RIC 1235 Vespasian

Æ As, 9.42g
Lyon mint, 77-78 AD
Obv: IMP CAES VESPASIAN AVG COS VIII P P; Head of Vespasian, laureate, r.; globe at point of bust
Rev: PROVIDENT in exergue; S C in field; Garlanded Altar
RIC 1235 (C). BMC 846 var. (plain altar). BNC 848 var. (same).
Acquired from Kölner, June 2019.

Late in Vespasian's reign the mint at Lyon (ancient Lugdunum) struck a fairly large issue of bronze at a time when the mint at Rome was winding down its own bronze production. Presumably this late issue was produced to address a shortage of bronze coinage in the Western provinces. Many of the types were recycled from earlier issues from both Rome and Lyon. The common PROVIDENT altar type was sometimes struck at Lyon with a decorative garland, as seen on this example. Although this variant is not rare, surprisingly it is missing from the BM collection. Although the type is commonly described as an altar, Marvin Tameanko has convincingly argued it is actually a sacellum, or small shrine. Originally, Tiberius struck the Provident altar type for Divus Augustus. It was later revived during the recent Civil War and was struck by both Galba and Vitellius.

Provenanced to an old 'South German collection from the 1920s to the 1950s'. Nice old cabinet tone.