An Unassuming Rarity

[David Atherton]

One could be forgiven for overlooking this Titus Caesar sestertius with Fortuna on the reverse as anything special. It would seem to be a 'common' type. However, after 71 Vespasian's bronze coinage output dwindled more and more year after year. By the time the present coin was struck in 76 sestertii were scarcely produced in any quantities. So yes, the Fortuna type itself is quite common on Flavian bronzes, but not common from this issue struck in 76 with Titus as COS V! An unassuming rarity!

 

 

Titus as Caesar [Vespasian]
Æ Sestertius, 24.44g
Rome mint, 76 AD
Obv: T CAES VESPASIAN IMP PON TR POT COS V; Head of Titus, laureate, bearded, r.
Rev: FORTVNAE REDVCI; S C in field; Fortuna stg. l., with branch and rudder on globe, and cornucopiae
RIC 904 (R2). BMC -. BNC -.
Ex Harlan J Berk BBS 225, 30 November 2023, lot 45. Ex Curtis Clay Collection. Ex Artemide eLive Auction 4, 9 September 2018, lot 264.

An extremely rare sestertius struck for Titus Caesar under Vespasian in 76. Vespasian and Titus often shared reverse types, normally those struck for Titus are a bit scarcer. This Fortuna type here symbolises Titus' safe return from the East after the Jewish War. RIC cites one specimen in Vienna. Missing from both the BM and Paris collections. Bold Flavian portrait.

In hand.

 

Please feel free to share your 'unassuming' rarities.

As always, thank you for looking!

Edited November 13, 2023 by David Atherton

[CPK]

Here's an unassuming rarity you might appreciate @David Atherton:

At first glance this might seem like just another very common Vespasian/Spes bronze. But the combination of a left-facing portrait and the obverse legend ending in COS VII is an extremely rare variant, one not found in the British Museum Collection. When I bought this coin earlier this year, the only other examples of this type I was able to find was one on ACSearch.com (Roma, 2016), and one in the Atherton Collection over on Forum Member's Gallery.

[David Atherton]

1 hour ago, CPK said:

Here's an unassuming rarity you might appreciate @David Atherton:

At first glance this might seem like just another very common Vespasian/Spes bronze. But the combination of a left-facing portrait and the obverse legend ending in COS VII is an extremely rare variant, one not found in the British Museum Collection. When I bought this coin earlier this year, the only other examples of this type I was able to find was one on ACSearch.com (Roma, 2016), and one in the Atherton Collection over on Forum Member's Gallery.

Oh yes, that's the very definition of an unassuming rarity! 

[Al Kowsky]

About 4 years ago I bid on a group lot of 5 unidentified billon tetradrachms of Philip I, offered in a CNG auction. I did sell 4 of the coins in the AMCC 3 Auction, & got more for the 4 coins than I paid for the whole lot. I did keep one important rarity from that lot which is pictured below ☺️.

ROMAN-SYRIA, Antioch. Philip I, AD 244-249 (struck AD 244). Billon Tetradrachm: 11.80 gm, 26.4 mm, 1 h. McAlee 886 variant, Series 1, 1st tetradrachm issue of Philip I. The variant on this coin occurs with the eagle on the reverse. The eagle's head on McAlee's 886 is facing left & no tail is visible, my coin has the eagle's head facing right & the tail is left of the leg. McAlee writes in footnote 225, that all types in Series 1 have the eagle's head facing left. 

I haven't seen another example of the coin type that I have after an exhaustive search. McAlee does list 886 as Rare. A major change was made on the Series 2 coins, the reverse inscription was changed. Coins in Series 4 eliminated the palm branch the eagle was standing on & replaced by the word ANTIOXIA. 

[Roman Collector]

Coingratulations, @David Atherton, on the new acquisition!! It's always gratifying to pick up an underappreciated rarity for ones collection.

On 11/1/2023 at 1:24 AM, David Atherton said:

Please feel free to share your 'unassuming' rarities.

You'll have to wait until Faustina Friday! 😉