Gemini, LLC
Auction X 13 January 2013
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Domitian as Caesar. 70-81 AD. Dupondius, 12.57g. (5h). Rome, 76-7 AD. Obv: CAESAR AVG F DOMITIAN COS IV Bust laureate, draped right. Rx: FELICIT - AS - PVBLICA S - C Felicitas standing left holding short caduceus and cornucopia. RIC 928 (R2). Not in BMC, the Paris collection, or Cohen with this obverse legend. Glossy green patination. About VF.
Ex Harry N. Sneh Collection.
Rare and interesting. There would appear to be only one middle-bronze obverse die of Domitian Caesar with legend ending DOMITIAN COS IV. Our coin shares its obverse die with RIC 928 and RIC 933 on pl. 52-53, and other specimens observed by C. Clay have also always been from that same obverse die. Perhaps this die was originally cut to read COS III, but to allow its continued use in 76 AD COS III was altered to COS IV, there being no room to add a fourth stroke to produce the normal form COS IIII. That hypothesis would explain firstly the exceptional form IV, when other Flavian coins struck at Rome always showed IIII, and second the abbreviation DOMITIAN, which was that used on Domitian's middle bronzes dated COS II and COS III, whereas those dated COS IIII not IV always showed DOMITIANVS.
Ex Harry N. Sneh Collection.
Rare and interesting. There would appear to be only one middle-bronze obverse die of Domitian Caesar with legend ending DOMITIAN COS IV. Our coin shares its obverse die with RIC 928 and RIC 933 on pl. 52-53, and other specimens observed by C. Clay have also always been from that same obverse die. Perhaps this die was originally cut to read COS III, but to allow its continued use in 76 AD COS III was altered to COS IV, there being no room to add a fourth stroke to produce the normal form COS IIII. That hypothesis would explain firstly the exceptional form IV, when other Flavian coins struck at Rome always showed IIII, and second the abbreviation DOMITIAN, which was that used on Domitian's middle bronzes dated COS II and COS III, whereas those dated COS IIII not IV always showed DOMITIANVS.