RIC 1218 Vespasian

Æ Dupondius, 12.53g
Lyon mint, 77-78 AD
Obv: IMP CAES VESPASIAN AVG COS VIII P P; Head of Vespasian, radiate, r.; globe at point of bust
Rev: FORTVNAE REDVCI; S C in field; Fortuna stg. l., with rudder on globe and cornucopiae
RIC 1218 (R2). BMC 836. BNC -.
Acquired from eBay, October 2022.

A possible shortage of bronze coinage in the Western provinces late in Vespasian's reign likely prompted the Lugdunum mint to temporarily reopen in 77-78 and strike a fairly substantial issue of coinage. The reverses are standard types copied from Rome. This common Fortuna REDVCI reverse featuring her with a steady hand steering the rudder of the world was a familiar propaganda type both at Rome and Lugdunum that continued to commemorated the safe return of Vespasian and Titus from the East at the beginning of the reign. Most of the dupondii from this issue are seen with a laureate portrait. This specimen is an example of the exceedingly rare radiate right portrait variant. Missing from the Paris collection.