Domitian. AD 81-96. AV Aureus (19mm, 7.47 g, 6h). Rome mint. Struck AD 95-96. Near EF.

Triton XXVII
Lot: 739. Estimated: $ 5 000

Roman Imperial, Coin-in-Hand Video, Gold

Sold For $ 15 000. This amount does not include the buyer’s fee.

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Domitian. AD 81-96. AV Aureus (19mm, 7.47 g, 6h). Rome mint. Struck AD 95-96. DOMITIANVS AVGVSTVS, laureate head right / GERMANICVS COS XVII, Minerva (or Roma?), helmeted and draped, seated left, holding Victory (or palladium?) in right hand and resting left arm on shield. Cf. RIC II.1 775-783 for the same obverse and reverse legends. Unlisted in the standard references. Minor marks, edge scuffs, traces of luster. Near EF. The reverse type is heretofore unpublished and unknown for Domitian.

This unpublished, and previously unrecorded, aureus of Domitian dates from circa 95-96 AD and, with the same obverse and reverse legends as the other known, albeit very rare, aureii in this group, clearly fits into the output that is already known for this period. What is noticeably different however is the reverse iconography, depicting a seated female figure holding what appears to be a palladium in her left hand, with her right resting on a shield - at first glance sharing all the attributes of Roma. Two reverse types similar to this exist for Domitian, both on medallions housed in the British Museum. One silver, one bronze and both dated to earlier in Domitian’s reign, 85 AD, they show the emperor, laureate on both occasions, and wearing an aegis on the obverse whilst, on the reverse, a female figure is seated left, her arm resting on a decorative shield, but in this instance holding Victory and with a captive and boat below. Towards the end of Domitian’s reign a wider variety of reverse types began to be employed to coincide with Rome’s German victories, such as Germania or the emperor himself in a triumphal quadriga, and although it is known that Domitian considered Minerva to be his own personal patron goddess, devoting much of his personal time and public funds to her worship and with over 75% of his denarii and aurei having Minerva on the reverse, it is possible that this unique aureus shows a further development to his coinage that came to an end with Domitian’s assassination in 96 AD.

The final winners of all Triton XXVII lots will be determined at the live public sale that will be held on 9-10 January 2024.

Triton XXVII – Session Three – Lot 648–983 will be held Wednesday morning, 10 January 2024 beginning at 9:00 AM ET.

Winning bids are subject to a 22.5% buyer's fee for bids placed on this website and 25% for all others.

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