A week or so ago I started a thread in which I lamented missing out on a coveted denarius by just a few seconds. https://www.cointalk.com/threads/misery-loves-company.316995/ In that thread, fellow CTer @ro1974 posted a picture of another example of the type which is a bit worn with a few scratches. No comment on the context of the photo followed (was it from a data base, his collection, or a past sale?). I'll be charitable and assume, since English is not his mother tongue, he was unable to adequately explain where he found it. Later that evening I was doing a search on MA Shops and found the coin in question as a new listing on a European seller's page! A most fortunate coincidence that two specimens of such a rare type were listed within 24 hours by two different dealers. Never have I been happier to have acquired a worn and scratched denarius! Domitian as Caesar AR Denarius, 3.10g Rome mint, 76-77 AD RIC V922 (R2). BMC - . RSC - . Obv: CAES AVG F DOMITIANVS; Head of Domitian, laureate, bearded, r. Rev: COS IIII; Pegasus, standing r. Acquired from Kölner, May 2018. A rare obverse legend variant of the Pegasus type struck for Domitian Caesar under Vespasian. Here we have 'CAES' instead of the much more common 'CAESAR'. No reverse die links between the two different obverses have been found, perhaps suggesting the 'CAES' issue came slightly later. Out of 240 Domitian Pegasus denarii on acsearch, only 6 have the 'CAES' obverse. The reverse copies a denarius struck for Augustus (RIC 297). Mattingly speculates it refers to Domitian's poetic aspirations. An old coin tray ticket accompanied the piece, which would explain its nice 'cabinet tone'. The story gets even better! Stay tuned for 'Part Two' coming very soon ...
So, is this ro's coin (I'm too lazy to go back and look)? Regardless, congratulations of your acquisition.
No. He found the coin for sale online and posted the image in the thread. I had to work out myself where it came from. Luckily, I was able to do so! The story gets much better ... more on that later.
It might be a bit worn and scratched, but it is very attractive - a nice warm cabinet tone makes up for a lot of flaws (for me, anyway). Nice catch.
Ugh! I hate this! How long do we have to wait? This takes me back to when I would watch the old Adam West Batman tv show! Might as well post mine in the meantime. David's Pegasus has a much more regal pose imo.
Just a general question on ancients while I'm surfing. Are ancients generally very valuable as opposed to the more 'traditional' coins? I ask because I've purchased ebay lots some time ago and they were rather inexpensive. Granted they were crusted over and in need of restoration but was just wondering.
The only real answer here is that there are ancients in every price and value range from less than a dollar up to over a million. If you have specific coins you want to ask about please create a new thread for them but in general the crusty coin lots you see on eBay are coins that are of lower value that coin cleaners didn't feel were worth their time to clean. In many cases these are coins most collectors wouldn't want. Not always, but more and more of those crusty lots these days they fall into that category.
LOL, but the DIFFERENCE is that Batman IS a true story! Hmmmm... no Horsey-Domitian for me! Great looking coin @David Atherton ! Since I do like the Pegasus myth so much (if it were featured on Batman, then it would be REAL), how about a RR version? RR AE Double Litra 235 BCE 19.5mm 6.5g Rome mint Hercules r club - Pegasus r club ROMA Craw 27-3, HN Italy, 316 Sear 591
I wish I could post the rest of the tale now, but I am at the mercy of the postal gods. So, tune in next week. Same coin time. Same coin channel! BTW, lovely example!!
"Worn and scratched" perhaps, but I actually find it a rather attractive coin. If the amount paid saved you much from a slightly better coin then all the better. I'm seriously hoping you're not actually going to make us wait a week for part two!
I guess I'll have to make a sacrifice to those postal gods for an expeditious delivery. Don't you have more of these Domitian Pegasus types? I'd love to see them.
OK, you twisted my arm! The common Rome mint example with 'CAESAR'. Domitian as Caesar AR Denarius, 3.12g Rome mint, 76-77 AD RIC V921 (C2). BMC V193. RSC 47. Obv: CAESAR AVG F DOMITIANVS; Head of Domitian, laureate, bearded, r. Rev: COS IIII; Pegasus, standing r. Acquired from Nilus Coins, March 2007. A rare 'o' mint Pegasus. Domitian as Caesar AR Denarius, 2.81g Ephesus (?) mint, 76 AD RIC V1494 (R2). BMC V488 bis. RSC 47 var. RPC 1465 (1 spec.). Obv: CAESAR AVG F DOMITIANVS; Head of Domitian, laureate, bearded, r. 'o' mint mark below neck Rev: COS IIII above; Pegasus r. Ex G&N, eBay, 27 August 2015. And an 'o' mint Vespasian Pegasus! Vespasian AR Denarius, 2.78g Ephesus (?) mint, 76 AD RIC 1473 (R). BMC 482. RSC 114a. RPC 1451 (4 spec.). Obv: IMP CAESAR VESPASIANVS AVG; Head of Vespasian, laureate, r., a small 'o' mint mark below neck Rev: COS VII above; Pegasus r. Ex Welch Collection.
