issue, which in the main copied types from Rome. The striking of imperial bronze outside of Rome was an exceptional step at the time considering the last imperial branch mint at Lugdunum had shuttered late in Vespasian's reign. Fittingly, a few days before the coin arrived this wonderful translation of Josephus' [I]The Jewish War[/I] showed up in my PO Box. [ATTACH=full]1123136[/ATTACH] With copious notes and introduction by Martin Goodman and an engaging translation by Martin Hammond, this is by far the best edition of the work in English currently available. My antiquated Loeb edition can rest easy now. Feel free to post your (budget) Bucket List coins.[/QUOTE]
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