Ugly Coin Of Vespasian With A Interesting Portrait

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Author	Replies: 5 / Views: 1,000
orfew Pillar of the Community Canada 1269 Posts	Posted 01/27/2019 5:18 pm Just bought this one from Forum. this coin is all about the portrait. the speculation is that since this coin was minted before Vespasian returned from Judea to Rome to assume the rule of Rome, the engravers were working off of verbal descriptions of him. They therefore made modifications to portraits of Vitellius. I know it is an ugly coin, but I could not ignore that portrait of Vitellius on a coin of Vespasian. I am fascinated by these transitional pieces. There are also examples where the portrait on some coins of Vitellius look suspiciously like the former ruler Otho. I would love to have one of the these as well. Feel fee to post your coins of Vitellius or Vespasian. Silver denarius, RIC II-119;RSC II84;BMCRE II7;BnF III7;Cohen I84 (2f.);SRCV I-, aF, unusual portrait (resemblingVitellius?), bumps and scratches, uneven patina, Rome mint, weight 2.971g, maximum diameter 18.5mm, die axis180o, c. Jan - Jun 70 A.D.; Obv: IMP CAESAR VESPASIANVS AVG, laureate head right; Rev: COS ITER FORT RED, Fortuna standing left, resting right hand on a crostolium of galley left at feet on left, cornucopia in left hand; very rare Forum Ancient Coins January 27, 2018 Report this Post to the Staff

louisvillekyshop CCF Advertiser United States 1304 Posts	Posted 01/27/2019 5:43 pm You know it is funny. Sometimes there can be speculation of how a coin image came to be and perhaps someone else wanted to be seen like a strong ruler people would admire. But in this case I think theory is properly perfect that the engravers were just guessing a bit as Vespasian certainly would not intentionally want that man's image. Report this Post to the Staff
Kamnaskires Pillar of the Community United States 7066 Posts	Posted 01/27/2019 6:53 pm Quote: I am fascinated by these transitional pieces. I can see why. They can indeed be interesting, as with this one. That's definitely not the mug I associate with Vespasian. We can probably add to the mix (of interesting transitional types) overstrikes upon older rulers' issues, particularly when they are done as political statements rather than just for expediency. My favorite of those is the Vonones I tets from Parthia that he (Vonones) had struck over the joint-issue tets of his father's murderers, Phraataces and Musa. I love specimens where the undertypes show through. Report this Post to the Staff
echizento Moderator United States 23731 Posts	Posted 01/27/2019 7:03 pm Talk about a double chin. Not the way I would picture him. Can't be too many of these, especially if the emperor ever saw them. Report this Post to the Staff
orfew Pillar of the Community Canada 1269 Posts	Posted 01/27/2019 7:12 pm Thanks to all for the comments. Report this Post to the Staff
Matt2727 Valued Member United States 219 Posts	Posted 01/27/2019 8:15 pm They were probably getting pretty sick of having to redo the Emperor's portrait so much! I guess that's what you get when you're the fourth ruler within a year. Nice find! Report this Post to the Staff
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