Titus RIC II 0054

Titus. 79-81 A.D. AR Denarius. Rome Mint, 79 A.D. after 1 July. (2.84g, 18.6mm, 6h). Obv: IMP TITVS CAES VESPASIAN AVG PM, laureate head left. Rev: TR P VIIII IMP XV COS VII P P, Venus standing right, leaning on column, with helmet and spear. RIC II 54 (R2), BMC 25, RSC 286.

This is a worn, but scarce, denarius from early in Titus’ reign. Even the right facing portrait of this issue is rated as (R), but the left facing portrait is more scarce. Only the third issue of this series has IMP XV, with the preceding two showing IMP XIIII. Despite the few numbers of these, this is not a die match to the RIC plate coin which is the same coin used in the BMC plate 44, coin 15.