RIC 0010 Vespasian

Æ As, 10.12g
Rome mint, 70 AD
Obv: IMP CAESAR AVG•VIISPAS•SIAN ; Head of Vespasian, bare, r.
Rev: PROVID in exergue; S C in field; Altar
RIC 10 (R2). BMC -. BNC -.
Acquired from London Ancient Coins, May 2022.

A rare Rome mint first bronze issue as struck for Vespasian in early 70. The standardised legend formula and portrait for Vespasian had yet to be developed. Instead, we have an unusual obverse legend featuring the odd misspelling VIISPAS•SIAN(!) paired with a bare headed portrait of the newly throned emperor. Although attributed to Rome, RIC speculates this could be an early Spanish issue, however, there are no Spanish findspots attested. The reverse copies a Provident Altar type struck for Divus Augustus by Tiberius and was later revived during the Civil War by Galba and Vitellius. This is the first occasion of the type on Flavian coinage. Bronze coinage was not the Rome mint's primary concern at the outset, as evident by the extreme rarity of this early as. It may have predated the massive denarius issues which were struck later that same year. Missing from both the BM and Paris collections. Obverse and reverse die match with the lone Oxford specimen cited by RIC.

I can forgive the off-centre obverse legend and worn state, especially for such a scarce piece!