Roman Imperial Divus Vespasian

This sestertius of Divus Vespasian, formerly part of the collection of Virgil Brand, the wealthy American brewer and numismatist from Chicago who amassed an exceptional collection of around 350,000 coins, spanning from ancient to modern times, displays strikingly fine detail. The obverse depicts the deified Vespasian seated to the right, holding a small winged Victory and a scepter, atop an ornate chariot drawn by four elephants, each with its own mahout.

The accompanying legend, DIVO AVG VESP and SPQR, indicates that the coin was issued to commemorate the deceased emperor and his apotheosis, and that it was struck by the authority of the Senate and the people of Rome. In contrast to the richly detailed...

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