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<p>[QUOTE="David Atherton, post: 3298505, member: 82616"]Many thanks to [USER=76086]@Ken Dorney[/USER] for this superb Titus sestertius! Not only is it a beauty in hand, it also comes with an intriguing numismatic puzzle.</p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p>[ATTACH=full]873318[/ATTACH] <b>Titus</b></p><p>Æ Sestertius, 24.63g</p><p>Eastern Mint (Thrace?), 80-81 AD</p><p>RIC 499 (C). BMC 310. RPC 502.</p><p>Obv: IMP T CAES DIVI VESP F AVG P M TR P P P COS VIII; Head of Titus, laureate, bearded, r.</p><p>Rev: S C in field; Mars, with cloak over shoulders, adv. r., with spear and trophy</p><p>Acquired from Ken Dorney, December 2018.</p><p><br /></p><p>A remarkable sestertius from a truly mysterious issue of bronze that was struck under Titus in 80-81. The style (heavily seriffed letters, large portraits, and massive reverse figures), unique obverse legends (DIVI VESP F for Titus), and uncommon fabric (convex flans) all suggest a mint other than Rome. Attributing exactly where these coins were struck has historically been a moving target - Mattingly in BMCRE thought Lugdunum, H.A. Cahn believed somewhere in Bithynia. More recent scholarship has looked towards Thrace as a possible location for production based on the Balkan distribution pattern of found specimens. Although the region of mintage has been narrowed down, the city itself remains elusive. RPC has suggested possibly Perinthus. Presumably a shortage of bronze coins in the region during Titus' reign prompted a localised imperial issue, which in the main copied types from Rome. The striking of imperial bronze outside of Rome was an exceptional step at the time considering the last imperial branch mint at Lugdunum had shuttered late in Vespasian's reign.</p><p><br /></p><p>[ATTACH=full]873333[/ATTACH]</p><p><br /></p><p>With this coin and my last Titus As <a href="https://www.cointalk.com/threads/a-pleasant-surprise.329898/#post-3288752" class="internalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="https://www.cointalk.com/threads/a-pleasant-surprise.329898/#post-3288752">https://www.cointalk.com/threads/a-pleasant-surprise.329898/#post-3288752</a> , 2019 has kicked off very well here at Flavian Fanatic headquarters.</p><p><br /></p><p>Feel free to post your mystery mints![/QUOTE]</p><p><br /></p>
[QUOTE="David Atherton, post: 3298505, member: 82616"]Many thanks to [USER=76086]@Ken Dorney[/USER] for this superb Titus sestertius! Not only is it a beauty in hand, it also comes with an intriguing numismatic puzzle. [ATTACH=full]873318[/ATTACH] [B]Titus[/B] Æ Sestertius, 24.63g Eastern Mint (Thrace?), 80-81 AD RIC 499 (C). BMC 310. RPC 502. Obv: IMP T CAES DIVI VESP F AVG P M TR P P P COS VIII; Head of Titus, laureate, bearded, r. Rev: S C in field; Mars, with cloak over shoulders, adv. r., with spear and trophy Acquired from Ken Dorney, December 2018. A remarkable sestertius from a truly mysterious issue of bronze that was struck under Titus in 80-81. The style (heavily seriffed letters, large portraits, and massive reverse figures), unique obverse legends (DIVI VESP F for Titus), and uncommon fabric (convex flans) all suggest a mint other than Rome. Attributing exactly where these coins were struck has historically been a moving target - Mattingly in BMCRE thought Lugdunum, H.A. Cahn believed somewhere in Bithynia. More recent scholarship has looked towards Thrace as a possible location for production based on the Balkan distribution pattern of found specimens. Although the region of mintage has been narrowed down, the city itself remains elusive. RPC has suggested possibly Perinthus. Presumably a shortage of bronze coins in the region during Titus' reign prompted a localised imperial issue, which in the main copied types from Rome. The striking of imperial bronze outside of Rome was an exceptional step at the time considering the last imperial branch mint at Lugdunum had shuttered late in Vespasian's reign. [ATTACH=full]873333[/ATTACH] With this coin and my last Titus As [url]https://www.cointalk.com/threads/a-pleasant-surprise.329898/#post-3288752[/url] , 2019 has kicked off very well here at Flavian Fanatic headquarters. Feel free to post your mystery mints![/QUOTE]
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