Featured The Restoration/Restitution coinage of Titus

Discussion in 'Ancient Coins' started by jamesicus, Mar 13, 2021.

  1. jamesicus

    jamesicus Well-Known Member

    The Restoration/Restitution coinage of Titus

    Background notes (13 March 2021):
    1. Although both Restoration and Restitution are employed by modern day authors to describe this coinage, I employ Restoration here because that is the nomenclature used by Harold Mattingly in his seminal reference: THE "RESTORED" COINS OF OF TITUS, DOMITIAN AND NERVA - The Numismatic Chronicle and Journal of the Royal Numismatic Society Fourth Series, Vol. 20 (1920), pp. 177-207 (31 pages) and on which much of the information presented here is based.
    2. Upon assuming the purple, Vespasian adopted a policy of honoring illustrious members of the Julio-Claudian dynasty by issuing several commemorative coin types in their memory. Commemoration of the illustrious dead on coins originated during the later Republic and became an integral part of the legacy of deified Emperors.
    3. Titus perpetuated his father's policy of honoring the illustrious dead by issuing commemorative coinage in a like manner. However, he now also began issuing coins that were struck using newly made dies designed to produce coins that closely resembled original coin types of the honorees but in more contemporary style.
    4. In British Museum Coins of the Roman Empire (BMCRE) Vol II @ TITUS: TYPES OF ROME, Mattingly states: "The 'restored' series of Titus served a double purpose; it preserved the memory of famous coins of the early Empire which were becoming obsolete and it emphasized in the public mind the continuity between the Flavian dynasty and the Julio-Claudian Dynasty.
    5. Restored coin obverses were usually very close replications of the original coins, but the reverse depictions were sometimes modified slightly to accommodate the peripheral inscription that was changed to: IMP T CAES AVG RESTITVIT - which roughly equates to "The Emperor Titus is the restorer of this coin".
    6. RESTITVIT is often abbreviated to REST on the reverse of the restored coinage.
    7. The above restoration became the general model used by Titus for his coin restorations, again with some variances.
    8. The Emperor and the Senate, evidently acting together, selected the deceased Augusti and family members they deemed worthy of being honored by the issuance of Restored coinage - a kind of official judgment of their records. Augustus, Tiberius, Claudius, Galba - and selected family members - were included. Caligula, Nero, Otho, Vitellius - and their family members were excluded.
    9. Only Aes coins - As, Dupondius and Sestertius - were restored by Titus. The following members of the Julio-Claudian dynasty were so honored:
    Augustus - sestertius, dupondius, as
    Agrippa - as
    Tiberius - sestertius, as
    Drusus - as
    Livia - dupondius
    Nero Drusus - sestertius
    Germanicus - dupondius
    Agrippina I - sestertius
    Claudius - sestertius, dupondius, as
    Galba - sestertius, dupondius, as

    Additional Restoration/Restitution coinage of this period information:

    The Restoration coinage of Domitian follows that of Titus, but the output was much lighter and appears to be restricted to a short period at the beginning of his reign.

    The Restoration coinage of Nerva also follows that of Titus, but it only includes two honorees: Divus Augustus and Agrippina senior.

    Trajan’s Restoration/Restitution coinage was based on different criteria and he issued it in bronze, silver and gold. He also issued this coinage to honor Distinguished Republican families. Click on the following link for information relating to a CNG listing for a Trajan Restoration/Restitution of a Julius Caesar aureus: Note especially the Curtis Clay and Harold Mattingly contributions.


    Examples of restoration coins issued by Titus:

    1AFBA21E-77B1-4201-8E2C-27DAD6980779.jpeg
    AUGUSTUS AS, TITUS RESTORATION ISSUE, 80-81 AD
    (27mm, 10.71 gm)

    BMCRE Volume II, Rome, Titus No. 273-275
    RIC Volume II, Part 1 (second edition), Titus, No. 462

    Obverse depiction: Augustus, radiate head facing left
    Inscription: DIVVS AV _____ GVSTVS PATER
    Reverse depiction: Eagle with wings spread standing on Globe
    Inscription: IMP T CAES AVG RESTITVIT - S C (above, left and right)


