Roman Republic AR Victoriatus(2.72g, 17mm, 10h). Anonymous. ca. 211-208 B.C. Uncertain mint. Laureate head of Jupiter right. Border of dots / Victory standing right, crowning trophy with wreath. ROMA in exergue. Line border. Crawford 90/2
Double die match to NAC 70 lot 14(Student Mentor Coll.) and reverse die match to pl. VI 190 in “An Early Hoard Of Victoriati” published by M. H. Crawford in the Numismatic Chronicle 1970, pages 51-56.
Very rare. Type not in RBW, Goodman, Benz or Nicolas and is likely one of the earliest issues and, interestingly, has been shown by Kenneth Friedman and Richard Schaefer to be linked to the VB issue, Crawford 95. When Crawford's hoard report above was published, he was only aware of 3 examples, all of which he illustrated in the plates. Since then more have appeared, and Richard Schaefer has reported via private correspondence that he knows of 5 obverse and 7 reverse dies for this rare type. This particular example was purchased uncleaned and heavily encrusted in dirt and other grime and was sold just as an anonymous victoriatus but even under all the crud I could recognize that the Jupiter poking his head out of that grime was the elongated, shaggy head associated with this issue. Slow cleaning over a month or so revealed the coin pictured.
Note: Crawford catalogues this coin alongside the exceedingly rare double victoriatus by obverse style, however recent finds from Spain, notable multiple half victoriati in exactly the same style as the double victoriatus, cast doubt on this link and I accept this and think instead that this should simply be catalogued as a variety of Crawford 95/1 without any link to the double victoriatus.
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