Rare Vespasian Denarius

220, Lot: 434. Estimate $250. Sold for $410. This amount does not include the buyer’s fee.

Vespasian. AD 69-79. AR Denarius (16mm, 2.86 g, 12h). Uncertain mint (Ephesus?) in Asia Minor. Struck AD 74. Laureate head right / Ceres seated left on high-backed throne, holding grain ears, poppy, and cornucopia; three O’s above strut of throne, O below strut, star in exergue. RIC II 1456 var. (no markings below throne); RSC 68 var. (same); RPC II 852 var. (same); BMCRE p. 99, † var. (obv. legend, no markings below throne). VF. Rare type, and apparently unrecorded with the markings below the throne. A similar coin without the O’s below the throne was sold in Helios 3 earlier this year for slightly over $1300.