Vespasian augustus, 69 - 79. Antiochia.   Denarius 72-73, AR 3.31 g. [IMP] CAES VESP AV – G P M COS II[II] Laureate head r. Rev. CONCORDIA AVGVSTI Concordia seated l., holding patera and cornucopiae. C 79. BMC 505. RIC 1554. CBN –. RPC 1927.
A bold portrait struck on a very broad flan and with a lovely light iridescent tone.
Reverse slightly off-centre, otherwise good extremely fine

Ex Heritage Long Beach sale 3049, 2016, 30252.
Carradice and Buttrey note in RIC II/1, p. 45, the difficulties of classifying and attributing the early Flavian precious metal issues from Egypt, Judaea and Syria. This wonderfully preserved denarius with a youthful and idealized portrait of Vespasian is from RIC’s final group of denarii from the region, group 5, which is dated from sometime in AD 72 to early 73, as indicated by Vespasian’s fourth consulship (COS IIII). It is also the largest of RIC’s groupings and consists solely of silver denarii. The reverse type depicting the goddess Concordia seated to the left on a low-backed chair and holding a patera and cornucopiae is a type also employed on group 5 denarii of Titus. Like Vespasian’s other coinage designs not related to the Jewish War, it emphasizes the peace and prosperity of the Roman Empire which the Flavian dynasty brought after the recent Year of the Four Emperors.