Vespasian-Vitellius mule denarius. AD 69. 23 mm, 2.35 g. IMP CAESAR VESPASIANVS AVG anti-clockwise, laureate head right. XV VIR SACR FAC, (Vitellius reverse), tripod-lebes with dolphin above and raven below. Early Vespasian strike (possibly a test strike) using the reverse of Vitellius RIC 86; BMCRE 17; RSC 114. Same reverse die as Spink auction 23105, Lot 6217, Jan. 2023. Not in BMCRE, RIC, ANS or CoinArchivesPro. TLA 214172, Jan. 2024 Found in Bawdswell, Norfolk, August 2021. Likely struck at the beginning of Vespasian's reign, either as a test strike, or simply a mule, struck using the Vitellius die in error. The reverse legend does not apply to Vespasian. XV VIR SACR FAC is the abbreviation of 'Quindecimvir Sacris Faciundis' = (Member of the) College of the fifteen priests in charge of the sacred, sibylline books, which Vespasian was not. Vespasian's elevation to the title of emperor occurred immediately after the fall of Vitellius (he was actually hailed as emperor when he was out of the country when Vitellius was still emperor), one can presume that the mints needed to hurry to get coinage of Vespasian out, so, having engraved obverse dies, they possibly used the old Vitellius reverse die as test strikes. Supporting this is the fact that the Vespasian legend on the obverse is not dated by the use of any TR P or COS numbers, so was very likely struck early in his reign.' £100 - £140