Denarius - Domitian P P COS VII DES VIII

Struck in the opening months of Domitian's reign, following Titus's death in September 81 AD — an event ancient sources treated with suspicion, given Domitian's unconcealed ambition. The COS VII DES VIII designation tightly brackets production to a narrow window before he assumed his eighth consulship, making this among the earliest imperial issues of a reign that would last fifteen years and end in assassination.