    3B06AA79-621A-4FD2-8D49-1F42E8D3740F.png
    AUGUSTUS AS, TITUS RESTORATION ISSUE, 80-81 AD
    (27mm, 10.03 gm)

    BMCRE Volume II, Rome, Titus No. 271 (variant)
    RIC Volume II, Part 1 (second edition), Titus, No. 454

    Obverse depiction: Augustus, radiate head facing left
    Inscription: DIVVS AVGVSTVS PATER
    Reverse depiction: Altar enclosure with double doors
    Inscription: IMP T VESP AVG REST - S C (left and right) - PROVIDENT (in exergue)


    84512701-1293-4319-8524-00E8151B8C14.jpeg
    AGRIPPA AS, TITUS RESTORATION ISSUE, 80-81 AD
    .(27mm, 10.00 gm)

    BMCRE Volume II, Rome, Titus No. 281 (Pl.54.9.)

    Obverse depiction: Agrippa, radiate head facing left wearing rostral crown
    Inscription: AGRIPPA L F COS III
    Reverse depiction: Neptune standing left holding small dolphin and trident
    Inscription: IMP T VESP AVG REST - S C (left and right)



    9A7E8A26-3A93-4B35-842F-CB92EC552D3A.png
    TIBERIUS AS, TITUS RESTORATION ISSUE, 80-81 AD
    (27mm, 11gm)

    BMCRE Volume II, Rome, Titus No. 284 (Pl.54.11.)

    Obverse depiction: Tiberius, bare head facing left
    Inscription (clockwise from bottom left): TI CAESAR DIVI AVG F AVGVSTVS IMP VIII
    Reverse depiction: Large S C
    Inscription (clockwise from 12 o’clock): IMP T CAES DIVI VESP F AVG REST



    47CEC916-1C83-445F-AE30-9E4C7E6AD57B.png
    CLAUDIUS SESTERTIUS, TITUS RESTORATION ISSUE, 80-81 AD
    (34.5mm, 23.12 gm)

    BMCRE Volume II, Rome, Titus No. 297 (pl. 56.1)
    RIC Volume II (1962 Edition), Rome, Titus, No. 234
    RIC Volume II, Part 1 (second edition), Titus, No. 472 (Sear No. 2601)

    Obverse depiction: Claudius, laureate head facing right
    Inscription: TI CLAVDIVS CAESAR AVG PM TRP IMP PP
    Reverse depiction: Personification of Spes holding flower
    in right hand and demurely raising skirt with left hand
    Inscription: IMP T VESP AVG REST - S C (left and right)

    Links relating to this coin:

    Sear Roman Coins and their Values (RCV 2000 Edition) Number 2601 (via Wildwinds Claudius)

    Sale: CNG, Triton XII, Lot: 555 (5 January 2009) (relating to the Titus restoration of the Claudius Spes sestertius)



    CE993388-CDD2-47C9-8463-EA670B83BBDB.jpeg
    AUGUSTUS DUPONDIUS, TITUS RESTORATION ISSUE, 80-81 AD
    (28 mm, 10.1 gm)


    BMCRE Volume II, Rome, Titus No. 265 (pl. 54.1)
    RIC Volume II (1962 Edition), Rome, Titus, No. 190
    RIC Volume II, Part 1 (second edition), Titus, No. 445 (Sear No. 2601)

    Obverse depiction: Augustus head, radiate, facing right
    Inscription: : DIVVS AVGVS-TVS PATER
    Reverse depiction: Winged Victory alighting left, round shield in right hand inscribed SP/QR in two lines; S C left and right
    Inscription: IMP T VESP AVG REST - S C (left and right)
     
    Last edited: Mar 14, 2021
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  3. Robert Ransom

    Robert Ransom Well-Known Member

    Love this coin. This the first depiction of an eagle I have seen. Does the globe represent the world? (your photo)
    upload_2021-3-13_17-47-11.png
     
  4. jamesicus

    jamesicus Well-Known Member

    Thank you Robert. Answer to your question: Yes.
     
