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<p>[QUOTE=&quot;David Atherton, post: 2767649, member: 82616&quot;]I can&#039;t stop buying these.</p><p><br /></p><p>[ATTACH=full]637605[/ATTACH]<b>Vespasian</b></p><p>AR Denarius, 3.34g</p><p>Rome mint, 76 AD</p><p>RIC 848 (C), BMC 184, RSC 120</p><p>Obv: IMP CAESAR VESPASIANVS AVG; Head of Vespasian, laureate, l.</p><p>Rev: COS VII across field; Eagle head l. standing on thunderbolt, on Altar. Very uncommon with thunderbolt showing.</p><p>Ex Solidus Numismatik Online-Auction 15, 22 May 2017, lot 172.</p><p><br /></p><p>The more common variant of the type missing thunderbolt in eagle&#039;s claws. Somewhat rare with head left.</p><p><br /></p><p>Recently, Ted Buttrey and I have been discussing the fact that this type is often depicted without a thunderbolt in the eagle&#039;s talons, despite the RIC description that there is one. Buttrey speculates that the original design for the type actually included a thunderbolt, but due to the engravers difficulty in competently rendering it or their sheer indolence, the thunderbolt quickly vanished.</p><p><br /></p><p>Buttrey at first felt that the two different variants needed their own separate RIC numbers. However, in the end he decided just to update the description of the type to reflect the inconsistent inclusion of a thunderbolt.</p><p><br /></p><p>Here is my other example with the thunderbolt showing.</p><p><br /></p><p>[ATTACH=full]637610[/ATTACH]<b>Vespasian</b></p><p>AR Denarius, 3.29g</p><p>Rome mint, 76 AD</p><p>RIC 848 (C), BMC 184, RSC 120</p><p>Obv: IMP CAESAR VESPASIANVS AVG; Head of Vespasian, laureate, l.</p><p>Rev: COS VII across field; Eagle head l. standing on thunderbolt, on Altar. Very uncommon with thunderbolt showing.</p><p>Acquired from Bart Lewis, February 2004.</p><p><br /></p><p>It&#039;s interesting to note that the rare specimens showing a thunderbolt also&nbsp; have altars that are a bit more elaborately decorated with garland.</p><p><br /></p><p>Am I done acquiring these eagle on altar variants? I doubt it.</p><p><br /></p><p>Post your eagles or thunderbolts![/QUOTE]</p><p><br /></p>

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