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<p>[QUOTE=&quot;David Atherton, post: 3518684, member: 82616&quot;]Sometimes it&#039;s nothing more than a portrait that attracts you to a piece. And that is indeed the case with my latest acquisition!</p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p>[ATTACH=full]934266[/ATTACH]<b>Vespasian</b></p><p>Æ Sestertius, 25.68g</p><p>Rome mint, 71 AD</p><p>RIC 238 (C). BMC 552.</p><p>Obv: IMP CAES VESPAS AVG P M TR P P P COS III; Head of Vespasian, laureate, r.</p><p>Rev: MARS VICTOR; S C in field; Mars, armoured, adv. l., with Victory and trophy</p><p>Ex CNG E443, 1 May 2019, lot 530.</p><p><br /></p><p>A sestertius struck in Vespasian&#039;s great bronze issue of 71. The reverse features the first Mars type coined for the new emperor, copied from one previously struck for Vitellius. Mars is seen here in full military dress instead of the heroic nude he is normally depicted as on the contemporary denarii. This MARS VICTOR type pays proper respect to the god of war for granting Flavian success in the recently concluded Jewish War (an open display of celebration for defeating Vitellius would be taboo on the coinage). The portraits from this <i>aes</i> issue can be quite extraordinary. C.H.V. Sutherland in his book <i>Roman Coins</i> writes: &#039;Vespasian&#039;s <i>aes</i>, however, and not merely the sestertii, developed a full magnificence of portraiture ... The beauty of this work lay in it&#039;s realism, strong in authority and yet delicate in execution ...&#039; (p. 189) Perhaps, a portrait such as this is what Sutherland had in mind when he wrote that passage.</p><p><br /></p><p>The minor porosity does not detract too much from the superb veristic portrait and beautiful dark brown patina.</p><p><br /></p><p>[ATTACH=full]934273[/ATTACH]</p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p>And just for comparison, a denarius with a &#039;heroically nude&#039; Mars on the reverse.</p><p><br /></p><p>[ATTACH=full]934280[/ATTACH]</p><p><b>Vespasian</b></p><p>AR Denarius, 3.39g</p><p>Rome Mint, January - June 70 AD</p><p>RIC 23 (C). BMC 11. RSC 87.</p><p>Obv: IMP CAESAR VESPASIANVS AVG; Head of Vespasian, laureate, r.</p><p>Rev: COS ITER TR POT; Mars, helmeted, naked except for cloak round waist, advancing r., holding spear in r., holding spear in r. hand, and aquila over l. shoulder in l.</p><p>Acquired from Tom Cederlind, July 2005.</p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p>Please show your superb portraits! Also, any Mars types, whether clothed or nude, you may have. I am curious to see how he was depicted throughout the coinage.[/QUOTE]</p><p><br /></p>

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