Vitellius, as Imperator. 2 January-18 July 69. Denarius (Subaeratus, 18 mm, 2.75 g, 5 h), uncertain mint in the Rhine Valley. 'Plated Jupiter-Vesta Group', imperatorial portrait issue. Bocciarelli groupe 1. A VITELLIVS IMP GERMANICVS Laureate head of Vitellius to right. Rev. I O MAX CAPITOL-INVS The Temple of Jupiter Capitolinus on the Capitoline Hill: distyle temple with wreath in pediment; within, statue of Jupiter seated left, holding thunderbolt in his right hand and scepter in his left. BMC -. Bocciarelli 17 (this coin, AV6/RV12). CG 17 (this coin). Cohen -. RIC -. Unique and of great interest. Lightly toned and boldly struck in high relief. Minor breaks in plating, otherwise, good very fine.


This coin forms one of the centerpieces of Bocciarelli's groupe 1, a tightly interlinked issue consisting of both anonymous civil war denarii as well as coins bearing Vitellius' portrait. Much like groupe 2 (see lots 1167-1171 above), all of the few surviving coins are plated and connected by rare reverse die matches to the 'Fides Group' struck early in the civil war (see lots 1058-1076 above), linking them to the legions stationed in the Rhine Valley. For a longer note on the 'Plated Jupiter-Vesta Group', see lot 1167 above.