David Atherton

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. 🤷‍♂️

Historian Tom Holland's new book Pax has an excellent narrative account of Vitellius' rise to the purple. Highly recommended!

Despite the neat Flavian coins on your list, it's the two denarii of JC and Elagabalus that catches my eye. You had a very good year!

I'm eagerly looking forward to your list!

Well, if you're only going to have 9 RR coins for the year you can't do much better than that! Tremendously informative write-ups too!

I knew you wouldn't be surprised by my top two!

I totally agree and can't believe someone didn't snatch it up right away!

Thank you for the kind words! 🙏 And on further reflection, I amended the poll for multiple choices. Cheers and Happy New Year!