Sale: Triton IX, Lot: 1435. Estimate $5000.  Closing Date: Monday, 9 January 2006.  Sold For $6250. This amount does not include the buyer’s fee.

DIVA JULIA TITI. Died 91 AD. Æ Sestertius (32.19 g, 7h). Rome mint. Struck under Domitian, 91 AD. DIVAE IVLIAE AVG DIVI TITI F, S P Q R in exergue, two mules drawing ornate carpentum right; statuettes at each corner of cart bed supporting an arched and elaborately-decorated canopy; side panel between statuettes decorated with a dancing figure; side panel of bed decorated with wreaths / IMP CAES DOMIT AVG GERM COS XV CENS PER P P around large S C. RIC II 400 (Domitian); BMCRE 458 var. (Domitian; decoration on bed); BN 490 (Domitian); Cohen 9 (Julia). Good VF, attractive brown patina with hues of green and yellow. Rare. ($5000)

From the John F. Sullivan Collection.

All of the references list the side with Domitian's legend as the obverse, but the characteristics of the flan and strike indicate that this was actually the reverse. Additionally, it is canonical from the beginning of the imperial coinage that on such coins the commemorative side is the obverse, not the side with the issuer's titles.