Vespasian coin

[HELEN S]

 I would like to discuss this Vespasian coin with members of this board. I am wondering whether actually there is a radiate crown on Vespasians head. I will put up a description and link to a coin in the British Museum. I wonder if anyone can see the globe on the obverse talked about on this coin. I would also point out that this coin in the museum I believe may have COS IIII on it as I think my coin may have.. What are your opinions Dupondius or As ...... COS III or COS IIII .....Thank you for your help ......   http://collections.museumoflondon.org.uk/Online/object.aspx?objectID=object-754722

[David Atherton]

Looks to me as COS III, radiate, Lyon mint. I cannot make out the obverse legend to narrow it down more. Tentatively RIC 1156.

[FlaviusDomitianus]

I believe it's COS IIII and therefore RIC 1197 (R).

Here's mine for comparison: https://www.forumancientcoins.com/gallery/displayimage.php?pos=-113575

The globe below the neck is often hard to spot, mostly in worn coins.

Kind regards

Alberto

[David Atherton]

Alberto could be correct about it being COS IIII, hence RIC 1197. I cannot tell if that last I is part of the legend or the end of the bust extending downwards into the legend. If its part of the bust then it is COS III, RIC 1156.

Perhaps you can better tell in hand?

[HELEN S]

Alberto could be correct about it being COS IIII, hence RIC 1197. I cannot tell if that last I is part of the legend or the end of the bust extending downwards into the legend. If its part of the bust then it is COS III, RIC 1156.

Perhaps you can better tell in hand?

  Thank you both for your thoughts .....  FlaviusDomitianus I have looked at your coin and it is a truly  beautiful example of this rare coin which is in a breathtaking grade thank you for sharing. I have checked out the legend and do believe that it is IIII and so as you both say this will make it RIC 1197 and I am so happy to have this in my collection. It is very kind f you both to comment it does make so much difference when you have a coin correctly attributed, THRILLED

[HELEN S]

   FlaviusDomitianus after a lot of study I believe both coins obverse and reverse are from the same dies. It makes it particularly interesting for me to prove what my coin looked liked and I would like opinions on this please. With such a rare coin it makes sense that any coins turning up have a bigger percentage chance of being from the same die so I am more than happy to share the same dies with your prestigious coin. Thank you. May I borrow the photos of your coin to add to my records and put on a site to prove that my coin is in fact COS IIII. From the small glimpses I have of the metal I believe this is a copper based coin hmmmm I JUST LOVE THIS HOBBY

[FlaviusDomitianus]

Hi Helen,

I do think that you may be right, especially when I look at the obverse legend between 9 and 12: the lettering is quite the same.

I've joined the pictures for an easier comparison; the third coin is a worse example in my collection that has different dies.

Kind regards

Alberto

[HELEN S]

 Thank you Alberto for arranging the photos this way and perhaps you have altered the sizes as both yours and my coin seem to be the same size. Anyway I have had my micrometer out and measured between the tips of certain letters and the measurements are the same so I think that proves conclusively that these are in fact stamped from the same dies. Two thoughts one is the crack across the forehead of your example is it in your opinion a crack in the coin or is it a crack that has appeared in the die itself ....of course you can only hazard a guess but I wonder if your coin was at the end of the life for this particular die as it had produced a fault. Secondly in my mind there are more examples of COS IIII that are being wrongly attributed as COS III I will put an example up from the museum to see what you think. I have never found a die match coin before and I am truly excited at being able to look at them together you can see my coin was struck low getting the whole of the legend in at the top where as yours was struck high missing a fraction of the top and getting all the bottom legend in. It shows me how tight these coins were and to get an exact strike was in the lap of the gods. Adding the link to the museum coin which I also believe is a COS IIII but reading the write up it is thought to be a COS III,  http://collections.museumoflondon.org.uk/Online/object.aspx?objectID=object-754722  .......  Since contacting them by e mail they have revised their description of the coin and now put the correct obverse legend COS IIII

[FlaviusDomitianus]

The Museum coin is certainly COS IIII, in my opinion. It's more alike my second example, could even be a die match with it.

As for the crack I think it is on the flan.

I agree with you: it's exciting to spot matching dies.

Kind regards

Alberto

[HELEN S]

  An e mail received from the British Museum ......   Thank you for your enquiry to the Museum of London. You are quite right, the coin inscription clearly reads COS IIII and there is a typing error in our on line description where the additional ‘I’ has been left off. This would also date it to AD 72 not AD 71.  The reference to the British Museum Catalogue however is correct. I have now updated the record and the on line caption should automatically change within the next 48 hours.