Rare Variety Judaea Sestertius

Sale: Triton XI, Lot: 900. Estimate $5000.  Closing Date: Monday, 7 January 2008.  Sold For $15000. This amount does not include the buyer’s fee.

Vespasian. AD 69-79. Æ Sestertius (24.94 g, 6h). Rome mint. Struck AD 71. IMP CAES VESPASIAN AVG P M TR P P P COS III, laureate head right / IVDEA (sic) CAPTA, S C in exergue, Vespasian standing right, left foot on helmet, cradling parazonium in left arm and holding spear in right hand; to right, Jewess, in attitude of mourning, seated right on cuirass. RIC II 427 var. (rev. legend); Hendin 775 var. (same); BMCRE 545; BN 498 var. (same). Good VF, attractive green patina, gently smoothed with a few details lightly enhanced. Very rare variety with IVDEA.

BMCRE lists 545 and 546 as having the same reverse type, but the illustration of 546 shows that the Jewess is seated on the ground rather than a cuirass.