| Heritage World Coin Auctions > NYINC Signature Sale 3113 | Auction date: 8 January 2024 |
| Lot number: 30073 Price realized: 19,000 USD (Approx. 17,320 EUR) Note: Prices do not include buyer's fees. | |
| Lot description: Ancients Vespasian (AD 69-79). AV aureus (20mm, 7.18 gm, 6h). NGC Choice AU 5/5 - 4/5, Fine Style, light marks. Rome, AD 76. IMP CAESAR-VESPASIANVS AVG, laureate head of Vespasian right / AETER-NITAS, Aeternitas standing facing, head left, head of Sol in outstretched right hand, head of Luna in outstretched left; lighted altar at feet to left. Calicó 588 (this coin). RIC II.1 838. Featuring a superbly veristic portrait in Fine Style, as well as a lovely composition of Aeternitas on the reverse, this Calicó plate coin would be an excellent candidate for collectors working on a 12 Caesars collection. Strong flow lines and brightly lustrous surfaces need to be seen in hand to be fully appreciated. From the Wetmore Collection of Gold and Electrum. Ex Numismatica Ars Classica, Auction 33 (6 April 2006), lot 455. 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. https://coins.ha.com/itm/ancients/roman-imperial/ancients-vespasian-ad-69-79-av-aureus-20mm-718-gm-6h-ngc-choice-au-5-5-4-5-fine-style-light-marks/a/3113-30073.s?type=DA-DMC-CoinArchives-WorldCoins-3113-01082024 HID02906262019 © 2023 Heritage Auctions | All Rights Reserved Estimate: 10000-20000 USD |  |
Match 1:
| Heritage World Coin Auctions > CSNS Signature Sale 3115 | Auction date: 8 May 2024 |
| Lot number: 31070 Price realized: 14,000 USD (Approx. 13,024 EUR) Note: Prices do not include buyer's fees. | |
| Lot description: Ancients Vespasian (AD 69-79). AE sestertius (33mm, 25.71 gm, 6h). NGC Choice AU 5/5 - 2/5, Fine Style, smoothing. Rome, AD 71. IMP CAES VESPASIAN AVG P M TR P P P COS III, laureate head of Vespasian right / IVDAEA-CAPTA, palm tree in center; bearded and draped Jewish captive standing right (on left) , hands tied behind back, grounded shield behind, and Judaea seated right on cuirass (on right), in attitude of mourning, resting left elbow on knee, supporting head with left hand, pile of arms behind both figures, S C in exergue. RIC II.1 159. GBC 6, 6530. Deep coffee patina with evergreen tones. Light smoothing does not detract from the crisply struck, perfectly centered depictions. Ex G.T. Collection of the Twelve Caesars (Roma Numismatics, Auction XX, 29 October 2020), lot 499; Classical Numismatic Group, Triton XXI (9 January 2018), lot 731; Numismatica Arts Classica, Auction 94, 6 October 2016, lot 159; Michael Weller Collection (Classical Numismatic Group, Triton VIII, 11 January 2005), lot 1007. The famous reverse legend IVDAEA CAPTA refers to the triumph of Vespasian's son Titus over the Jewish rebels and the destruction of the Second Temple in Jerusalem the prior year. Six hundred years earlier, the Babylonian king Nebuchadnezzar II and his conquering army had destroyed the Temple of Jerusalem, carrying away the Jewish people as slaves back to Babylon. The Romans chose to leave the subjugated Jewish population in place, a mistake that would come back to haunt them in the Bar Kokhba Revolt 60 years later. But if not steal the Jewish population as the Babylonians had done, what did the Romans loot from Judaea as spoils of war? Though the Romans had been enraged by the insubordination of the Jews, they held a certain respect for the ancient nature of the Jewish religion and its institutions, part of the reason that Roman authorities permitted Judaism while persecuting newer "cults" like Christianity. When the triumphant army of Titus descended upon the city in August AD 70, they fixated on the Temple, the center of the Jewish faith and therefore of the revolt against Rome. Before destroying the structure, the Roman legionaries looted the sacred relics of the Temple, including the Table of the Sacred Bread, a table of solid gold that held various food and drink that was a type of permanent offering to God. But the greatest prize of all was the gold menorah, which was paraded through the streets of Rome along with the aforementioned Table and the sacred trumpets during Titus' triumph. The whole scene, including the menorah, is featured prominently on the Arch of Titus, which still stands today in Rome. https://coins.ha.com/itm/ancients/roman-imperial/ancients-vespasian-ad-69-79-ae-sestertius-33mm-2571-gm-6h-ngc-choice-au-5-5-2-5-fine-style-smoothing/a/3115-31070.s?type=DA-DMC-CoinArchives-WorldCoins-3115-05082024 HID02906262019 © 2024 Heritage Auctions | All Rights Reserved Estimate: 10000-12000 USD |  |
