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Home > Members' Coin Collection Galleries > David Atherton > 2. The Reign of Titus - Imperial Coins
RIC 050 Titus
AR Denarius, 3.29g
Rome Mint, 79 AD
Obv: IMP TITVS CAES VESPASIAN AVG P M; Head of Titus, laureate, bearded, l.
Rev: TR P VIIII IMP XV COS VII P P; Trophy; below, captive kneeling r.
RIC 50 (R2). BMC 32. RSC 297. BNC -. Hendin 1583c.
Ex Harry N. Sneh Collection.

Titus minted quite a flurry of coins after his father Vespasian's death in June of 79 AD. Many are quite common and are a continuation of themes and types issued for Titus as Caesar under Vespasian. The left facing portraits on the denarii are much scarcer than right facing. Normally the left facing types were issued at ratio of 1:10 against right facing, this one seems to have been minted on an even smaller scale. This 'Capta' type may either be a Judaea or Britannia capta commemorative. Mattingly in the BMCRE (p. xli) interprets these types of Titus as Augustus as referring to Britannia and Agricola's campaigns in Northern England and Scotland. Jane M. Cody in the book 'Flavian Rome' (pg. 111) agrees with Mattingly, citing the differences in shield and trophy designs with the standard Judaea Capta types. Confusingly, Mattingly states that this type issued for Titus as Caesar under Vespasian refers to Judaea while Cody believes both issues were minted for victories in Britain because of identical composition and detail. I believe it to be a Judaea Capta commemorative. Titus's bronze coinage overtly advertises the Judean victory with no hint of a British one. It would be odd indeed if the propaganda messages on the precious metal coinage diverged so significantly from the bronze! Additionally, this type was solely struck for Titus Caesar under Vespasian - if it is a British victory commemorative, why was it not struck for Vespasian the ruling emperor?

This is an extremely rare left facing portrait variety of the type. Curtis Clay provided the following information concerning the rarity: "Not in Cohen with portrait left, nor acquired by Paris in the meantime; their two specimens, nos. 28-9, both have portrait right. Reka Devnia hoard:  3 spec. with bust right, none with bust left. BM 32 has a specimen with head left, acquired in the remarkably rich Hamburger Collection of Jewish coins in 1908.  BM 32 is the only specimen listed, and also illustrated, by RIC 50.  It is from different dies than David's specimen, and is less well preserved. Carradice and Buttrey must have known at least one other specimen of this denarius to justify rating it R2 rather than R3.  I think it would have been helpful if, for every R2 coin, they had listed every specimen known to them!"

A decent example of the type with good toning and fine style.

RIC 050 Titus

AR Denarius, 3.29g
Rome Mint, 79 AD
Obv: IMP TITVS CAES VESPASIAN AVG P M; Head of Titus, laureate, bearded, l.
Rev: TR P VIIII IMP XV COS VII P P; Trophy; below, captive kneeling r.
RIC 50 (R2). BMC 32. RSC 297. BNC -. Hendin 1583c.
Ex Harry N. Sneh Collection.

Titus minted quite a flurry of coins after his father Vespasian's death in June of 79 AD. Many are quite common and are a continuation of themes and types issued for Titus as Caesar under Vespasian. The left facing portraits on the denarii are much scarcer than right facing. Normally the left facing types were issued at ratio of 1:10 against right facing, this one seems to have been minted on an even smaller scale. This 'Capta' type may either be a Judaea or Britannia capta commemorative. Mattingly in the BMCRE (p. xli) interprets these types of Titus as Augustus as referring to Britannia and Agricola's campaigns in Northern England and Scotland. Jane M. Cody in the book 'Flavian Rome' (pg. 111) agrees with Mattingly, citing the differences in shield and trophy designs with the standard Judaea Capta types. Confusingly, Mattingly states that this type issued for Titus as Caesar under Vespasian refers to Judaea while Cody believes both issues were minted for victories in Britain because of identical composition and detail. I believe it to be a Judaea Capta commemorative. Titus's bronze coinage overtly advertises the Judean victory with no hint of a British one. It would be odd indeed if the propaganda messages on the precious metal coinage diverged so significantly from the bronze! Additionally, this type was solely struck for Titus Caesar under Vespasian - if it is a British victory commemorative, why was it not struck for Vespasian the ruling emperor?

This is an extremely rare left facing portrait variety of the type. Curtis Clay provided the following information concerning the rarity: "Not in Cohen with portrait left, nor acquired by Paris in the meantime; their two specimens, nos. 28-9, both have portrait right. Reka Devnia hoard: 3 spec. with bust right, none with bust left. BM 32 has a specimen with head left, acquired in the remarkably rich Hamburger Collection of Jewish coins in 1908. BM 32 is the only specimen listed, and also illustrated, by RIC 50. It is from different dies than David's specimen, and is less well preserved. Carradice and Buttrey must have known at least one other specimen of this denarius to justify rating it R2 rather than R3. I think it would have been helpful if, for every R2 coin, they had listed every specimen known to them!"

A decent example of the type with good toning and fine style.

File information
Filename:titus_l_trophy.jpg
Album name:David Atherton / 2. The Reign of Titus - Imperial Coins
Rating (1 votes):55555Show details
Filesize:73 KiB
Date added:Apr 15, 2009
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Comment 1 to 2 of 2
Page: 1

Titus Pullo   [Apr 16, 2009 at 12:57 AM]
Now you've got me looking for left facing Titus denarii!
mars1112   [Apr 16, 2009 at 09:12 PM]
Where do you find your coins! Very rare indeed. Nice catch!

Comment 1 to 2 of 2
Page: 1

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