RIC 0286 Vespasian

Æ As, 9.69g
Rome mint, 71 AD
Obv: IMP CAES VESPASIAN AVG COS III; Head of Vespasian, laureate, r.
Rev: AEQVITAS AVGVSTI; S C in exergue; Aequitas stg. l., with scales and rod
RIC 286 (C2). BMC 601. BNC 575.
Acquired from CGB.fr, September 2020.

After the financial mess Nero had left the empire in and the heavy costs of the recent Civil War and Judaean revolt, restoring the state's finances were a top priority for Vespasian upon his accession. This Aequitas type struck during his great bronze issue of 71 proclaims the honest administration of public finances and that lapsed standards would be restored. Aequitas holding her scales and measuring rod was probably based on a cult image of the deity. She first shows up as an imperial virtue on the coinage under Galba, a virtue that Vespasian was eager to emulate. The type comes in two variants - one with S C in exergue as seen here, and the slightly less common S C low in field. Aequitas is easily the commonest type struck on the As for this issue.

Good portrait and nice coppery tone.