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ANA Signature Sale 3094 19-20 Aug 2021
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Ancients
Vespasian (AD 69-79). AV aureus (20mm, 7.43 gm, 6h). NGC Choice AU 5/5 - 3/5, Fine Style, brushed. Rome, AD 76. IMP CAESAR-VESPASIANVS AVG, laureate head of Vespasian right / COS VII, heifer standing right on single ground line. RIC II.1 840. Calicó 622b (same dies). A simply stunning coin, perfectly struck on a broad, round flan and fully lustrous.
From the Monaco Collection. Ex Long Valley River Collection (Roma Numismatics, Auction XX, 29 October 2020), lot 572; Andre Constantine Dimitriadis Collection (Heritage Auctions, Auction 3032 CICF, 10 April 2014), lot 23566; Stack's (New York, 2-3 December 1997), lot 349; Stack's (New York 10-11 December 1987), lot 3142; Bank Leu AG, Auction 38 (13 May 1986), lot 246
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. In AD 43-44, he gained distinction during Claudius' invasion of Britain 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. 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, and 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; however 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 a 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-20mm-743-gm-6h-ngc-choice-au-5-5-3-5-fine-style-brushed/a/3094-32029.s?type=CoinArchives3094
HID02906262019
© 2020 Heritage Auctions | All Rights Reserved
Estimate: 15000-20000 USD
Vespasian (AD 69-79). AV aureus (20mm, 7.43 gm, 6h). NGC Choice AU 5/5 - 3/5, Fine Style, brushed. Rome, AD 76. IMP CAESAR-VESPASIANVS AVG, laureate head of Vespasian right / COS VII, heifer standing right on single ground line. RIC II.1 840. Calicó 622b (same dies). A simply stunning coin, perfectly struck on a broad, round flan and fully lustrous.
From the Monaco Collection. Ex Long Valley River Collection (Roma Numismatics, Auction XX, 29 October 2020), lot 572; Andre Constantine Dimitriadis Collection (Heritage Auctions, Auction 3032 CICF, 10 April 2014), lot 23566; Stack's (New York, 2-3 December 1997), lot 349; Stack's (New York 10-11 December 1987), lot 3142; Bank Leu AG, Auction 38 (13 May 1986), lot 246
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. In AD 43-44, he gained distinction during Claudius' invasion of Britain 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. 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, and 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; however 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 a 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-20mm-743-gm-6h-ngc-choice-au-5-5-3-5-fine-style-brushed/a/3094-32029.s?type=CoinArchives3094
HID02906262019
© 2020 Heritage Auctions | All Rights Reserved
Estimate: 15000-20000 USD