David Atherton

Major EDIT! With the help of @AnYangMan the provenance is almost complete! The piece is indeed ex Dutch Royal Cabinet and was listed in Schulman auction 254 in 1971! Many thanks @AnYangMan!!

My latest coin proves it's sometimes beneficial to do your own provenance research... you'll never know what you may find! Vespasian Æ Sestertius, 24.63g Rome mint, 71 AD Obv: IMP CAES VESPASIAN AVG P M TR P P P COS III; Head of Vespasian, laureate, r. Rev: PAX AVGVSTI; S C in field; Pax std. l., with branch and sceptre RIC 186 (R2, this coin). BMC -. BNC 521. Ex Harlan J Berk BBS 225, 30 November 2023, lot 10. Ex Curtis Clay Collection. Ex Schulman 254, 11-12 November 1971, lot 3376. Ex Dutch Royal Cabinet, The Hague. An extremely rare sestertius variety featuring Pax seated on the reverse. Normally on Vespasian's bronze coins she is seen standing or leaning on a column. The provenance presented quite a puzzle. Clay writes 'same dies' as the RIC plate coin from The Hague collection, but clearly it is the same piece! The Hague collection was incorporated into the Geldmuseum of Utretch, which in turn was closed in 2013. Most of the Geldmuseum coins were sent to the Dutch National Bank where they reside today. Clay must have purchased the coin in 1971 via Schulman auction 254 which listed this coin (lot 3376) from the Dutch Royal Cabinet. RIC erroneously assumed the piece was still part of the Royal Cabinet collection when it was transferred to the Geldmuseum! The auction provenance was either forgotten or lost. Besides being a plate coin, this example comes with a high relief portrait in fine style! In hand. As always, thank you for looking and watching!

At Pompeii the going rate was between 2 and 20 asses ... so perhaps you'd need a purse full of quadrantes!

This wasn't expensive and I was missing it... plus, it's a pretty handsome piece! Domitian Æ Quadrans, 1.97g Rome Mint, 81-82 AD Obv: IMP DOMIT AVG; Head of Minerva, helmeted, r. Rev: S C in laurel wreath RIC 125 (C). BMC 486. BNC -. Acquired from Gert Boersema, February 2024. A fairly common early Domitianic quadrans, struck either in 81 or early 82. The quadrans in the early imperial period typically lacked an imperial portrait, here instead we have Domitian's patron deity Minerva on the obverse. Tariffed at a quarter of an as, the denomination was possibly deemed too lowly by mint officials to warrant a portrait. They were struck haphazardly and functioned primarily as an urban low value coinage in Rome and central Italy. The quadrans was the typical fee for entry into the baths, a urinal, or for a tryst in a cheap brothel. Being of rather low value quadrantes were not typically hoarded and thus are relatively scarce today being virtually absent from site finds outside central and south-central Italy (in contrast, over 1,827 quadrantes have been found at Pompeii). In hand. Thanks for looking!

He knows quality when he sees it!

I used to agree with all of what you say, but ... What got me thinking about this more seriously was a recent coin I added. Vespasian Æ Sestertius, 23.86g Rome mint, 71 AD Obv: IMP CAES VESPASIAN AVG P M TR P P P COS III; Head of Vespasian, laureate, r., with aegis Rev: PAX AVGVSTI; S C in field; Pax stg. l., with branch and cornucopiae RIC 182 (R3, this coin). BMC -. BNC -. Ex Harlan J Berk BBS 225, 30 November 2023, lot 9. Ex Curtis Clay Collection. Ex CNG E93, 7 July 2004, lot 83. Not described in the HJB catalogue as 'smoothed', but the earlier CNG listing mentions 'light smoothing'. I suppose after hearing Aaron B's opinion on the matter I now know why it wasn't mentioned! This was the first coin I have knowingly purchased that has smoothing (almost certainly there are others unknowingly so). The above coin is provenanced to the Curtis Clay Collection and cited by RIC ... if it's good enough for them, it's good enough for me! This coin, and Aaron's comments made me rethink my opinion on the matter. I don't believe the above coin is egregiously smoothed, but then again I have no Idea what it looked like before hand. Possibly, the smoothing was part of the cleaning process since most of the black patina is still intact. At any rate, I voted yes. IMHO, a little smoothing is acceptable with these big bronzes, otherwise you will have precious little to collect!

That's a fantastic reverse! I love it. Congrats!

I was going to link the video in the OP so folks could hear his own explanation, but couldn't remember which episode it was (I think it was in January).

Recently, Aaron Berk on his Ancient Coins Youtube Podcast stated light smoothing on bronze coins doesn't bother him at all. He equated it as part of the cleaning process. So, I was wondering how everyone here felt about it. Light smoothing of corrosion or patina in the fields as part of cleaning the process, yay or nay?

Thanks! I think with videos, especially for big bronzes, you get a better idea of their heft.

Probably this one as Caesar under Titus. https://www.forumancientcoins.com/gallery/displayimage.php?pid=156227 They really don't come much better than that. I think it's no accident it's provenanced to a portrait painter.

