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RIC 075 Domitian
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AR Denarius, 3.32g
Rome Mint, 81 AD
Obv: IMP CAES DIVI VESP F DOMITIAN AVG P M; Head of Domitian, laureate, bearded, l.
Rev: TR P COS VII DES VIII P P; Tripod with fillets; above, dolphin
RIC 75 (R2). BMC 22 note. RSC 568d corr. (without ravens). BNC 20.
Acquired privately from Harlan J Berk, 6 June 2013. Ex Berk BBS 177, 15 November 2011, lot 275 (unsold). Ex Harry N. Sneh Collection
This 'pulvinar' denarius is an early issue minted within the first few months of Domitian's reign. Rare with this obverse legend, even rarer with left facing portrait - a portrait variant you don't see often on Domitian's denarii. RSC erroneously lists this type with ravens above tripod.
Ian Carradice speculates that this die, because it is so close in style to the left facing portraits of Titus, indeed may have originally been a Titus obverse recut for Domitian. All the left facing portraits from the issue are from this same die. Interestingly, the coin is from the Fourth issue of 81 and presumably was not struck straight away within the first days of the new reign but more likely later in the year.
The oblong flan would surely have not met up to Domitian's standards! Regardless, a decent coin in hand.
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