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Message:: [QUOTE="John Anthony, post: 2325224, member: 42773"]It's a wonderful coin indeed. An additional reference is Prieur 123. Although the plate coin in Prieur is not a die match to yours, it's clearly done by the same hand as the bust is almost identical. Of all the other Group 5 coins, this engraver chose to depict Vespasian with a serene, almost beatific expression. You might find Prieur's description of the difficulties in attributing these coins useful, so I quote it here... "The coinage of Vespasian is one of the most difficult to attribute, as it is possible that several mints used the same marks, while some mints used more than one mark at the same time. The best guide is, therefore, the engravers' styles. However, it is also highly likely that some engravers worked for different mints. No general agreement has been reached amongst scholars. We have dealt with the different issues according to Richard McAlee's group classification (forthcoming) but have not followed its mint attributions. Since individual mints are not clearly identified, it is easier to gather all issued under Antioch, while noting that different mints must have been in operation at the same time, rather than splitting the coinage of Vespasian between such exotic places as Aradus or Tripolis." Prieur, p. 16 It makes you wish the various mints had clearly identified themselves, as on later Imperial issues, but part of the allure of collecting ancients is embracing the mystery.[/QUOTE]