3 Vespasian Denarii with an interesting provenance
Vespasian 72-73
AR Denarius
3,24 g.
Obv: IMP CAES VESP AVG PM COS IIII; Head laureate right
Rev: VICTORIA AVGVSTI; Victoria stg r ; crowning standard and holding palm.
RIC 362 Cohen 618 RSC 618
Ex-Paul Schürer (1890-1976); Ex-Fritz Reusing (1874-1956)
Purchased from Manfred Olding Munzenhandlung June 4, 2019
Vespasian 77-78
AR Denarius
3,19 g.
Obv: Laureate head r; IMP CAESAR VESPASIANUS AVG
Rev: Mars standing l with spear and trophy; COS - VIII RIC 937 Cohen 125 RSC 125
Ex-Paul Schürer (1890-1976); Ex-Fritz Reusing (1874-1956)
Purchased from Manfred Olding Munzenhandlung June 4, 2019
Titus 80-81 For Divus Vespasianus.
3,10 g.
Obv: Head laureate r; DIVVS AVGVSTVS VESPASIANVS
Rev: Capricorns 2 back to back supporting shield inscribed SC, below globe
RIC 357 Cohen 497 BMC 129 RSC 497
Ex-Paul Schürer (1890-1976); Ex-Fritz Reusing (1874-1956)
Purchased from Manfred Olding Munzenhandlung June 4, 2019
These 3 coins have something in common. they all come from the same old collection. Fritz Reusing was a painter as well as a coin collector. He painted some famous Europeans including political leaders from the early 20th century. When he died he left no children so his collection passed to his nephew Paul.
None of these are rare coins, but the fact that they all came from one collection with a pedigree was very attractive to me. The old collection toning is great despite the obvious wear on the coins.
The first coin is sometimes referred to as a IVDEA CAPTA coin. For me, the provenance and the amazing grumpy portrait is what sold me on the coin. On the second coin I really like the depiction of Mars the God of war advancing. The last coin is a DIVVS issue for Vepasian under the rule of Titus. On most of these coins with this RIC number the shield on the reverse is much smaller and the details of the tails of the Capricorns is omitted. For these reasons I wanted this coin. Besides, I did not have a DIVVS issue for Vespasian and I thought it was bout time that I corrected that oversight.
Whenever I get the chance to add a coin with provenance to my collection I like to do so. I believe that the provenance adds to the story behind the coin. Also, thinking about whose hands this coin passed through is very interesting to me.