RIC 1416 Vespasian

AR Denarius, 2.90g
Ephesus Mint, 70 AD
Obv: IMP CAESAR VESPAS AVG COS II TR P P P; Head of Vespasian, laureate, r.
Rev: CONCORDIA AVG; Ceres, Veiled, draped, seated l. holding two corn-ears and poppy in r. hand and cornucopiae in l.; in exergue, BY
RIC 1416 (R2). BMC p. 93. RSC 66a. RPC 823 (1 spec.). BNC -.
Ex Old Roman Coins, eBay, June 2004.

This denarius has a mint mark that the BMCRE attributes to Byzantium, however, modern scholarship is inclined to assign this mark and the other mint marked denarii of Asia Minor to the city of Ephesus.

The reverse type depicts Ceres seated on a throne holding the abundance of harvest. Issued soon after the Civil War, it may be a local expression of the 'fruits of harmony.' (BMCRE lxvi)

A coin which suffers from a touch of porosity due to it's state of preservation. Like many of the coins of Asian Minor, the artistic quality is very high.