ANCIENT COINS, ROMAN EMPIRE, Titus. Gold Aureus (7.31 g), as Caesar, AD 69-79. Lugdunum(?), under Vespasian, AD 77/8. T CAESAR IMP VESPASIAN COS VI, laureate head of Titus right. Rev. VES-TA, tetrastyle Temple of Vesta with a round-dome and approached by four steps; within, statue of Vesta standing facing, head left, holding long scepter, flanked to either side by two additional statues. (RIC -; BN -; BMC -; Calicó -). Well struck in high relief with light toning. A completely new legend for Titus. Unique. Choice very fine.
This unique coin features a somewhat incongruous type combination featuring an apparently unique legend for this denomination dating it to AD 77/8 with a reverse type depicting the Temple of Vesta otherwise known to have been struck for Vespasian and Domitian only in AD 73 and 74. The obverse style and serifs of the lettering may suggest a Lugdunum product, but the combination is difficult to explain. The coin may perhaps represent a mule involving an otherwise unrecorded obverse die.
Estimate: $ 10,000