Pre-Long Beach Auction #80

Domitian. Silver Denarius (3.34 g), as Caesar, AD 69-81. Rome, under Vespasian, AD 76/7. CAESAR AVG F DOMITIANVS, laureate head of bearded Domitian right. Reverse COS IIII above, Pegasus standing right, pawing ground with foreleg. RIC 238; BMC 193-5; RSC 47. Well struck on a large flan and perfectly centered, all attractively toned. Superb Extremely Fine.

The image of Pegasus on this issue is normally shown standing right, pawing the ground with his foreleg. There is one rare die, however, which shows him rearing instead of pawing (see Edston Hoard 91, CHRB 10, pl. 17). There are many reasons why horses paw at the ground, and most equine behaviorists will say the animal is either nervous or irritated. However, when the head is held in a high position, it usually means that the animal is establishing dominance. Of course, the animal on this coin is not a horse but a pegasus; it seems the engraver was attempting to convey the same idea, though.
Estimated Value $1,000 - 1,300.
Ex Roma V (23 March 2013), 723.