I was quite excited to receive this Titus As in the mail yesterday and couldn't wait to share it here! What attracted me to the piece is the fantastic portrait (one the finest I've come across) and neat reverse. Titus AE As, 10.75g Rome mint, 80-81 AD RIC 226 (R). BMC 210. Obv: IMP T CAES VESP AVG P M TR P COS VIII; Head of Titus, laureate, l. Rev: GENI P R; S C in field; Genius stg. l., with patera over altar and cornucopiae Acquired from London Ancient Coins, September 2018. Genius - 'The spirit of the Roman people' is not a common motif in Flavian coinage. It occurs under Vespasian on rare Spanish military denarii struck early in his reign and briefly during the reign of Titus on asses struck in 80-81. Mattingly connects the type under Titus with 'the vows undertaken for the first five years of the new reign'. The coin is dated COS VIII which Titus held in 80 (he did not renew the consulship in 81). Unlike the parallel silver issue the bronze lack an IMP number and cannot be more precisely dated. Most likely they were struck in the first half of 80 along with the silver. Feel free to share your Genius or Titus coins!
Outstanding! I only have one of these LRBC with Genius: Maximinus II Daza, AD 309-313, as Augustus. Roman Æ follis, 21.4 mm, 4.88 g, 12 h. Antioch, AD 312. Obv: IMP C GAL VAL MAXIMINVS P F AVG, laureate head, right. Rev: GENIO AVGVSTI, Genius standing left, modius on head, naked but for chlamys over left shoulder, holding head of Sol and cornucopiae; *|Z //ANT. Refs: RIC 164b; Cohen 21; RCV 14840.
David, that is a great coin. I can see why you were attracted to the portrait, it is fantastic. The celator certainly was a person of great talent.
That is definitely a great portrait, especially for a bronze which are a lot harder to find Titus as Augustus, Congrats. My only coin of him as Augustus is only silver.
I was hoping someone would post a LRB with Genius. The type seems to have been more popular with them. Nice example!
To be honest, when I saw this As come up for sale several weeks ago it helped me decide to start collecting Flavian bronze coins. This coin has a good run to make my year end Top Ten list.
That is a great portrait of Titus! But cool reverse also, the genius dude looks like a soldier kind of? Here's my one and only Titus again, but it's pretty nice! Titus, AR Denarius, A.D. 76 O:T CAESAR IMP VESPASIANVS; Laureate head right; R:COS V; Eagle on cippus, head left. 15x18 mm, 3.5 g RIC II Rome 872
While this one is worn I love the portrait style T CAESAR IMP VESPASIANVS laureate head right COS VI Mars standing left with spear & trophy Rome, 77-78 AD 2.76g RSC 65, RIC 948 (Vespasian)
That is a great coin! I have a soft spot in my heart (and collection) for middle denomination AEs! Here's an AR Trajan Genius: Trajan, Ruled 98-117 AD AR Denarius, Struck 114-117 AD, Rome Mint Obverse: IMP CAES NER TRAIANO OPTIMO AVG GER DAC, Laureate and draped bust right. Reverse: P M TR P COS VI P P S P Q R, Genius, naked, standing left, holding patera in right hand and corn-ears downwards in left. References: RIC II 347, BMCRE 549, RSC 276 And here is a companion for @Roman Collector's Max II: Maximinus II Daia as "FILIVS AVGVSTORVM", AE2 Follis Struck Dec. 308 - May 310 AD, Thessalonica Mint Obverse: MAXIMINVS • FIL • AVGG, Head of Maximinus Daia, laureate, right. Reverse: GENIO CA-ESARIS, Genius, wearing modius, sometimes radiate, nude, chlamys draped over left shoulder, standing left, pouring liquid from patera in right hand and holding cornucopiae in left hand, Δ in left field, SMTS in exergue. References: RIC VI 32a, Cohen 42
Interesting how close that Genius resembles Bonus Eventus under Titus. Titus AR Denarius, 3.31g Rome Mint, 79 - 80 AD RIC 89 (C). BMC 106. RSC 25. Obv: IMP TITVS CAES VESPASIAN AVG PM•; Head of Titus, laureate, bearded, r. Rev: BONVS EVEN-TVS AVGVSTI; Bonus Eventus, a naked youth, standing l., holding patera in extended r. hand and corn-ears and poppy in l. Acquired from Apollo Numismatics, January 2006.
I used to have not much interest in reverses of Roman coins, but it's one of the things I learned at CoinTalk to look better at them. Here are a few Genius types. Nero AE As. Lugdunum, ca. 65 AD. NERO CLAVD CAESAR AVG GER P M TR P IMP P, bare head right, globe at point of bust / GENIO AVGVSTI S-C, Genius standing left, sacrificing from patera over altar & holding cornucopiae. 31 mm, 10.38 gr. A patient of my father-in-law (who was a well-known lover of Roman history) found it in a churchyard, 48 years ago. Maximinus II Daia 307-311, AE follis Alexandria. Obv. Laureate head to the right, IMP C GAL VAL MAXIMINVS P F AVG. Rev. Genius standing facing, head left, modius on head, naked but for chlamys across left shoulder, liquors flowing from patera in right hand, cornucopiae in left. K in left field, gamma / P in right field. GENIO IMP/ERATORIS. ALE in exergue. 25,5 mm, 6.61 gr. RIC VI, 105c. This is the fantastic Maximinus Daia portrait from the Tom Cederlind estate, also a name I learned from CoinTalk. AE pentassarion Elagabalus. Parium, Mysia. Obv. Laureate, draped, and cuirassed bust right / Genius standing left, holding phiale over lighted altar and cradling cornucopia. 22 mm, 6.56 gr.
Piling on with a Genio Imperatoris Follis as well...Maximin II Daia, Cyzicus mint And Maximin Daia, GENIO AVGVSTI, Alexandria mint. Genius holding bust of Serapis
Beautiful acquisition, David! I'm in the final negotiations for a superb Vespasian denarius. If the transaction occurs, the coin may well be the jewel of my denarii collection. I feel like a kid at Christmastime, I can't wait to make a poster. I don't want to say any more because I don't want to jinx it. Yes, I'm a born again Christian (at least, that's what my family calls me) but I've still got some superstitious habits
