Vitellius. Æ As (11.46 g), AD 69. Jewish War commemorative. Rome. A VIT[ELL]IVS GERM IMP AVG TR P, head of Vitellius right, wearing oak-wreath. Reverse: [VICTOR AV]GVSTI, S C in exergue, Victory standing left, placing shield on trophy beneath which captive Judaea seated left atop a pile of shields. RIC 176; BN 122; BMC 77; Hendin 1463. Extremely Rare and numismatically important. Dark reddish-brown patina. Choice Very Fine. Estimated Value $2,000 - UP
The reverse type on this coin is both extremely interesting and numismatically important. The only military activity in which Rome was involved during this period was the civil wars between Nero, Vindex, Galba, Otho, and Vitellius in the western provinces, and the war conducted by Vespasian in Judaea. The reverse of a Roman coin would certainly never depict a captive Roman seated beneath a trophy. Thus, the reverse here must refer to the Roman successes during the Jewish War of AD 66-70/3.
Peter Corcoran Collection, Ex Patrick E. Cosgrove Collection (Empire 14, 1 February 1993), 84.