RIC 0989 Vespasian

Æ Sestertius, 21.45g
Rome mint, 77-78 AD
Obv: IMP CAESAR VESPASIAN COS VIII; Head of Vespasian, laurerate, l.
Rev: ANNONA AVGVST; S C in field; Annona std. l., with sack of corn ears
RIC 989 (R3). BMC -. BNC 766.
Ex eBay, 13 April 2019.

The bronze issue of 77-78 struck at Rome was quite small, all the sestertii from it are considered rare. The 'IMP CAESAR' left facing obverse portrait with Annona reverse is listed in RIC as unique with one specimen cited from the Paris collection. None are listed in the RIC II Addenda. This then is the second known specimen, a double die match with the Paris coin.

A classic severe portrait (B. Levick called them 'straining' portraits) combined with a beautiful dark olive green patina.

File information
Filename:	V989bestsm.jpg
Album name:	David Atherton / 1. The Reign of Vespasian - Imperial Coins
Rating (1 votes):	Show details
Filesize:	127 KiB
Date added:	Apr 24, 2019
Dimensions:	800 x 384 pixels
Displayed:	122 times
URL:	https://www.forumancientcoins.com/gallery/displayimage.php?pid=154883
Favorites:	Add to Favorites

Comment 1 to 7 of 7

Page: 1

quadrans

[Apr 24, 2019 at 05:20 AM]

Interesting piece..

FlaviusDomitianus

[Apr 24, 2019 at 09:08 AM]

Good catch, congrats!

Nemonater

[Apr 24, 2019 at 10:40 AM]

Beautiful

Jay GT4

[Apr 24, 2019 at 12:04 PM]

Sweetness

Vincent

[Apr 24, 2019 at 04:17 PM]

So cool to find and identify such a rare issue...Left facing no less and die match bravo

curtislclay

[Apr 24, 2019 at 11:19 PM]

Vespasian's standard COS VIII sestertius obv. legend was IMP CAES VESPASIAN AVG P M TR P P P COS VIII. Your coin is from the only known COS VIII sestertius obv. die that instead used the standard, shorter legend of the dupondii and asses: IMP CAESAR VESPASIAN COS VIII. Probably more R3's are waiting to be discovered, for there seems to be no reason why this unusual obv. die should not also have been coupled with the other known sestertius types of the COS VIII issue, FORTVNAE REDVCI, PAX AVGVST standing, ROMA standing, Spes advancing, and Capitoline Temple of Jupiter!

Molinari

[Apr 30, 2019 at 03:55 PM]

Very nice, congrats.

Comment 1 to 7 of 7

Page: 1