RIC 0794 Vespasian

AR Quinarius, 1.36g
Rome mint, 75(?) AD
Obv: IMP CAESAR VESPASIANVS AVG; Head of Vespasian, laureate, r.
Rev: VICTORIA AVGVSTI; Victory adv. r., with wreath and palm
RIC 794 (C). BMC -. RSC 614. BNC 254.
Acquired from Traianvs Coins, September 2017.

Vespasian's moneyer's struck a great issue of undated quinarii in 75, possibly in conjunction with the opening of his Temple of Peace. Two standard Victory types (seated and advancing) were employed along with various variant legend spellings and orientations. The variations are: obverse legend - VESPASIANVS or less commonly VESPASIAN; reverse legend - AVGVSTI or less commonly AVGVST. The reverse legend can also either be oriented from low r. or high l. This coin is considered one of the more 'common' variants with VESPASIANVS in the obverse legend and AVGVSTI in the reverse, oriented from low r. Even so, it is a very rare piece, as are all Flavian quinarii compared with the denarii.

Struck on a large flan and in good mid-period style with the small portrait head.