Collecting by Numbers

[David Atherton]

Domitian through most of his reign produced four standard Minerva types for his denarii:

M1 - Minerva advancing right, brandishing spear
M2 - Minerva advancing right, brandishing spear, on capital of rostral column, accompanied by owl
M3 - Minerva standing, facing left, with thunderbolt and spear and shield behind her feet
M4 - Minerva standing left with spear

Issues are dated by TR P, IMP, and COS numbers. Tracking these down is almost like a speciality within a speciality!

My latest coin crosses a most elusive one off my 'want list' and personally completes the issue as well. It came slabbed, so breaking it out felt good too!

 

 

Domitian
AR Denarius, 2.94g
Rome mint, 94 AD
Obv: IMP CAES DOMIT AVG GERM P M TR P XIIII; 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 767 (C). BMC 220A. RSC 285. BNC -.
Acquired from eBay, April 2023. Formerly in NGC holder #2119640-004, grade VF, 'brushed'.

This denarius was struck between mid September and 31 December of 94. Although the frequency rating in RIC is listed as 'common', it is a fairly rare dating combination owing to the fact it was minted for just a few months. This M2 variety, along with the other Minerva types in the issue, are quite scarce in trade today.

 

In hand.

 

 

Feel free to share your own elusive coins.

Thank you for looking!

Edited May 3, 2023 by David Atherton

[Ryro]

Congrats on the new rarity as well as completing the set! That's always a good feeling... until you find there's another in the set that you don't have! Though, in your case, I doubt that happens. 

Here is the only known type of these rare Pseudo-autonomous issues from the first century provincial Macedonia. Note the writing in both sides:

And a few others of the type (set incomplete):

Edited May 3, 2023 by Ryro