David Atherton

One of the more iconic scenes from ancient mythology is depicted on the reverse of this Vespasianic provincial bronze. A most appropriate coin in the midst of winter. I couldn't resist it! Vespasian Æ27, 8.24g Sardis (Lydia) mint, Titus Flavius Eisigonos (strategos) Obv: ΑΥΤΟΚ ΚΑΙϹ ΟΥΕϹΠΑϹΙΑΝΩ; Head of Vespasian, laureate, r. Rev: ΕΠΙ (Τ) ΦΛ ΕΙϹΙΓΟΝΟΥ ϹΑΡΔΙΑΝΩΝ; Pluto and Persephone in quadriga, r. RPC 1311 (6 spec.). Acquired from Tom Vossen, November 2023. The rape, or more accurately abduction, of Prospernia (Persephone in Greek) depicted on the reverse of this Sardian provincial bronze is an infamous scene from Greco-Roman mythology. Here we see Pluto carrying away Prospernia in his chariot. The story of Proserpina explains why there is winter: 'One day, when Proserpina, daughter of Ceres, the goddess of agriculture, was gathering flowers in the fields, she was abducted by Pluto, god of the underworld, and carried off to his kingdom. Ceres was consumed with grief and in anger she scorched the earth, preventing grain from growing and the earth from producing fruit. Forced to intervene, Jupiter negotiated a compromise that provided Proserpina had not eaten anything while in the underworld she would be set free. Pluto however had offered Proserpina part of a pomegranate, which she accepted. The Fates would not allow Proserpina to be fully released, but a settlement was agreed upon by which she would spend part of the year with Pluto in the underworld (winter) and part of the year with her mother Ceres (summer). When Proserpina is with Pluto the earth is barren and cold and when she returns to her mother, Ceres pours forth the blessings of spring to welcome her beloved daughter home.' The story has been told in paintings and sculpture throughout the ages. During the Renaissance a large Baroque marble group sculpture by Italian artist Gian Lorenzo Bernini titled 'The Rape of Proserpina' most famously immortalised the tale for a modern audience. This Sardian bronze coin struck under Vespasian, while not exceedingly rare, is seldom encountered in trade. In hand. Hopefully Proserpina returns soon! As always, thank you for looking/watching!

I love that reverse! Next to architectural types, those featuring animals hold a special place in my heart. Congrats!

Titus would not have issued a Divus coin in his own name! I think it was a slip of the tongue. HJB in their write-up on the coins correctly distinguished the two.

Yes, I certainly will! It definitely seems as if LAC acquired a collection then ...

This coin isn't a huge rarity, but it's one you don't often see in trade. The price paid was similar to the cost of a nice meal out on the town ... so, I couldn't pass it up! Vespasian Æ Quadrans, 2.17g Rome Mint, 77-78 AD Obv: IMP VESP AVG COS VIII; Caduceus, winged, between crossed cornuacopiae Rev: S C in laurel wreath RIC 1017 (C). BMC 741. BNC 911. Acquired from London Ancient Coins, November 2023. The quadrans in the early imperial period typically lacked an imperial portrait. Possibly the denomination was deemed so lowly by mint officials that a portrait was considered improper. 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. This crossed cornuacopiae/S C in wreath type was struck for the quadrans in just two issues dated to 76 and 77-78. The obverse copies a similar reverse type struck for the 'eastern flavoured' dupondii in 74. In hand. Surprisingly, a couple of old tickets were also included. Does anyone recognise what collection they are from? As always, thank you for looking!

I think the price is overinflated because of the novelty of the listing and the rare opportunity to acquire both Colosseum varieties at once. Yes, they are two entirely different varieties! The first is a lifetime issue stuck under Titus and the second for Divus Titus struck under Domitian. The first variety is the 'classic' Colosseum type with roughly between 50-80 specimens in existence (I think the latter number more probable). The second variety is much, much rarer! 10 specimens sounds about right. The bragging rights HJB have for this listing are well deserved!

No. But there is a problem when the coins in question have a fabricated false provenance to encourage bids and throw off the fact that they were looted illegally. I know many of the coins I've recently purchased from HJB had additional provenances not revealed in the catalogue ... perhaps that is the case here?

Beard's book finally arrived over the weekend and it's a hoot! I love her no-nonsense myth busting approach peppered with a dry sense of humour. Peaking behind the curtain is her forte.

