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RIC 574 Domitian
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AR Denarius, 3.12g
Rome mint, 88 AD
Obv: IMP CAES DOMIT AVG GERM P M TR P VII; Bust of Domitian, laureate, bearded, r. with aegis
Rev: IMP XIIII COS XIIII CENS P P P; Minerva adv. r., with spear and shield (M1)
RIC 574 (R2). BMC -. RSC -. BNC -.
Ex Lanz, eBay, 20 October 2013.
Early in 88 AD a special series of denarii were issued by Domitian. Style wise they are very fine and feature some rare obverse variants. I wish to present a denarius from the series which shows Domitian with aegis, the first time seen on his precious metal coinage since 84-85. Several other types in the series fully spell out "GERMAN" in the obverse instead of using the more frequent abbreviated "GERM". Why does this series contain the only example of Domitian with aegis after 85? Is there a special purpose for it?
If one is to look for anything of importance that occurred in 88, one would be hard pressed to find anything more important than the Secular Games - which indeed has known reverse types that commemorate it. Does the fine style of the series in question, combined with the only known aegis portrait issued after 85, and other coins fully spelling "GERMAN" point to a Secular Games commemorative issue? Perhaps this is the first series which commemorates the event before the specific reverse types (herald and cippus) were drawn up.
Needless to say the coin is very rare. Ian Carradice did not record the type in his 1983 monograph 'Coinage and Finances in the Reign of Domitian'. Shares the same aureus reverse die as the RIC 571 plate coin. Another example of the type from different dies was recently sold in the Harry Sneh Gemini X auction and in June 2015 Forvm member timka posted an example. These are the only three I've ever seen in trade.
Struck on a large flan (20mm) in excellent metal with dark toning.
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