    Robert Ransom likes this.
  5. Robert Ransom

    Robert Ransom Well-Known Member

    Follow-up. Is this the first depiction of an eagle on a coin?
    PS. Liked your thread also.
     
    jamesicus likes this.
  6. Clavdivs

    Clavdivs Well-Known Member

    No... not even close really.
    I am not sure when the eagle was first depicted on a coin - but here is my earliest - which was struck over 500 years prior:

    (sorry about the picture - I am a terrible photographer.. this is also the smallest coins I own.)

    upload_2021-3-13_18-10-32.png

    AEOLIS, KYME
    AR Hemiobol
    OBVERSE: Eagle's head left, KY to left (M beneath the head, nearly off flan)
    REVERSE: Quadrapartite incuse square of mill-sail pattern
    Struck at Aeolis, circa 450BC
    .47g, 7.7mm
     
  7. Marsyas Mike

    Marsyas Mike Well-Known Member

    Terrific coins and most informative write-up jamesicus.

    Although it is horrible, I am happy to say that I have one of these - it came in an undescribed lot of junk:

    Titus - Germanicust Rest as lot May 2020 (0).jpg

    A visual enhancement for the reverse inscription:
    Titus - Germanicust Rest as lot May 2020 (0det).jpg

    Titus Æ As
    Germanicus Restoration Issue
    (80-81 A.D.)
    Rome Mint

    GER[MANICVS CAESAR TI AV]G F DIVI AVG N, head of Germanicus, bare, left /
    IMP T CAES [DIVI VESP F] AVG REST · around large S-C.
    RIC 442 (RIC [1962] 228) (Titus)
    (8.25 grams / 23 mm)
    eBay May 2020 Lot @ $4.17

    Notes:
    "The 'restored' series of Titus served a double purpose; it preserved the memory of famous coins of the early Empire which were becoming obsolete and it
    emphasized in the public mind the continuity between the Flavian dynasty and its predecessor."
    (Harold Mattingly via Coin Talk, Jamesicus)
     
  8. Orfew

    Orfew Draco dormiens nunquam titillandus

    Thank you @jamesicus for such an informative write up. We are lucky to have you here with us.
     
    jamesicus likes this.
  9. Roman Collector

    Roman Collector Well-Known Member

    What a great write-up, @jamesicus!! Historically important coins, too!

    Alas, I have no restoration coinage of Titus. :(
     
    jamesicus and Orfew like this.
  10. jamesicus

    jamesicus Well-Known Member

    Thank you Mike. Nice find in a pile of junk coins! I like the way you have “highlighted” the heavily worn legend letters!
     
    Last edited: Mar 14, 2021
    Marsyas Mike and 7Calbrey like this.
  11. jamesicus

    jamesicus Well-Known Member

    Thank very much old friend. I feel lucky to be here amongst this treasured group of coin friends!
     
    Orfew and octavius like this.
  12. jamesicus

    jamesicus Well-Known Member

    And thank you @RC! I hope you pick up one or two of these fascinating coins!
     
    Roman Collector likes this.
  13. 7Calbrey

    7Calbrey Well-Known Member

    Precious and educational write-up. I felt it's typically academic. I'll try to find if I have any "Restored" coins of Titus in my collection.
     
    jamesicus likes this.
  14. jamesicus

    jamesicus Well-Known Member

    Thank you @7Calbrey. I didn’t intend it to be an academic post for I am not really an academican.
     
    Last edited: Mar 14, 2021
    7Calbrey likes this.
  15. Archeocultura

    Archeocultura Well-Known Member

    One coin (right) was originally found in the south of England around 1865 and the other one I bought, as they are die-identical; we can expect all of these coins to come from one die pair II Titus 192 obverse comparison.jpg II Titus 192 reverse comparison.jpg
     
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  16. jamesicus

    jamesicus Well-Known Member

    Thank you for posting those fine coins @Archeocultura and for the excellent “find” information.
     
  17. singig

    singig Well-Known Member

    I have two coins struck by Titus that fit here , the AS below its a little corroded , I bought it mainly because of the right facing portrait , the large majority of ''DIVVS AVGVSTVS'' types are left facing.
    I also bought a sestertius , I hope to have it next week and post it here.