Match 2:
| Heritage World Coin Auctions > Showcase Auction 61351 | Auction date: 11 December 2023 |
| Lot number: 24132 Price realized: 210 USD (Approx. 195 EUR) Note: Prices do not include buyer's fees. | |
| Lot description: Ancients Vespasian (AD 69-79). AE dupondius (27mm, 13.55 gm, 7h). NGC AU 5/5 - 3/5, Fine Style, light smoothing. Rome, AD 72-73. IMP CAES VESPASIAN AVG COS IIII, radiate head of Vespasian right / FELICITAS-PVBLICA, Felicitas standing facing, head left, with winged caduceus in lowered right hand, cornucopia cradled in left arm; S-C across fields. RIC II.1 392. https://coins.ha.com/itm/ancients/roman-imperial/ancients-vespasian-ad-69-79-ae-dupondius-27mm-1355-gm-7h-ngc-au-5-5-3-5-fine-style-light-smoothing/a/61351-24132.s?type=DA-DMC-CoinArchives-WorldCoins-61351-12112023 HID02906262019 © 2023 Heritage Auctions | All Rights Reserved |  |
Match 3:
| Heritage World Coin Auctions > NYINC Signature Sale 3114 | Auction date: 16 January 2024 |
| Lot number: 33247 Price realized: 2,000 USD (Approx. 1,837 EUR) Note: Prices do not include buyer's fees. | |
| Lot description: Ancients Vespasian (AD 69-79). AV aureus (19mm, 6.65 gm, 7h). NGC Choice Fine 5/5 - 4/5. Rome, AD 76. IMP CAESAR VESPASIANVS AVG, laureate head of Vespasian right / COS VII, heifer standing right. Calicó 622. RIC II.1, 840. A subtle brilliance resounds across the amber fields. https://coins.ha.com/itm/ancients/roman-imperial/ancients-vespasian-ad-69-79-av-aureus-19mm-665-gm-7h-ngc-choice-fine-5-5-4-5/a/3114-33247.s?type=DA-DMC-CoinArchives-WorldCoins-3114-01162024 HID02906262019 © 2023 Heritage Auctions | All Rights Reserved |  |
Match 4:
| Heritage World Coin Auctions > Showcase Auction 61373 | Auction date: 5 May 2024 |
| Lot number: 22126 Price realized: 1,350 USD (Approx. 1,263 EUR) Note: Prices do not include buyer's fees. | |
| Lot description: Ancients Vespasian (AD 69-79). AE sestertius (34mm, 24.89 gm, 6h). NGC AU 5/5 - 2/5, Fine Style. Rome, AD 71. IMP CAES VESPASIAN AVG P M TR P P P COS III, laureate head of Vespasian right / FORTVNAE-REDVCI, Fortuna standing facing, head left, holding branch and rudder set on globe in right hand, cornucopia cradled in left arm; S C in exergue. RIC II.1, 157. Golden highlights on a forest green patina. 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. 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-ae-sestertius-34mm-2489-gm-6h-ngc-au-5-5-2-5-fine-style/a/61373-22126.s?type=DA-DMC-CoinArchives-WorldCoins-61373-05052024 HID02906262019 © 2024 Heritage Auctions | All Rights Reserved |  |
Match 5:
| Heritage World Coin Auctions > Showcase Auction 61375 | Auction date: 20 May 2024 |
| Lot number: 25210 Price realized: This lot is for sale in an upcoming auction - Bid on this lot  | |
| Lot description: Ancients Hadrian (AD 117-138). AV aureus (20mm, 7.28 gm, 6h). NGC AU 5/5 - 3/5, Fine Style, brushed, edge marks. Rome, late AD 121-122. IMP CAESAR TRAIAN-HADRIANVS AVG, laureate, cuirassed bust right, seen from front, slight drapery on left shoulder / P M TR-P COS III, Janus standing facing, nude to waist, fold of drapery over left arm, grounded scepter in right hand. RIC II.3 509. Calicó 1311 (same rev. die as 1311a). A magnificent example, this coin showcases crisp Fine Style details and a bold strike on a golden poppy-toned flan with satin surfaces. Ex Baldwin's, private sale with old dealer's tag included. https://coins.ha.com/itm/ancients/roman-imperial/ancients-hadrian-ad-117-138-av-aureus-20mm-728-gm-6h-ngc-au-5-5-3-5-fine-style-brushed-edge-marks/a/61375-25210.s?type=DA-DMC-CoinArchives-WorldCoins-61375-05202024 HID02906262019 © 2024 Heritage Auctions | All Rights Reserved |  |
