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Home > Members' Coin Collection Galleries > David Atherton > 2. The Reign of Titus - Imperial Coins
RIC 499 Titus
Æ Sestertius, 24.63g
Eastern Mint (Thrace?), 80-81 AD
Obv: IMP T CAES DIVI VESP F AVG P M TR P P P COS VIII; Head of Titus, laureate, bearded, r.
Rev: S C in field; Mars, with cloak over shoulders, adv. r., with spear and trophy
RIC 499 (C). BMC 310. RPC 502. BNC 324.
Acquired from Ken Dorney, December 2018.

A remarkable sestertius from a truly mysterious issue of bronze that was struck under Titus in 80-81. The style (heavily seriffed letters, large portraits, and massive reverse figures), unique obverse legends (DIVI VESP F for Titus), and uncommon fabric (convex flans) all suggest a mint other than Rome. Attributing exactly where these coins were struck has historically been a moving target - Mattingly in BMCRE thought Lugdunum, H.A. Cahn believed somewhere in Bithynia. More recent scholarship has looked towards Thrace as a possible location for production based on the Balkan distribution pattern of found specimens. Although the region of mintage has been narrowed down, the city itself remains elusive. RPC has suggested possibly Perinthus. Presumably a shortage of bronze coins in the region during Titus' reign prompted a localised imperial issue, which in the main copied types from Rome. The striking of imperial bronze outside of Rome was an exceptional step at the time considering the last imperial branch mint at Lugdunum had shuttered late in Vespasian's reign.

An appealing example with a beautiful sandy patina.

RIC 499 Titus

Æ Sestertius, 24.63g
Eastern Mint (Thrace?), 80-81 AD
Obv: IMP T CAES DIVI VESP F AVG P M TR P P P COS VIII; Head of Titus, laureate, bearded, r.
Rev: S C in field; Mars, with cloak over shoulders, adv. r., with spear and trophy
RIC 499 (C). BMC 310. RPC 502. BNC 324.
Acquired from Ken Dorney, December 2018.

A remarkable sestertius from a truly mysterious issue of bronze that was struck under Titus in 80-81. The style (heavily seriffed letters, large portraits, and massive reverse figures), unique obverse legends (DIVI VESP F for Titus), and uncommon fabric (convex flans) all suggest a mint other than Rome. Attributing exactly where these coins were struck has historically been a moving target - Mattingly in BMCRE thought Lugdunum, H.A. Cahn believed somewhere in Bithynia. More recent scholarship has looked towards Thrace as a possible location for production based on the Balkan distribution pattern of found specimens. Although the region of mintage has been narrowed down, the city itself remains elusive. RPC has suggested possibly Perinthus. Presumably a shortage of bronze coins in the region during Titus' reign prompted a localised imperial issue, which in the main copied types from Rome. The striking of imperial bronze outside of Rome was an exceptional step at the time considering the last imperial branch mint at Lugdunum had shuttered late in Vespasian's reign.

An appealing example with a beautiful sandy patina.

File information
Filename:T499.jpg
Album name:David Atherton / 2. The Reign of Titus - Imperial Coins
Filesize:45 KiB
Date added:Jan 09, 2019
Dimensions:720 x 360 pixels
Displayed:106 times
URL:https://www.forumancientcoins.com/gallery/displayimage.php?pid=152347
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Comment 1 to 3 of 3
Page: 1

Britanikus   [Jan 09, 2019 at 04:56 AM]
Nice
FlaviusDomitianus   [Jan 09, 2019 at 10:20 AM]
Nice addition
Randygeki(h2)   [Jan 22, 2019 at 05:21 AM]
Neat find

Comment 1 to 3 of 3
Page: 1

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