    Augustus AE As, restoration issue by Titus. RIC 458 [titus]
    DIVI AVGVSTVS PATER, radiate head of Augustus right / IMP T VESP AVG REST, eagle standing facing on globe, wings spread, head right.
    augustus 33.jpg
     
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  18. jamesicus

    jamesicus Well-Known Member

    Thank you for posting the pic of that coin @singig. I am looking forward to the pic of that sestertius you just purchased.

    James
     
    singig likes this.
  19. jamesicus

    jamesicus Well-Known Member

    The representation of winged Victory on the reverse of my Titus restored Divvs Augustus dupondius is carrying a round shield inscribed
    SP/QR in two lines:

    6CC25162-8245-4E58-A16D-8D0DB0CF95CB.jpeg

    The representation of winged Victory on the reverse of the following Nero As is carrying a round shield inscribed SPQR in one line ……………

    6AF0E7ED-9D43-4129-AF84-541F5A9C3480.jpeg

    as is this one (very faint) ……………

    C980E909-3F55-4527-8006-07C16AC41C1D.jpeg

    Out of pure curiosity on my part, please post pics of any of your coins that have winged Victory reverses.


    ……………
     
  20. jamesicus

    jamesicus Well-Known Member

    Additional information: Some later Emperors issued coins that included REST as part of the reverse legend that pertains to the restoration of a famous structure, monument, temple, etc. rather than the restoration of the coins themselves. For example, the following denarius was issued by Antoninus Pius to commemorate his restoration of the temple of Divvs Augustus which had burned to the ground many years earlier - the REST in the reverse legend refers to his restoration/rebuilding of the temple. Antoninus Pius issued a series of coins in various denominations so inscribed:

    8A49E1E7-0779-44B2-B3BB-0389B77F4887.jpeg
    ANTONINUS PIUS, DENARIUS, RIC III, ROME, NO. 284
    16.67mm, 3.73 grams

    Obverse depiction: bust of Antoninus Pius, laureate, facing right
    Obverse Inscription: ANTONINVS AVG PIVS P P TR P XXII

    Reverse depiction: Octastyle Temple with figures (Augustus and Livia?) inside.
    Reverse Inscription: AED DIVI AVG REST COS IIII in exergue.


    Original Temple of Divvs Augustus as depicted on a sestertius of Caligula:

    172FF792-1118-438A-9504-1FC7A5AD49D4.png
    CAIUS (CALIGULA), SESTERTIUS, BMCRE Vol. I, Rome, No. 69 (Pl. 29.12)
    CAIUS (CALIGULA), SESTERTIUS, RIC Vol. I, Rome, No. 51
    (40-41AD, 35mm, 26.2gm)

    Obverse depiction: Personification of Pietas, draped, seated left
    Inscription: C CAESAR DIVI AVG PRON AVG PM TRP IIII PP (in exergue): PIETAS

    Reverse depiction: Caligula, veiled and togate, standing left holding patera over altar - attendants (victimarius) on either side holding bull for sacrifice - hexastyle temple of Divus Augustus, surmounted by quadriga and festooned with garlands, in background.
    Reverse Horizontal Inscription: {small lettering} DIVO AVG and below: S C (left and right)

    Note: Also BMCRE 41, RIC 36 - with obverse legend: C CAESAR AVG GERMANICVS PM TR POT (in exergue): PIETAS
     

    Attached Files:

  21. singig

    singig Well-Known Member

    As I promised , I will post the Claudius sestertius(struck by Titus) ordered some weeks ago. It's similar with the one presented by @jamesicus , it has a left facing portrait and in a different style(possibly another engraver), also the emperor looks much older. I was able to find only one sestertius with this style of portrait, same obverse die :
    https://www.acsearch.info/search.html?id=4766189

    Divus Claudius AE Sestertius. Restitution under Titus, 80 AD. RIC 475
    TI CLAVDIVS CAESAR AVG P M TR P IMP P P, laureate head left / IMP T VESP AVG REST S-C, Spes advancing left, holding flower & hem of skirt. Cohen 104.
    25.3 g / 35 mm

    claudius_35.png
     
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