Rome, 28.5.2023
Dear,
below I report the significant elements concerning the
figure coin:
Sesterce1,
mint of Rome, 71 A. D.2, RIC II
466 (page 71), RIC
II new edition 216 (page 74)3, BMC II
582 (page 126), Cohen
I 624 (page 417), rarity index
from Ric II New Ed. "R2"3
Summary description (worn or otherwise illegible
parts of the legend are indicated in red):
D. IMP CAES
VESPASIAN AVG P M TR P P
P COS III4. Vespasian, laureate head right.
R. VI-CTORIA -
AVGVSTI5. Victory
standing right, left foot on helmet, inscribing
shield on palm-tree; to right, Judaea seated
right. Inscription content: [OB/CIV/SERV]6.
S C7
in exergue.
The search on the web for coins of the type of figure
gave rise to the following results:
- https://cngcoins.com/Coin.aspx?CoinID=85184
Sale: CNG 72, Lot: 1416. Estimate $3000. Closing
Date: Wednesday, 14 June 2006. Sold For $2200.
Vespasian. AD 69-79. Æ Sestertius (25.99g, 7h).
Judaea Capta issue. Rome mint. Struck AD 71.
Laureate head right / Victory standing right, foot
on helmet, inscribing shield set on palm tree; to
right below, Jewess, in attitude of mourning,
seated right. RIC II 466; Hendin 778. VF, green
patina, traces of red, lightly smoothed.
- https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/object/C_R-10540
R.10540 sestertius Description Copper alloy coin.
Head of Vespasian, laureate, right. Victory
standing right, left foot on helmet, inscribing
shield on palm-tree; to right, Judaea seated
right. Production date 71. Die-axis: Die-axis: 6
o'clock. Weight: 24.34 grammes. IMP CAES VESPASIAN
AVG P M TR P P P COS III // VICTORIA AVGVSTI. S C
in exergue. Inscription content: [OB / CIV / SERV]
Inscription note: on shield. Bibliographic
references RE2 / Coins of the Roman Empire in the
British Museum, vol.II: Vespasian to Domitian
(582, p.126). RIC2.1 / The Roman Imperial Coinage,
vol.2 part 1: From AD 69 to AD 96: Vespasian to
Domitian (221, p.74).
- https://aureocalico.bidinside.com/es/lot/77116/71-dc-vespasiano-sestercio-spink-/
LOTE 3071 - SUBASTA 396 - SUBASTA ONLINE (71
d.C.). Vespasiano. Sestercio. Estimación: 400,00
EUR. Precio de salida (Starting price): 300,00
EUR. (71 d.C.). Vespasiano. Sestercio. (Spink 2344
var) (Co. 621) (RIC. 216). 26,22g. MBC+.
- cngcoins
Electronic Auction 473 Lot nuber 311 Vespasian. AD
69-79.Struck AD 71. Lot: 311. Estimated: $500.
Roman Imperial, Bronze. Sold For $ 2 250.
Vespasian. AD 69-79. Æ Sestertius (34mm, 27.54g,
6h). “Judaea Capta” commemorative. Rome mint.
Struck AD 71. Laureate head right / VICTORIA
AVGVSTI, S C in exergue, Victory standing right,
left foot on helmet, inscribing shield with right
hand set on palm tree; on right, Judaea seated
right, in attitude of mourning. RIC II.1 216;
Hendin 1507. Brown and tan surfaces, areas of
roughness on obverse. Near VF. From the Toliver
Besson Collection, puchased from Moneta at Chicago
International, 15 April 2011. Closing Date and
Time: 29 July 2020 at 11:43:20 ET.
- https://www.arsclassicacoins.com/biddr/#!/auction/lot?a=279&l=918
Auction 106 - Part I (2), lot 918 Bidding
finished. Price realized 18'000 CHF. Starting
price 12'000 CHF. Estimate
15'000 CHF. Description Vespasian, 69 – 79.
Sestertius 71, Æ 27.12g. IMP CAES VESPASIAN AVG PM
TR P P P COS III Laureate head r. Rev. VI – C –
TORIA – AVGVSTI Judaea seated r. on cuirass in
attitude of mourning; behind her, Victory standing
r., l. foot on helmet, inscribing on shield set on
palm tree; in exergue, S C. C 624. BMC 582. RIC
221. CBN 561. Hendin 1508. Very rare and in
exceptional condition for the issue. A wonderful
enamel-like green patina, a light mark on reverse,
otherwise extremely fine Ex NAC sale 92, 2016,
510.
