Finally, a NICE Antoninianus of Gallienus

Most of you may have noticed I have been adding 'upgrades' of many of my LRB's types and this example perfectly fit that inexpensive niche.

I'll skip the historical narrative since that is easily accessed on-line, but I will note the suspicion that has come down to us that Gallienus was less than persistent in his attempts to secure his Fathers (Valerian I) release from Persian captivity--King Shapur is even reputed, after Valerian's death, to have skinned him and used his skull as a drinking vessel. That's a cue for all the historians out there to chime in.

Silvered Antoninianus of Gallienus, 254-268 AD
Lugdunum 258-259 AD, RIC 18, Joint Reign, 20 X 24 mm
GALLIENVS P F AVG, Radiate and cuirassed bust right
GERMANICVS MAX V, Trophy of arms and armor;
Two bound captives to base at either side
RIC V, Part 1

The obverse refers Gallienus Felix Pius Augustus or Gallienus the Dutiful and Fortunate Emperor of Rome. The reverse names Gallienus as Germanicus Maximus Five and the type commemorates his fifth acclamation as Greatest Victor over the Germans

 

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I hadn't heard that Shapur turned Valen's skull into a drinking cup, but there are at least two other similar stories out there about different people, which makes me suspect the validity of it (for all of them... It's likely just a story to show what a mean guy he is...)

 

It's a wonderful coin to be sure, but mid-third century ants are never considered LRB's. It's a stretch to even call certain tetrarchical coins LRB's.

 

Yes, the consensus seems to be a separation at or after Diocletian....but for me these are all LRB's compared to those much earlier in the history of the Roman Empire-----regardless of the imprecise and technically incorrect wording.

 

One of the best I've seen Mikey. This is my fav

GALLIENUS
Billon Antoninianus
OBVERSE: GALLIENVS AVG, radiate cuirassed bust right
REVERSE: LVNA LVCIF, Diana walking right holding torch in both hands, PXV in ex.
Struck at Antioch, 260-268 AD
3.8g, 20mm
RIC VI 609

 

Thats a wonderful looking one. Most with those reverse types, I have seen, are struck weakly on the reverse or something else wrong.

Whats the weight?


Gallienus (253 - 268 A.D.)
AR Antoninianus
O: IMP C P LIC GALLIENVS AVG, Radiate and cuirassed bust right.
R: IOVI CONSERVA, Jupiter standing left, head turned right, holding scepter in right and thunderbolt in left.
5.1g
24mm
RIC 143F (Rome) Sear 10237


Gallienus (253 - 268 A.D.)
AR Antoninianus
O: GALLIENVS P F AVG, radiate and cuirassed bust right.
R: DEO MARTI, Mars in temple.
Colonia Agrippinensis (Cologne) mint, 258-259 A.D.
21mm
3.45g
RIC 10

Reverse Die Clash



Gallienus (253 - 268 A.D.)
AR Antoninianus
O: IMP C P LIC GALLIENVS AVG : Radiate, draped, cuirassed bust right, seen from behind.
R: PIETATI AVGG : Pietas standing facing, head left, left arm leaning on column, vertical long scepter in right.
Antioch, 253-255 A.D.
3.95g
22mm
RIC V, Part I, 295; Göbl 1563d

Published on Wildwinds

 

Mat is 100% correct about the reverses of the type usually being weak. Anytime you see one as even as the OP, buy it.

 

@Mikey Zee , i really like your Gallienus...crisp detail, love that reverse!

I have 3 (somehow they crept into my paws), but I really like this one:

Roman Empire
Gallienus - sole reign (CE 260-268)
Anoninianus, 21mm, 3.3g
Antioch mint
OBV: Radiate bust r
REV: VIRTVS AVGVSTI, Hercules, Star right
RIC VI 673
Ex: TIFcollection

 

nice addition MZ, thats a reverse i wanna get...my 2...


Gallienus, AE antoninianus. Rome, sole reign. 257-258 AD.
IMP GALLIENVS AVG, radiate, cuirassed bust right.
DIANA FELIX, Diana walking right, drawing bow and holding
arrow, hound at foot.
RIC V-1 Rome 174 var (bust type);
24.74mm 3.0g



GALLIENUS Emperor AD 253-268
AR Antoninianus
Asian mint.
Obverse: GALLIENVS P.F.AVG, His radiated cuirassed bust right
Reverse: VIRTVS AVGVSTI, Hercules standing right
holding lion's skin and leaning on club set on rock. Star in right field.
21.84mm
3.2g
RIC V 672
Cohen 1321
Sear -, Van Meter 346

 

That's a real beauty, Mikey, a prince amongst Gallienus coins.

 

that is a very sharp one MZ...i don't have an ant of this fellow.

 

WOW!!!! Judging from all the posts, 'sweet' or superb examples may not be as scarce as I thought LOL. Those are ALL terrific examples.

The weight is not listed, but it appears reasonably in the 3 gram range and was sold by HHC.

 

Shapur to Gallienus: Yea, your dad is hanging around here someplace....

 

LOL ... AWESOME!!!

 

This is mine. I bought it specifically for the obverse portrait and didn't care about the weak GERMANICVS MAX reverse.

 

Magnificent coin!

The only emperors I have left to collect are the very expensive ones - so in the meantime, I am also upgrading my common emperors as an affordable project until I have the money together for Gordian I, Alex of Carthage etc.

 

Mine is a bit ragged but I like the silver content. I have got rid of the green stuff, but have yet to upgrade the photo.

 

The problem I see with Gallienus coins is that the nice and the ugly coins are not evenly divided between the types, the mints or the periods. Most Asian mint late coins are nicely round (but often not having very good portrait art); the zoo coins tend to be ragged edged and not perfectly struck. It is not hard to find a nice random Gallienus but it would be really hard to assemble a 'complete' set of nice looking examples.

 

I suppose it depends on what you consider a "nice looking example." There's a certain rustic charm to the poorly manufactured coins. Sometimes you find wonderful style in the die cutting, despite the fact that the flans were inadequately prepared and struck.

Here is my latest of Gallienus, a SECVRIT PERPET type. Gallienus is quite handsome here (if he could ever be called handsome), with his copious neck-beard, and Securitas is cut in elegant style. So the engravers made these lovely, artistic dies and handed them over to third graders to strike the coins?

And yet there's a quirky charm to that. Perfect is boring - but that's not a problem Gallienus aficionados will ever have to deal with.



The OP coin is one of the "nicest" of the trophy types I've seen. A great find!

 

Thats why I still like my top coin on my other post here, I like the ragged flan, looks almost like a saw blade.

I actually like "Ragged Flans" so long as there isnt a worry of the coin splitting or breaking in half.