Ephesus mint; struck AD 71. DOMITIANVS CAESAR AVG [F], bare-headed and cuirassed bust to right, with aegis on chest / [C]ONCORDIA AVG, Ceres seated to left, on ornate high-backed chair, holding corn ears, poppy and cornucopiae; EPHE (partially ligate) in exergue. RIC II.1 1446 (Vespasian); RPC II 847 corr. (bust type); BMCRE 471 corr. (bust type) (Vespasian); RSC 38 var. (bust type). 3.47gr, 18mm, 12h.

Near Extremely Fine.

Ex German art market, 2000s. Acquired from an EU collector living in London. From the collection of a Surrey, UK, gentleman.

Rome mint; struck AD 83. IMP CAES DOMITIANVS AVG P M, laureate head to right / TR POT II COS VIIII DES X P P, Minerva standing to right on rostral column, holding spear with right hand and shield with left; owl at feet to right. RIC II.1 164; BMCRE 41; RSC 606. 2.68gr, 20mm, 6h.

Near Very Fine. Toned. Rare.

From Stocker collection, Kent, UK, 1955-early 2000s.

Rome mint; struck AD 86. IMP CAES DOMIT AVG GERM COS XII CENS PER P P, laureate head to right, wearing aegis / Mars advancing to left, holding Victory with right hand and trophy with left; S C across fields. RIC II.1 496. 10.04gr, 28mm, 5h.

Near Very Fine.

Property of an Essex, UK, collector.

Rome, AD 86. IMP CAES DOMIT AVG GERM COS XIII CENS PER P P, laureate head to right, wearing aegis / VIRTVTI AVGVSTI, Virtus standing to right, foot on helmet, holding spear and parazonium; S-C across fields. RIC II.1 500; BMCRE 394. 8.51gr, 29mm, 8h.

Near Very Fine.

Acquired on the UK art market; Property of an Essex, UK, collector.

Rome mint; struck AD 87. [IMP CAES DOMIT AVG GERM COS XIII] CENS PER P P, laureate head to right / [VIRTVTI] AVGVSTI, Virtus standing to right, foot on helmet, holding spear and parazonium; S C across fields. RIC II.1 550; BMCRE 404. 10.04gr, 28mm, 6h.

Fine. Edges having been tapped to create raised rims.

Property of a Cambridgeshire, UK, gentleman.

Proto-contorniate is the modern term used to describe Roman Imperial and Provincial bronze coins of the first, second, and early third centuries with hammered-up edges. These raised edges on the rims probably occurred after these bronze issues no longer circulated and ceased to be part of the currency in general use. A common assumption is that proto-contorniates functioned as game counters since the rim created through hammering could protect the designs. Andreas Alföldi in Die Kontorniaten (Budapest, 1943) believed proto-contorniates to be forerunners of the contorniates of the fourth and fifth centuries. He argued that proto-contorniates were New Year's gifts and that the older coins were actually hammered in the fourth century before the contorniates proper came into being.

Rome mint. Draped and helmetted bust of Minerva to right / Owl standing to left, head facing; S C across fields. RIC II 8; Cohen -. 2.38gr, 16mm, 7h.

Very Fine.

From the collection of a London antiquarian, formed since the 1980s.

Rome mint; struck AD 97. IMP NERVA CAES AVG P M TR POT II, laureate head to right / COS III PATER PATRAE, emblems of the pontificate: simpulum, aspergillum, guttus, and lituus. RIC II 34; RSC 51. 3.04gr,18mm, 6h.

Near Very Fine.

From an old UK collection; From the collection of a London antiquarian.

Rome mint; struck AD 116-117. IMP CAES NER TRAIAN OPTIM AVG GERM DAC, laureate and draped bust to right / PARTHICO P M TR P COS VI P P S P Q R, Felicitas standing to left, holding caduceus and cornucopiae. RIC II 332; Woytek 570v; BMCRE 627; RSC 191. 3.41gr, 19mm, 6h.

Near Extremely Fine. Tooled.

From the collection of a London antiquarian, formed since the 1980s.

Rome mint; struck AD 108-109. IMP TRAIANO AVG GER DAC P M TR P, laureate bust to right, slight drapery on far shoulder / COS V P P S P Q R OPTIMO PRINC, Aequitas standing to left, holding scales with right hand and cornucopiae with left. RIC II p. XIV, addenda to p.252; BMCRE 281; Woytek 278b; RSC 85. 3.02gr, 20mm, 6h.

Very Fine.

Ex Stocker collection, Kent, UK, 1955-early 2000s.

Rome mint; struck AD 112-113. IMP TRAIANVS AVG GER DAC P M TR P COS VI P P, laureate bust to right, slight drapery on far shoulder / DIVVS PATER TRAIAN, Trajan senior seated to left on curule chair, holding patera with right hand and sceptre with left. RIC II 252 var. (bust type); BMCRE 500; Woytek 406b; RSC 140. 2.54gr, 18mm, 7h.

Very Fine. Areas of delamination on obverse.

From Stocker collection, Kent, UK, 1955-early 2000s.

Rome mint; struck AD 132-134. HADRIANVS AVGVSTVS, bare-headed and draped bust to left / CLEMENTIA AVG COS III P P, Clementia standing to left, holding patera and sceptre. RIC II.3 206. 3.39gr, 18mm, 7h.

Near Extremely Fine. Darkly toned. Rare with left facing bust.

Property of a North London, UK, collector.

Rome mint; struck AD 117. IMP CAES TRAIAN HADRIAN OPT AVG GER DAC, laureate, draped and cuirassed bust of Hadrian to right / PARTHIC DIVI TRAIAN AVG F P M TR P COS P P, Trajan and Hadrian standing facing each other and holding globe between them. BMC -; Cohen 1009 var. (HADRIANO); RIC 3. 2.62gr, 19mm, 7h.

Near Very Fine.

From a private Barnsley, UK, family collection.