I'm never disappointed when receiving a Domitian bronze ... especially his early ones, which can be quite pleasing in hand (the video shows this aspect off better). Domitian Æ Sestertius, 26.73g Rome mint, 82 AD Obv: IMP CAES DIVI VESP F DOMITIAN AVG P M; Head of Domitian, laureate, bearded, r. Rev: TR P COS VIII DES VIIII P P; S C in field; Minerva stg. l., with spear RIC 105 (C2). BMC 274. BNC 285. Acquired from Classic World Coins, February 2024. Minerva's prominence on Domitian's coinage first showed up on his early bronzes produced in 81-82 before she dominated his denarii. While Domitian's initial denarius output is dominated by the carry-over pulvinar types from Titus, his first two issues of sestertii have a more personal touch with the reverses featuring his patron deity. This common sestertius struck in early 82, just prior to the mint's overhaul later the same year, demonstrates that the finest engravers were not just reserved for Domitian's aurei. A superb portrait and fine reverse. In hand. Thanks for looking!

Welcome back to the fold! Stay away from Flavians, they're overrated.

Your new Hadrian is superb Donna. And a wonderful write-up to go with it. Congrats!

I love your term 'sleeper rarity', suits it rather well.

I've been after this Domitian denarius variety for many years. For one reason or another it has always managed to slip just out of reach ... not forgetting they are notoriously hard to attribute from photos alone since old dies were often re engraved with an additional numeral squeezed in between the legend. Although this may be considered a minor 'grail', it was so satisfying to finally acquire one of these elusive specimens! It now completes this very rare denarius issue in my collection. Domitian AR Denarius, 3.16g Rome mint, 92 AD Obv: IMP CAES DOMIT AVG GERM P M TR P XI; Head of Domitian, laureate, bearded, r. Rev: IMP XXII COS XVI CENS P P P; Minverva stg. r. on capital of rostral column, with spear and shield; to r., owl (M2) RIC 736 (R2). BMC -. RSC -. BNC -. Ex Tater's Relics, eBay, 14 February 2024. Domitian struck the same series of four Minerva types for his denarii regularly every year from 83 onwards. Some issues are more rare than others - a few are very rare. This coin is from a very rare issue struck towards the end of summer 92 and can be dated by the TR P XI and IMP XXII, an exceedingly rare combination. This series commemorating his 22nd imperial acclamation was most likely awarded for a victory against the Sarmatians and Suevi near the end of the campaigning season just before he became TR P XII on 14th September. The rarity of this dating combination indicates how tight the window was for this issue's production. Struck in such haste, the second 'I' in the imperial acclamation date is often squeezed in on the reused dies from the previous issue (as is the case with the present coin). Missing from both the BM and Paris collections. In hand. Thank you for looking!

I suppose for a generalist it's of some value... but like I said, it's not that pressing for me. I only have to worry about 27 years of ancient coinage! 😆

Maybe it's just me, but the 'doofus purchase' segment is the least interesting thing in the podcast. I see them all the time, especially on eBay. Edit: There's actually one in tomorrow's CNG auction, so I'm not just eBay shaming!

I was very thrilled to have recently acquired this possibly second known Domitian denarius from 95/96 AD sporting an aegis portrait! Domitian AR Denarius, 3.44g Rome mint, 95-96 AD Obv: IMP CAES DOMIT AVG GERM P M TR P XV; Bust of Domitian, laureate, bearded, r., with aegis Rev: IMP XXII COS XVII CENS P P P; Minerva stg. l., with thunderbolt and spear, shield at her l. side (M3) RIC 789A (R3). BMC -. RSC -. BNC -. Ex JLB Coins, eBay, 7 February 2024. Formerly in NGC holder # 4184475-010, Ch VF. A second known example of the M3 Minerva type from the 95-96 denarius issue with aegis portrait. Domitian's aegis portraits on denarii were more commonly struck in 84 and 85, sparingly so afterwards. The Rome mint was experimenting with new reverse designs and portrait types for the denarius issues during the last year of the reign. Perhaps the reintroduction of the aegis may have been part of this new programme? Of course we shall never know - Domitian's assassination in September 96 cut short any experimentation with his coinage. This rare variant only came to light recently and has been added to the RIC II.1 Addenda as RIC 789A. In hand. Thank you for looking!

Yes, it's very optimistic.

Well, well, well .... https://www.ebay.com/itm/256448318747?mkcid=16&mkevt=1&mkrid=711-127632-2357-0&ssspo=8HIsjhCrRb-&sssrc=4429486&ssuid=mMsDejf_TOu&var=&widget_ver=artemis&media=COPY Someone's cashing in their chip.

It's an extremely common type ... a better one could be found.

I think I paid @ $500 for my RIC 1 nearly 20 years ago. Prices have indeed risen! And that Goldberg specimen is an obverse die match with mine!

If you don't mind me asking, which coin was it?

Alexandrian reverse types under the Flavians typically displayed both ethnic and Greek themes, sometimes both (Sarapis). My latest coin from Alexandria has a decidedly 'Greek' reverse. I think it's quite fetching. Domitian Æ Obol, 5.12g Alexandria mint, 91-92 AD Obv: ΑΥΤ ΚΑΙϹΑΡ ΔΟΜΙΤ ϹƐΒ ΓƐΡΜ; Head of Domitian, laureate, r. Rev: LΙA; Dolphin coiled round anchor RPC 2649 (13 spec.). Emmett 308.11. Dattari-Savio 600. Acquired from Herakles, January 2024. Ex Naville Auction 76, 2 October 2022, lot 183. A decently rare Alexandrian obol from Domitian's regnal year 11. The dolphin is the totem animal of Poseidon and likely can be viewed in that context here. One cannot help but be reminded of an identical dolphin and anchor pulvinar type struck previously by Titus and Domitian between 80-82 at Rome on the denarius. This coin is cited in the RPC online database. https://rpc.ashmus.ox.ac.uk/coin/438475 In hand. Thank you for looking and watching!