RIC 1321 Vespasian

Æ As, 8.68g
Tarraco (?) mint, 70 AD
Obv: IMP CAESAR VESPASIANVS AVG; Head of Vespasian, laureate, r.
Rev: CAESAR AVG F COS CAESAR AVG F PR; Heads of Titus, bare, r., and Domitian, bare, l., confronting; below, S C
RIC 1321 (R2). BMC 748B. BNC 797.
Ex Harlan J Berk BBS 225, 30 November 2023, lot 84. Ex Curtis Clay Collection. Ex Baldwin's, June 1970. Ex Glendining & Co. The V.J.E. Ryan Collection part V, 2 April 1952, lot 2745 (part).

Spain declared for Vespasian late in 69 after the second battle of Cremona in October. Spanish mints immediately began striking coinage in all metals for Vespasian, with perhaps Tarraco being the primary mint of the province. The early aes coinage copied many of the reverse designs seen on the precious metals at Rome, as is the case with this dynastic type featuring the confronting busts of Titus and Domitian (copying RIC 16). All the coins from the issue are quite rare indicating they were not struck for any great length of time, perhaps only to address a shortage of bronze coinage in the region.