Titus AR Denarius 80 CE January 1 - June 30

79-81 CE

(17 mm 3.15 g)

Obv: IMP TITVS CAES VESPASIAN AVG P M, laureate head right

Rev: TR P IX IMP XV — COS VIII P P, draped processional chair, triangular frame by decorated with nine Palmattes Lituus under triangular frame.

RIC 124c BMC 61 RSC 313a

Ex: Savoca 16th Blue auction Lot 978 February 10, 2019

On the surface this does not look like a rare coin. However, take a look under the triangular frame you will see a lituus there. This is rare for this issue, This also occurs on an Issue of Domitian. RIC 3 does not include the Lituus. RIC 3 Var. has the Lituus under the frame. You will find both of these coin types elsewhere on this blog. RIC 3 Var. for Domitian was published in the first volume of Koinon. It will also be published in the RIC II addenda.

I knew when I found the variations for Domitian that I needed these for Titus as well. Take a close look at the triangular frame. You should see nine palmettes. Yes this version is rare but not as rare as 124A which has five palmettes on the frame. 124A is published elsewhere on this blog. As of writing this, there are only 2 known examples of 124A. 124A has been assigned the R3 rarity rating in the forthcoming RIC addenda. A good approach would be if you see this triangular frame with a Lituus underneath, grab it before someone else notices it.

These coins are highly sought after by collectors of Flavian coins.