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Home > Members' Coin Collection Galleries > David Atherton > 3. The Reign of Domitian - Imperial Coins
RIC 562 Domitian
AR Denarius, 3.45g
Rome mint, 88 AD
Obv: IMP CAES DOMITIAN AVG GERMANICVS; Head of Domitian, laureate, bearded, r.
Rev: COS XIIII across field; Minerva adv r., with spear and shield (M1)
RIC 562 (R). BMC 141. RSC 67. BNC -.
Ex Spink eAuction 18055, 7 November 2018, The Michael Kelly Collection of Roman Coins part 2, lot 95.

In 88 AD Domitian struck a brief special issue of Minerva denarii with unusual obverse legends and austere reverse designs. The obverse legends deviate from the usual formula, sometimes spelling out fully DOMITIANVS and/or GERMANICVS and lacking a TR P number. The reverses feature only a terse legend across field with the IMP number absent. Here is an example from this rare issue with GERMANICVS spelled out on the obverse and the consular number across field on the reverse. Why the mint was experimenting with the legends and the layout of the reverses in 88 is a mystery. Perhaps the issue was struck in conjunction with a special event that year (the Secular Games?) and are commemorative in nature. Regardless, the mint soon returned the denarius to its conventional Minerva arrangement, hinting that these scarce issues were indeed struck for a special occasion.

Struck in good style.

RIC 562 Domitian

AR Denarius, 3.45g
Rome mint, 88 AD
Obv: IMP CAES DOMITIAN AVG GERMANICVS; Head of Domitian, laureate, bearded, r.
Rev: COS XIIII across field; Minerva adv r., with spear and shield (M1)
RIC 562 (R). BMC 141. RSC 67. BNC -.
Ex Spink eAuction 18055, 7 November 2018, The Michael Kelly Collection of Roman Coins part 2, lot 95.

In 88 AD Domitian struck a brief special issue of Minerva denarii with unusual obverse legends and austere reverse designs. The obverse legends deviate from the usual formula, sometimes spelling out fully DOMITIANVS and/or GERMANICVS and lacking a TR P number. The reverses feature only a terse legend across field with the IMP number absent. Here is an example from this rare issue with GERMANICVS spelled out on the obverse and the consular number across field on the reverse. Why the mint was experimenting with the legends and the layout of the reverses in 88 is a mystery. Perhaps the issue was struck in conjunction with a special event that year (the Secular Games?) and are commemorative in nature. Regardless, the mint soon returned the denarius to its conventional Minerva arrangement, hinting that these scarce issues were indeed struck for a special occasion.

Struck in good style.

File information
Filename:D562.jpg
Album name:David Atherton / 3. The Reign of Domitian - Imperial Coins
Rating (1 votes):55555Show details
Filesize:178 KiB
Date added:Dec 05, 2018
Dimensions:964 x 460 pixels
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URL:https://www.forumancientcoins.com/gallery/displayimage.php?pid=151561
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Comment 1 to 6 of 6
Page: 1

FlaviusDomitianus   [Dec 05, 2018 at 01:05 PM]
Excellent example, better than mine.
Mat   [Dec 05, 2018 at 01:29 PM]
Lovely portrait on it
quadrans   [Dec 05, 2018 at 06:36 PM]
Nice piece.. Smile
orfew   [Dec 05, 2018 at 11:53 PM]
Great acquisition
Nemonater   [Dec 06, 2018 at 12:22 AM]
Fantastic portrait!
Jay GT4   [Dec 06, 2018 at 03:02 AM]
Now that's nice!

Comment 1 to 6 of 6
Page: 1

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