Dupondius Vitellius - seated Concordia

VITELLIUS. AE Dupondius. Rome, late April-20 December 69 AD Obv. A VITELLIVS GERMA IMP AVG P M TR P Draped, laureate bust to r. Rev. CONCORDIA AVGVSTI Concordia seated to l. with patera in r. hand and cornucopia in l. hand. RIC I 162, Cohen 15 Nero introduced the radiate portrait on his bronze coins, and it soon became the mark of the dupondius. Galba and Vitellius, however, spurned Nero's innovation, probably considering it vainglorious; the color of the metal became the chief mark of their dupondii, which bore laureate or bare-headed portraits just like their asses. Vespasian too spurned the radiate crown on his earliest middle bronzes, and issued yellow-metal dupondii with laureate obv. dies until early in 71, when the radiate crown was reintroduced on dupondii and again became the conventional mark of that denomination.[Curtis Clay] The Rome-mint mid bronzes are much rarer than the ones from the Tarraco mint, and of better style. Portrait of the finest style. Red-brown patina. Ex. Vayson Num. 3 Sep. 2010. A. Labat sale, Toulouse auction 24 June 2010, lot 285