- cngcoins
Vespasian. AD 69-79. Æ Sestertius (34mm, 26.34 g,
6h). “Judaea Capta” commemorative. Rome mint.
Struck AD 71. Triton XXV Lot: 829. Estimated: $ 1
000. Roman Imperial, Bronze, Sold For $ 3 500.
Vespasian. AD 69-79. Æ Sestertius (34mm, 26.34 g,
6h). “Judaea Capta” commemorative. Rome mint.
Struck AD 71. IMP CAES VESPASIAN AVG P M TR P P P
COS III, laureate head right / VI C TORIA AVGVSTI,
S C in exergue, Victory standing right, left foot
on helmet, inscribing shield with right hand set
on palm tree; on right, Judaea seated right, in
attitude of mourning. RIC II.1 221; Hendin 6538;
BMCRE 582-3; BN 561. Brown surfaces, rough in
areas. VF. From the Dr. Jay M. Galst Collection.
-
coins.ha.com Description Vespasian. A.D.
69-79. AE sestertius (32mm, 27.49g). 'Judaea
Capta' series. Rome, A.D. 71. Laureate head right
/ VICTO-RIA AVGVSTI, Victory standing right,
inscribing shield attached to palm tree; Jewess
seated right on pile of arms below. RIC 397; BMC
582-4; Brin 51 corr.; Cohen 624. VF, brown patina,
light smoothing in obverse field.
- https://www.numisbids.com/n.php?p=lot&sid=394&lot=285
Lot 285 Estimate: 2500 USD Price realized: 2600
USD. ANCIENT COINS. ROMAN. Vespasian (A.D. 69-79),
AE Sestertius, 25.52g, 6h. Struck in A.D. 71.
Judaea Capta series. IMP CAES VESPASIAN AVG P M TR
P P P COS III, laureate head of Vespasian facing
right. Rev. VICTORIA AVGVSTI, Victory standing
right, her left foot on a helmet, inscribing a
shield attached to a palm-tree, Judaea seated to
right, S C in exergue (RIC 221; BMC 582; Hendin
1508). In NGC holder graded VF, strike 5/5,
surface 2/5, dark brown tone, very fine. Estimate:
$2,500.
- https://www.astetinia.it/it/lot/579/roma-vespasiano-sesterzio-71-ae-2471g-/
LOTTO 579 - ASTA NUMISMATICA «CESARE» Roma,
Vespasiano, Sesterzio, 71, Base d'asta: 650,00
EUR. Aggiudicazione: 0,00 EUR. Roma, Vespasiano,
Sesterzio, 71, AE (24,71g x 33mm); D/ IMP CAES
VESPASIAN AVG P M TR P P P COS III; testa
laureata. R/ IVDAEA CAPTA; S C; una palma con a
sinistra Vespasiano con lancia e parazonium e a
destra, la Giudea seduta. RIC 167; BMC 796. Bel
ritratto; tondello regolare. Grading/Stato: qBB.
- https://www.ma-shops.nl/henzen/item.php?id=65212
Kwaliteit: (cf. New York Sale 2021, lot 116 in ZF
USD 3.200+ | Afkortingen Catalogus: The First
Jewish–Roman Wa weight 25,59gr. orichalcum Ø 34mm.
obv. Laureate head of Vespasianus right,
surrounded by the legend IMP CAES VESPASIAN AVG P
M TR P P P COS III. rev. Victory standing right,
resting left foot on helmet, inscribing OB CIV
SERV on shield attached to palm-tree mourning
Jewess (Judaea) sits on right, surrounded by the
legend VICTORIA AVGVSTI, S C in exergue.
The First Jewish–Roman War
(66–73 AD), sometimes called the Great Revolt, was
the first of three major rebellions by the Jews
against the Roman Empire, fought in the Eastern
Mediterranean. The First Jewish–Roman War took
place in Palestine, mainly in the province of
Judea. The Great Revolt began in the year 66 AD,
originating in Roman and Jewish ethnic and
religious tensions. The crisis escalated due to
anti-taxation protests and attacks upon Roman
citizens. The experienced and unassuming general
Vespasian was given the task, by Nero, of crushing
the rebellion in Judaea province. His son Titus
was appointed as second-in-command. Given four
legions and assisted by forces of King Agrippa II,
Vespasian invaded Galilee in 67. Within several
months Vespasian and Titus took over the major
Jewish strongholds of Galilee and finally overran
Jodapatha, which was under the command of Yosef
ben Matitiyahu, as well as subdued Tarichaea,
which brought an end to the war in Galilee.
