There's nothing quite like acquiring a coin that is missing from the major institutions ... especially the massive BM and Paris collections. My latest addition is just such a coin! Nothing fancy, but it's kind of a neat accomplishment. Vespasian Æ As, 10.26g Lyon mint, 77-78 AD Obv: IMP CAES VESPASIAN AVG COS VIII P P; Head of Vespasian, laureate, l.; globe at point of bust Rev: AEQVITAS AVGVSTI; S C in field; Aequitas stg. l., with scales and rod RIC 1229 (R). BMC -. BNC -. Acquired from NumisCorner, March 2022. Vespasian inherited a financial mess upon his accession in 69. His top priority was putting the state on a sound financial footing. Symbolic of that righting of the empire was the common reverse type of Aequitas. Aequitas holding her scales and measuring rod was probably based on a cult image of the deity. She first shows up as an imperial virtue on the coinage under Galba, a virtue that Vespasian was eager to emulate. This as from late in the reign was struck in 77-78 at Lugdunum (modern Lyon), presumably to address a bronze coinage shortage in the Western provinces. The left portrait variant is much rarer than it's right facing counterpart. I think RIC's 'rare' frequency raring is a bit underplayed. Please share your coins missing from the major collections. Thanks for looking!
Fine addition! This Otho denarius is missing from the BM, but is in Paris. Obv.: IMP OTHO CAESAR AVG TR P - Bare head right Rev.: CERES AVG - Ceres, draped, standing left, right hand holding two corn-ears, left holding cornucopia Mint: Rome (Jan-Apr 69) Wt./Size/Axis: 3.30g / 18mm / 7h Rarity: R4 References: RIC 2 Cohen 1 Provenances: J. Muona Acquisition: Grotjohann Vcoins 28-Aug-2010 Notes: Sep 4, 10 - Six or seven known, all from same dies. Pedigree: From the Jyrki Muona Collection - published in "The Denarii of Otho: A stylistic and compositional study" in the Italian Numismatic Review 2009. A small hole has been drilled into the edge of the coin as part of the compositional study. ATB, Aidan.
