Heritage World Coin Auctions
Dallas Signature Sale 3091 6-7 May 2021
View prices realized
► Sale information
Find similar lots
Ancients
Vespasian (AD 69-79). AV aureus (19mm, 7.40 gm, 6h). NGC AU 5/5 - 4/5. Rome, AD 72-73. IMP CAES VESP A-VG P M COS IIII, laureate head of Vespasian right / VIC-AVG, Victory standing right on globe, wreath in outstretched right hand, palm in left over shoulder. RIC II.1 361. Calicó 699. Bold, powerful portrait and elegant reverse die.
Ex Bertolami Fine Arts-ACR Auctions, Auction 15 (27 April 2015), lot 560
Descended from a family of small-time entrepreneurs and tax farmers in the Sabine hill country north of Rome, Flavius Vespasianus was born in AD 9 and rose to prominence in the Roman Army. He gained distinction during Claudius' invasion of Britain in AD 43-44 and won a Consulship in AD 51, but fell from imperial favor when he dozed off during one of Nero's musical performances. When a Jewish faction in the province of Judaea rebelled and massacred the local Roman garrison in AD 66, Nero sent Vespasian at the head of three legions to crush the revolt. Through his able son Titus, Vespasian gained the friendship and support of Mucianus, governor of Syria, who had another three legions at his disposal. When the collapse of Nero's regime in AD 68 led to a free-for-all for the throne, with Galba, Otho and Vitellius following in quick succession, Vespasian realized he had the means and ability to make his own try for supreme power. On 1 July AD 69, the legions of Alexandria, Egypt declared Vespasian as emperor. He decided on a policy of blockade and attrition to defeat Vitellius, but the sudden declaration of support by the Danubian legions and their invasion of Italy in the fall of AD 69 brought a much quicker victory. Vitellius was executed on 20 December, and the Senate proclaimed Vespasian emperor two days later. Arriving in Rome the following October, Vespasian celebrated a magnificent triumph for the Judaean campaign before launching an austerity program to put the Empire's finances on sound footing. As the first middle-class emperor, he brought a businessman's common sense and a bracing dose of pragmatism to the imperial administration. Some of the blue-bloods grumbled about Vespasian's parsimony and his uncouth manners, but the return of stability and prosperity squelched most complaints, and his earthy sense of humor made him beloved by the common folk. His decade of rule was largely untroubled by revolts and conspiracies. Upon his death due to a sudden illness in AD 79, he was widely and sincerely mourned, and power passed smoothly to his son Titus.
https://coins.ha.com/itm/ancients/roman-imperial/ancients-vespasian-ad-69-79-av-aureus-19mm-740-gm-6h-ngc-au-5-5-4-5/a/3091-31045.s?type=CoinArchives3091
HID02906262019
© 2020 Heritage Auctions | All Rights Reserved
Estimate: 8000-10000 USD
Vespasian (AD 69-79). AV aureus (19mm, 7.40 gm, 6h). NGC AU 5/5 - 4/5. Rome, AD 72-73. IMP CAES VESP A-VG P M COS IIII, laureate head of Vespasian right / VIC-AVG, Victory standing right on globe, wreath in outstretched right hand, palm in left over shoulder. RIC II.1 361. Calicó 699. Bold, powerful portrait and elegant reverse die.
Ex Bertolami Fine Arts-ACR Auctions, Auction 15 (27 April 2015), lot 560
Descended from a family of small-time entrepreneurs and tax farmers in the Sabine hill country north of Rome, Flavius Vespasianus was born in AD 9 and rose to prominence in the Roman Army. He gained distinction during Claudius' invasion of Britain in AD 43-44 and won a Consulship in AD 51, but fell from imperial favor when he dozed off during one of Nero's musical performances. When a Jewish faction in the province of Judaea rebelled and massacred the local Roman garrison in AD 66, Nero sent Vespasian at the head of three legions to crush the revolt. Through his able son Titus, Vespasian gained the friendship and support of Mucianus, governor of Syria, who had another three legions at his disposal. When the collapse of Nero's regime in AD 68 led to a free-for-all for the throne, with Galba, Otho and Vitellius following in quick succession, Vespasian realized he had the means and ability to make his own try for supreme power. On 1 July AD 69, the legions of Alexandria, Egypt declared Vespasian as emperor. He decided on a policy of blockade and attrition to defeat Vitellius, but the sudden declaration of support by the Danubian legions and their invasion of Italy in the fall of AD 69 brought a much quicker victory. Vitellius was executed on 20 December, and the Senate proclaimed Vespasian emperor two days later. Arriving in Rome the following October, Vespasian celebrated a magnificent triumph for the Judaean campaign before launching an austerity program to put the Empire's finances on sound footing. As the first middle-class emperor, he brought a businessman's common sense and a bracing dose of pragmatism to the imperial administration. Some of the blue-bloods grumbled about Vespasian's parsimony and his uncouth manners, but the return of stability and prosperity squelched most complaints, and his earthy sense of humor made him beloved by the common folk. His decade of rule was largely untroubled by revolts and conspiracies. Upon his death due to a sudden illness in AD 79, he was widely and sincerely mourned, and power passed smoothly to his son Titus.
https://coins.ha.com/itm/ancients/roman-imperial/ancients-vespasian-ad-69-79-av-aureus-19mm-740-gm-6h-ngc-au-5-5-4-5/a/3091-31045.s?type=CoinArchives3091
HID02906262019
© 2020 Heritage Auctions | All Rights Reserved
Estimate: 8000-10000 USD