Vespasian was called to Rome and appointed as
Emperor in 69. With Vespasian′s departure, Titus
moved to besiege the center of rebel resistance in
Jerusalem in early 70. The first two walls of
Jerusalem were breached within three weeks, but a
stubborn rebel standoff prevented the Roman Army
from breaking the third and thickest wall.
Following a brutal seven-month siege, during which
Zealot infighting resulted in the burning of the
entire food supplies of the city, the Romans
finally succeeded in breaching the defenses of the
weakened Jewish forces in the summer of 70. The
Second Temple in Jerusalem was destroyed.
Following the fall of Jerusalem, in the year 71
Titus left for Rome, leaving Legion X Fretensis to
defeat the remaining Jewish strongholds including
Herodium and Machaerus, finalizing the Roman
campaign in Masada in 73–74. Cohen 625 RIC
221 | BMC 582var. | Sear 2344var. | Hendin
1508 R. (cf. New York Sale 2021, lot 116 in
vf USD 3.200 + 20%). A very interesting historical
coin. Rare. f/vf.
Coming
to conclusions, the physical characteristics of
the coin are missing and a comparative
examination with the authentic coins of the
period is not possible. If authentic, the coin
market value in the present conditions does not
exceed, in my views, a hundred euros.
Best regards.
Giulio De Florio
--------------------------
Notes:
(1) Sesterce
(orichalcum). BMC II gives the average weight of
Vespasian sesterces: 25.84g (average over 105
specimens). I collect in the table below the
physical characteristics of the sesterces of the
type of figure taken from the links above:
References |
Weight(g) |
Diameter(mm) |
Die
axis(h) |
Link01 |
25,99 |
- |
7 |
Link02 |
24,34 |
- |
6 |
Link03 |
26,22 |
- |
- |
Link04 |
27,54 |
34 |
6 |
Link05 |
27,12 |
- |
- |
Link06 |
26,34 |
34 |
6 |
Link07 |
27,49 |
32 |
- |
Link08 |
25,52 |
- |
6 |
Link09 |
24,71 |
33 |
- |
Link10 |
25,59 |
34 |
- |
In the absence of the physical characteristics of
the sample under examination, it will not be
possible to carry out a comparative examination with
the genuine coins of the period, nor to verfy the
type of nominal.
(2) 71 A.D. is the year of
Vespasian's third consulate (COS III precisely) but
also the year in which he celebrated, together with
his son Titus, the triumph in the Jewish war and
raised a grandiose temple to Peace in Rome.
(3) The rarity index,
according to Ric II
(old edition) is "S".
(4) IMP CAES VESPASIAN AVG P M TR P P P COS III
(IMPerator CAESar VESPASIANus AVGustus Pontifex
Maximus TRibunicia Potestate Pater Patriae COnSul
III). Refer to Treccani Encyclopedia online (v. link)
for an historical profile of Vespasian and to the page above
for a description of the Jewish–Roman War.
(5) VI-CTORIA - AVGVSTI (la
Vittoria di Augusto). The symbolism is transparent,
the palm tree represents Judea, the conquered land,
the mourning woman sitting on an armor is the
vanquished nation.
(6) [OB/CIV/SERV].
The script "OB CIVis SERVatos" remembers the honor
that the Senate had granted to Augustus in 27 BC, as
"Savior of the Fatherland", in analogy with the
medal (the civic crown) that was granted to the
soldier who had saved the life of a fellow soldier
in battle. The "Civis" of the legend is the archaic
form of "cives", so literally the meaning of the
legend is: "for having saved fellow citizens".
(7) S C (Senatus Consulto, "by
decree of the Senate") was the usual abbreviation
affixed to the Roman bronze nominals (sesterces,
dupondi and asses) to indicate the exclusive
competence of the Roman Senate in decisions relating
to the issues of those coins (the gold and silver
coinage, which does not bear that acronym, fell
instead within the direct competence of the
emperor). |