A RIC reference coin

Domitian; 81-96 AD, Rome, 81 AD, Denarius, 2.39g.

Obv: IMP CAES DOMITIAN AVG PONT Head laureate r.

Rev: COS VII - DES VIII P P Wreath on curule chair.

RIC-23 (R3) (This coin).

Ex Curtis L. Clay Collection, gift from Jurki Muona, Dec. 2008.

Possibly only the second known specimen with this reverse.

Part of the Sotin Hoard

RIC (2007) reference coin

Ex Harlan Berk Bid or Buy sale #224 Lot # 145

At first sight, this coin looks to be a mess. Yes, it is rough, but when a coin is this rare you sometimes have to take what you can get. Such is the case here. While Group 2 denarii in 81CE are the rarest group of denarii in that year, Group 3 is not far behind. There is a here-TRP is missing from the reverse. This is just one of the reasons why the denarii in 81 CE are so interesting.

Another interesting fact is that this is also a PONT denarius. These are a favorite of mine. As the description points out, this coin may be one of only two known to exist. This is why I had to grab it regardless of condition. This particular coin is also the RIC reference coin. That is, when you look at the listing for Domitian RIC 23, the coin they allude to is this one. I cannot call it a plate coin, because no plate is shown for this coin.

Another interesting area of discussion concerns the provenance of the coin. It was once owned by the well-known numismatist Dr. Jyrki Kuona. It was then gifted to another famous numismatist Curtis Clay. This is not the only interesting information concerning provenance. It is a hoard coin as well. It can be traced directly back to the Sotin hoard.

I find this coin fascinating despite the condition. It has many interesting things going for it. This is a coin with a rather long and fascinating story to tell.