Vitellian Bronzes

When I first started collecting Roman coins, around 1986 or so, I remember being passionate about Bronzes of Vitellius - why were they so scarce, so difficult to find?

His silver seemed generally available, not so the bronze coins struck in his name.
I scoured catalogues and sales, and sure enough, Vitellian sestertii and dupondii would indeed appear every now and then, but then typically sold for sums which vastly exceed my limited budget.

A collector friend gave me some old 6o's and early 70's sales catalogues, and I found that Vitellian bronzes seemed much more plentiful back then. By the late 80's and early 90's, however, the supply seemed to have dried up. At least that was my impression.

My desire to add a Vitellius bronze to my collection, specially a sestertius of his, went thus unfulfilled for a few years until I finally found, sometime in the early 90's, a local dealer who had one available for the princely sum of 680 DM (a lot of money for me back then). I was able to negotiate a price and finally had my sestertius of Vitellius.

It was a PAX AUGVSTI type, which is also by far the most available sestertius type of Vitellius. The condition was not great, scratches and all, but it was mine! I was elated.

As things would have it, just a few months later I found another two, this time in a flea market (!)
One of them very, very worn but a very scarce type (CONCORDIA), the other very, very corroded (another PAX).
The price was 80 DM for both! I could not believe my luck!

Anyhow, here are the coins which had me running around for so long, and sorry for the rambling. Collectors are like that, as you know.

My sestertii of Vitellius. Also an as of his (even uglier than the corroded sestertius), and a pretty Mars dupondius of Vitellius struck in Tarraco which I was lucky to find at a Spink auction in the late 90's.

Please post them if you have them, or any bronze of Vitellius, or any coin you have sought and 'yearned' for for a long time, until you finally found it and still made you happy, no matter what the condition.

 

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I have just realised that I posted this in the World Coin.

How can I get a Mod to put it where it belongs? namely Ancient Coins?

 

I actually do have a Vitellius bronze (as), its corroded to all heck, but I got it for $5, i'll post pics when I get home.

 

Don't have one yet (if I ever will) - a good selection of Vitellius' bronzes there @Eduard

 

I completed my 12 Caesar set in bronze with this Vitellius Concordia , bought it last year from a french seller for 250 euro.

 

Andres, I like your Vitellius Concordia as. It is one of the most encountered reverses on asse of Vitellius. Your example has a very nice appearance, good detail, and a nice patina. That was a nice addition to your collection.
It is not easy to find one like that! (my own example, well, it is not so nice....)

 

This one's not Rome mint but still Vitellius, Bronze and rare... from Alexandria!

I bought what I thought was a beat-up Vespasian... but after trying to attribute it, the legends weren't matching up. It turns out it was a Vitellius.

It's ugly... but since I have no current plans to buy a nice Vitellius, it was pleasant surprise for $17.

Vitellus Obol Year 1
Alexandria
Obverse Legend:

Reverse: Bust of Serapis - LA
April - July 69AD
RPC 5376, BMCG 219, Milne 378

I looked everywhere and was only able to find a photo of one other example that someone on FORVM connected me to in RPC.

 

I disagree that it is ugly.
I do recognise Vitellius in that portrait - it bears his typical facial characteristics. By the way, your obol must be very scarce - acsearch at least shows no recorded auction appearances.

Thank you for showing it to us!

 

A Vitellius at $5...another one for $17...is there a moderator who can delete this thread...I’m in my lazy boy chair having a hyperventilation crisis....

 

Here's the one I talked about earlier, actually got it for $3, no big difference as it barely constitutes as a coin.

 

Some nice finds at crazy low prices - congrats on those coins guys.

 

Okay, so remember that you said: "no matter what the condition."

I found this is a batch of uncleaned crusties. It was under about 1/8" of corrosion on both sides; ended up having to use electrolysis on it. I think it cost me around $2-$3. I'm pretty sure that if I put it up for auction with a major auction house I could easily double my money.


Bronze As
Spanish (Tarraco?) mint
Obv: A VITELLIVS - IMP GERMAN
Rev: VICTORIA AVGVSTI - Victory, with shield inscribed S P Q R, between S and C
RIC 46
29mm, 8.4g.

 

I can clearly discern Vitellius' bust on that coin. The reverse i cannot make out, though. Is there any indication what the reverse may be?
I think you got a real bargain at that price.

 

I have to admit, this one is a challenge.. but the key thing is that you managed to clean it up, and it does show the emperor's name very clearly.

I have in my collection what I think is a roman copper as. I say 'think' because it just looks like a corroded, almost totally blank disk of copper. Just the very faintest hint of what 'may be' a bust. Yet, I am totally proud of that 'whatever it is' because it was my first ancient find ever. Compared to that, your Vitellius is a prime piece.

 

No clue at all, all I can make out is a R.

 

Your coin is quite nice with full legends on both sides, and very good centering on the obverse.

I have this coin too and it's my favorite small bronze (as or dupondius) in my collection. When I received the coin I was even more impressed by the obverse relief:

 

@IdesOfMarch01 that is certainly impressive relief, it almost looks like Vitellius is taking a nap.

 

IdesOfMarch01, that is definitely a stunning coin.

 

+1

 

+1 x 10exp 6

What a fantastic bronze and portrait of the emperor.
IOM's example bears what I would call a Rome mint portrait.

Vitellius Rome portraits, as for Galba's, can vary markedly from those of the provincial mints, for example Tarraco and Lugdunum.
(What did he actually look like?)

This can be seen on this example from Tarraco depicting Mars on the reverse.

ex Spink.