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Vespasian Victory Type Gold Aureus struck AD 72/3
233
Vespasian. Gold Aureus (7.17 g), AD 69-79. Judaea Capta type. Rome, AD 72/3.
IMP CAES VESP A-VG P M COS IIII, laureate head of Vespasian right. Rev. VIC AVG across field,
Victory standing right on globe, holding wreath and palm branch. (RIC 361; Hendin -; BN 57; BMC 72;
Calicó 699). Light reddish toning. Very fine.
$ 3,000
ex Dr. Jonathan A. Herbst Collection (Superior, 8-9 December 1995), lot 1342.
Rare Vespasian Victory Type Gold Aureus
234
Vespasian. Gold Aureus (7.02 g), AD 69-79. Judaea Capta type. Rome, AD 77/8. IMP CAESAR
VESPASIANVS AVG, laureate head of Vespasian left. Rev. COS VIII in exergue, emperor in military attire
standing left, holding long scepter and parazonium; behind, Victory standing left, crowning emperor
with wreath and holding palm branch. (RIC 936; Hendin -; BN 183; BMC 205; Calicó 625).
Rare.
Choice
very fine.
$ 7,500
ex Dr. Jonathan A. Herbst Collection (Superior, 8-9 December 1995), lot 1343.
Although it does not carry a IVDAEA CAPTA legend, this aureus, struck in the next to last year of Vespasian’s reign, is still typolog-
ically and ideologically connected to that most famous series of Flavian coins. A virtually identical figure of the emperor in military
garb appears on earlier sestertii and denarii with explicit IVDAEA CAPTA legends and which also feature a palm tree and weeping
personification of Judaea. The continued use of types referring to the defeat of the First Jewish Revolt (AD 66-73) towards the end
of Vespasian’s reign serves to illustrate just how critical this victory was for the public image of the Flavian dynasty.