I knew this was an extremely rare type for Titus Caesar (based on never seeing one in trade beforehand), but it wasn't until I begun researching this coin that I fully realised the extent of its rarity. The RIC frequency rating is quite deceptive! Although purchased in October 2023, I just now got around to unboxing it. If I had done so sooner it would have made my Top Ten List for 2023. Titus as Caesar [Vespasian] AR Denarius, 3.14g Rome Mint, 73 AD Obv: T CAES IMP VESP CENS; Head of Titus, laureate, bearded, r. Rev: S P Q R in oak wreath RIC 519 (R). BMC 119. RSC 264a. BNC -. Ex Concordia Auction 9, 15 October 2023, lot 406. Vespasian and Titus Caesar held a joint censorship in 73. This denarius from a rare issue struck earlier that year is one of the first coins to advertise it on the obverse. The SPQR within wreath type, also shared with Vespasian, is extremely scarce for Titus Caesar and rarely encountered in trade. RIC cites only one specimen in the BM (the lone example cited in OCRE and RSC II), but oddly places the frequency rating as just 'rare'. Asearch results produced only the present coin. I believe the RIC rating woefully underrates the rarity of this variety for Titus Caesar. Double die match with the BM specimen. In hand. If anyone is aware of another example please let me know! As always, thank you for looking!

Love that sharp looking portrait! A most handsome denarius.

Congrats! Looking forward to seeing your Vespasian!

Sad to hear this. He could always be counted on to show the best of the best. His contributions will be missed.

Adjusted for inflation $2.95 in 1965 is $30 today. Ummm ... OK ... 🤷‍♂️ Obviously, before I made Domitian cool.

I got this ex Curtis Clay coin because of the stellar portrait and neat provenance. Plus, I really dig these big o'l chunky bronzes! Domitian as Caesar [Titus] Æ Sestertius, 25.48g Rome mint, 80-81 AD Obv: CAES DIVI AVG VESP F DOMITIANVS COS VII; Head of Domitian, laureate, bearded, r. Rev: PAX AVGVST; S C in field; Pax stg. l., with branch and cornucopiae RIC 288 (R). BMC 230. BNC 236. Ex Harlan J Berk BBS 225, 30 November 2023, lot 137. Ex Curtis Clay Collection. Acquired from B A Seaby, mid-1960s, with handwritten ticket by David Sear. A reverse type struck for both Titus and Domitian Caesar symbolising the bountiful prosperity Pax and the emperor have provided. DIVI AVG VESP F tells us the coin was struck after Vespasian's deification. The date of Vespasian's consecratio is dated by the epigraphic evidence sometime between 8 September 79 and 29 May 80. Nathan T. Elkins has proposed that the opening games of the Colosseum were in honour of Vespasian's deification. If so, this sestertius could not have been struck much earlier than June 80. Engraved with a severe Titus-like portrait. In hand. In addition to the striking portrait (no pun intended!), the provenance attracted me as well. Apparently purchased in the mid-1960s, the piece comes with a handwritten tag from David Sear. Visible on the tag is the price of $2.95 and a curious note: 'surely genuine; says C. M. Kraay'. Colin Kraay (1918-1982) was an eminent numismatist and keeper of coins at the Heberden Coin Room at the Ashmolean. He published extensively on Flavian bronzes. The tag rates the coin as 'common', although RIC II.1 classifies it as 'rare'. As always, thank you for looking!

I love Harris' Pompeii! Well researched and quite gripping. A film was supposed to made based on the book years ago, but nothing came of it. Instead we got Paul W. S. Anderson's bombastic Pompeii in 2014. Oh well. I finished Tom Holland's Pax over the holidays ... it contains a thorough distillation of Flavian history with a superemely entertaining narrative. But beware ... you can almost play a drinking game with how many times you come across the word 'stupefying' in the text! Currently, I'm waiting on Barnes and Noble to deliver Mary Beard's latest book Emperor of Rome.

Thank you for providing the provenance from Leu! Indeed surprising Leu missed it, although the winner (presumably the VCoins seller) made out quite well!

