135
3135
Titus. Silver Denarius (3.22 g), as Caesar, AD 69-79.
Rome,
AD 79. T CAESAR IMP VESPASIANVS, laureate head of
Titus right sporting slight beard.
Reverse:
TR POT VIII COS
VII, slow quadriga left, drawing garlanded cart containing
flower. RIC 1073; BMC 256-7; RSC 336.
Rare.
Last issue as
Caesar. Boldly struck in high relief and well centered. Lovely
old cabinet toning.
Superb Extremely Fine.
This coin was struck
shortly before Vespasian’s
death, in the period from January to June AD
79, and is from the last issue of Titus, as Caesar.
Estimated Value .............................................. $3,000 - 3,500
Ex Triton XII (6-7 January 2009), 579.
3136
Titus. Silver Denarius (3.42 g), AD 79-81.
Rome, AD 80.
IMP TITVS CAES VESPASIAN AVG P M, laureate head of
Titus right sporting slight beard.
Reverse:
TR P IX IMP XV
COS VIII P P, laurel wreath set on double curule chairs. RIC
108; BMC 66-9; RSC 318. Boldly struck on a large flan and
perfectly centered, lightly toned.
Superb Extremely Fine.
This coin was struck after a very unfortunate year for Rome,
AD 79, which first saw the death of the Emperor Vespasian,
followed by the eruption of Mt. Vesuvius with the resultant
destruction of two major towns and the deaths of approxi-
mately 16,000 people, then a great fire that destroyed
muchof themonumental center of Rome, and finallyplague
which swept through the city, killing many thousands. In
order to atone for any sacrilege, the Senate decreed a
sellisternium, a ritual banquet for Roman goddesses and
attended by their effigies placed on chairs or benches.
The reverse type alludes to this event, with the laurel wreath
representing the supremacy of the divine pantheon.
Estimated Value.............................................. $1,000 - 1,300
