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<p>[QUOTE=&quot;David Atherton, post: 8268870, member: 82616&quot;]I really do love the first regnal year issues struck for Vespasian at Alexandria. They truly are the first coins produced in his name. This regnal year one diobol is one you don&#039;t see everyday!</p><p><br /></p><p>[ATTACH=full]1459272[/ATTACH]</p><p><b>Vespasian</b></p><p>Æ Diobol, 7.77g</p><p>Alexandria mint, 69 AD</p><p>Obv: ΑΥΤ ΤΙΤ ΦΛΑΥΙ ΟΥΕΣΠΑΣΙΑΝ ΚΑΙΣ; Head of Vespasian, laureate, r.</p><p>Rev: LΑ; Bust of Sarapis, r.</p><p>RPC 2408 (4 spec.). Emmett 218.1. Dattari-Savio 346.</p><p>Acquired from Carthago Numismatics, March 2022.</p><p><br /></p><p>The first coins struck for Vespasian anywhere in the empire are those dated &quot;Year 1&quot; (LA) from Alexandria Egypt. The two legions stationed there under the Prefect Tiberius Julius Alexander were the first to declare him emperor. According to Tacitus - &quot;The first move to convey imperial status to Vespasian took place at Alexandria. This was due to the eagerness of Tiberius Alexander, who caused his legions to swear allegiance to the new emperor on 1 July&quot; (Hist 2.79). The year 1 coins were struck between 1 July and 28 August (in contrast, Vespasian&#039;s first coins at Rome are no earlier than late December!). The obverse legend of these first coins lack the title Augustus (sebastos). However, those dated Year 2 (29 August 69 - 28 August 70) include the title, which is strong evidence that Vespasian did not immediately adopt it during the first two months of his reign. Vespasian did not arrive in Alexandria until December, so the Alexandrian die engravers probably had no idea of the new emperor&#039;s appearance. This bronze diobol features a portrait somewhat removed from the bald, overweight soldier-emperor we are accustomed to. These regnal year one bronze issues tend to be rarer than the corresponding billon tetradrachms.</p><p><br /></p><p>Feel free to show your &#039;first&#039; coins.</p><p><br /></p><p>Thanks for looking![/QUOTE]</p><p><br /></p>

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