I once had an example of this extremely rare Domitian 'PONT' denarius variety but sold it to a fellow collector. @CPK recently acquired another example and documents the trial and tribulations of my former specimen quite well in his thread. My latest example was listed on Vcoins. I don't know its provenance beyond that.* Domitian AR Denarius, 3.35g Rome mint, 81 AD Obv: IMP CAES DOMITIAN AVG PONT; Head of Domitian, laureate, bearded r. Rev: COS VII DES VIII P P; Seat, draped; above, winged thunderbolt RIC 34 (R3). BMC -. BNC -. RSC -. Acquired from Laurel Coins, October 2023. Ex Leu Web Auction 26, 8 July 2023, lot 7037 (part). An early rare 'PONT' denarius struck from Domitian's 3rd denarius issue of 81. The abbreviation 'PONT' for Ponitfex Maximus must have come early in the sequence of titles Domitian employed on his denarii and likely was short lived if its rarity is any indication. The records of the Arval brothers do not show Domitian as Pontifex Maximus by 30 October, so presumably he acquired the title in either November or December. This reverse type from the 3rd group of 81 featuring a draped chair and thunderbolt is likely the pulvinar of Jupiter. Strangely enough TRP is absent from the legends, why this is so I cannot say. It's a puzzling mystery considering the first group of denarii indeed record it. This carry-over pulvinar type originally struck for Titus is perhaps connected to the religious ceremonies for the opening games of the Colosseum. Fourth known specimen (same dies), missing from all the major collections. In hand. I was pretty lucky to get a second chance at such a rare piece. As @CPK noted, only four specimens known! Thanks for looking! * Thanks to @CPK for additional provenance info!

My first 'off the beaten path' thread for 2024 actually covers two coins. Although struck nearly two decades apart, I felt they were similar enough to include in the same post. The first one is a neat little leaded bronze struck for Vespasian with a very busy reverse! Vespasian Æ23, 11.80g Ascalon (Judaea) mint, 78-79 AD Obv: ΣΕΒΑΣΤΟΣ; Head of Vespasian, laureate, l. Rev: ΑΣΚΑΛΩ, ΒΠΡ; Tyche standing, l., on prow with standard and aphlaston; in l. field incense altar; in r. field dove standing l. RPC 2207 (7 spec.). Acquired from Forvm Ancient Coins, May 2023. Ex CNG E510, 23 February 2022, lot 573. Ex Dr. Jay M. Galst Collection. In the years after the devastating Jewish revolt the pro-Roman harbour city of Ascalon produced a series of bronze coins under the Flavians. The coins copy types previously struck under Augustus and Nero. Here we see Tyche as a city goddess along with Ascalon's city symbol a dove. Pliny the Elder mentions Ascalon as the only oppidum liberum in the region during the first century AD (NH 5. 68). NB: An aphlaston is the upward curving stern of an ancient warship. In hand. Next, is a little bronze struck for Domitian depicting a very city-centred deity. Domitian Æ18, 4.96g Ascalon (Judaea) mint, 94-95 AD Obv: ϹΕΒΑϹ; Head of Domitian, laureate, r. Rev: ΑϹ, ΗϘΡ; War-god Phanebal standing, l., holding harpa in r. hand and small round shield and long palm branch in l. hand RPC 2216 (17 spec.). Acquired from Forvm Ancient Coins, May 2023. Ex CNG E510, 23 February 2022, lot 576. Ex Dr. Jay M. Galst Collection. This small denomination bronze struck for Domitian during Ascalon civic year 198 (94-95 AD) depicts Phanebal, the ethnic war-god of Ascalon, a fusion of the Phoenician deities Ba'al and Tanit. He is shown holding a harpa (a sickle-like curved sword), palm frond, and shield - all of which are his attributes. In hand. I'm curious to see if you folks have any coins from Ascalon. If so, please share! As always, thank you for looking!

Achingly beautiful coins. I can't choose a favourite, they are all stunning.

Yes, a double die match.

Believe it or not it's a new purchase! I just haven't gotten around to unboxing it yet, as you can see (the Domitian is buried in there somewhere!). I have quite a backlog of packages due primarily to HJB'S BBS 224 and 225 that kept me busy towards the close of 2023. I sold my Sneh D34 to Andrew to help him Kickstart his PONT collection. Luckily I was able to find another this past fall. Goes to show that good deeds don't go unnoticed by the gods. 🙌

Fantastic rarity! Nice that it snuck up on you too! I do have another RIC 34 not yet posted in my gallery (stay tuned), so perhaps 4 specimens now?

Super coin Donna! You know how much I love those architectural types! HJB dispersed a collection of architectural types in BBS #225, I wonder if your coin is from that same collection?

A tightly focused list with some neat write-ups. Hard to argue with your #1!

In retrospect I'd also place the Vespasian sestertius a bit higher, but a list like this is bound to change over time with reconsideration. The laurel trees mule should be #10 too. 🤷‍♂️