Freeman & Sear - Gemini I, Session 2



      ancient classic artifacts coins numismatic roman greek 



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                        Lot: 350

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                        ROMAN EMPIRE: Domitilla, daughter of Vespasian. AD 
                        82-83. AR denarius (3.46 gm).

                        ROMAN EMPIRE. Domitilla the Younger (daughter of 
                        Vespasian). Silver denarius (3.46 gm). Rome, struck by 
                        Domitian, AD 82-83. DIVA DOMITILLA AVGVSTA, draped bust 
                        right / FORTVNA AVGVST, Fortuna standing left, holding 
                        rudder and cornucopia. BMCRE (Titus) 137. CBN (Titus) 
                        102. Cohen 3 (400 Fr.). Very rare. Excellent portrait. 
                        Good very fine 

                        Both the elder Domitilla (mother of Titus and Domitian) 
                        and the younger Domitilla (daughter of the elder and, 
                        so, sister of Titus and Domitian) died before Vespasian 
                        became emperor in AD 69. The title AVGVSTA on this rare 
                        denarius proves that it must be assigned to the younger 
                        Domitilla because Martial attests that Domitian's sister 
                        was Augusta, whereas that title is never given to his 
                        mother. As to the date of issue, the fineness of denarii 
                        of this type proves that they must have been struck not 
                        under Titus, as traditionally thought, but between 82 
                        and 85 when Domitian temporarily raised the fineness of 
                        his denarii from ca. 90% to ca. 98% (see I. Carradice, 
                        Coinage and Finance in the Reign of Domitian, p. 20). 
                        The Domitilla for whom Titus struck sestertii in 80-81, 
                        in contrast, was his mother, the elder Domitilla, as 
                        proven by the variant legend DOMITILLAE IMP CAES VESP 
                        AVG on some of these coins, that is "For Domitilla, 
                        (wife) of the emperor Vespasian. 
                        Estimated Value: $ 7,000 




...Sold for $6,000 USD [ approx 4560 EUR, 3180 GBP ] plus 15% buyers fee. 

Gemini I Auction Closed Jan 11-12, 2005. 

Re-used by permission of Freeman & Sear (www.freemanandsear.com) 
                      and Harlan J Berk (www.harlanjberk.com).