Ancient Roman Imperial Coins - Marcus Aurelius - Sacrificing AR Denarius

Obv: IMP CAESAR VESPASIANVS AVG anti-clockwise, laureate bust of Vespasian facing right. Rev: known Vitellius reverse die, XV VIR SACR FAC, tripod-lebes; dolphin above, raven below. 2.35 grams, 23 mm.

About very fine. Unique and unpublished, hence excessively rare.

Found in Bawdswell, Norfolk, UK, on 21st August 2021.

Dane Kurth, administrator of the award winning site wildwinds.com writes: ‘The reverse legend does not apply to Vespasian. XV VIR SACR FAC is the abbreviation of 'Quindecimvir Sacris Faciundis' = (Member of the) College of the fifteen priests in charge of the sacred, sibylline books, which Vespasian was not. Because Vespasian's elevation to the title of emperor occurred immediately after the fall of Vitellius (actually Vespasian was hailed as emperor when he was out of the country when Vitellius was still emperor), we can only presume that the mints needed to hurry to get coinage of Vespasian out, so, having engraved obverse dies, they possibly used the old Vitellius reverse die as test strikes. Supporting this is the fact that the Vespasian legend on the obverse is not dated by the use of any TR P or COS numbers, so was very likely struck early in his reign.'

Group comprising: mixed issues, types and reverses, including Valerian. 17.70 grams total, 20-21 mm.

Very fine to extremely fine.

Acquired on the UK market. Ian Roper collection. Including one with coin ticket.

Comprising: mixed denominations, types and issues; including a Republican denarius, Antoninus Pius denarius, an antoninianus of Gordian III, and a clipped siliqua. 24.9 grams total, 12-24 mm.

Poor-very fine.

Acquired since the 1970s. From the private collection of a Surrey, UK, gentleman.