Won a Volusian D. Denarii at Auction: Late Roman Silver Can Be Pretty Too

Normally I'd start by saying this is my last purchase of the month/year, but all of you know by now it will probably be another week or two before I show my next coin, so let's skip the lies and get to the point:

I've been hitting 3rd century Roman silver pretty hard lately...Caracalla, Julia Domna, Alexander Severus, Gordian III, Philips I and II, some others I can't recall now, etc.

Well, here's the one I won today!


Volusian, AD 251-253
AR Antoninianus, 22mm, 3.7g, 12h; Milan mint.
Obv.: IMP C C VIB VOLVSIANVS AVG; Radiate, draped and cuirassed bust right.
Rev.: VIRTVS AVGG; Virtus standing right holding spear and leaning on shield.
Reference: RIC IVc 206, p. 181

Honestly, I wasn't planning on adding another 3rd century Roman silver any time soon, but look at it! As far as late Roman silver issues of the mid-3rd century goes, just before the Roman currency plunged off the cliff never to recover, this is an outstanding specimen. Usually once you get past Philip I and Philip II, Roman silver becomes very sloppy as far as quality control, and finding one this well struck and centered, and with such a nicely round flan, is a nice treat indeed.

So yeah, I don't really care about Volusian, as he was one of those forgettable Emperors who honestly had no effect/impact/legacy on the history of the Empire whatsoever, but when you see such a late silver issue from just before the crisis of the 3rd century with such nice quality control to it, you just have to snap it up.

 

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Yep, it's very nice...

 

Oh dear, so you were the one that gave me a run for the money on this one?

 

Naw. Opener. You got it for a great price! I would post my cool Volusian but...

Haha! Just jokes!

I did walk away with something:



I suppose I'm mildly superstitious because I don't like posting coins I don't have in hand...but hey...you did so we're in this together now!

 

Nice Volusian @Sallent. I would post mine, but....., ok I will.


VOLUSIAN
AE30
OBVERSE: AVTOK K G AFIN GAL OVEND OVOLOCCIANOC CEB, radiate and draped bust right
REVERSE: ANTIOXEWN MHTRO KOLWN D-e, SC below, Tyche seated facing within tetrastyle temple, the river-god Orontes swimming beneath her, ram leaping right above
Struck at Syria-Antioch, 251-253 AD
17.1g, 30mm
SNGCop 295



VOLUSIAN
AR Antoninianus
OBVERSE: IMP CAE C VIB VOLVSIANO AVG, radiate, draped and cuirassed bust right
REVERSE: CONCORDIA AVG G - Concordia seated left, holding patera and two cornucopiae
Struck at Serdica, 251-253 AD
3.4g, 20mm
RIC 168 (Trebonianus Gallus), C 25

 

Very nice example, Sallent!

 

I SO NEARLY bid on this one Sallent. Congratulations.

 

I grab! His coins can be pretty bad but some are well done.


Volusian (251 - 253 A.D.)
AR Antoninianus
O: IMP CAE C VIB VOLVSIANO AVG radiate, draped and cuirassed bust right.
R: CONCORDIA AVGG, Concordia seated left, holding patera and double cornucopiae, star in right field.
Rome Mint
3.35g
22mm
RIC IV, 169; RSC 25; Hunter 6; Sear 9743.


Volusian (251 - 253 A.D.)
AR Antoninianus
O: IMP C C VIB VOLVSIANVS AVG, radiate, draped and cuirassed bust right.
R: ROMAE AETERNAE AVG, Roma seated left with Victory & spear, shield at side, ui in ex.
Antioch Mint
4g
20mm
Unlisted

Published on Wildwinds!

 

Cool posts all!! Love the Antoninianus', but Bing's bronze is FANTASTIC!!

My modest purchase simply for the portrait--Silver Ant (the photo DOES NOT capture the full silvering):

 

Nice coins everyone! Volusian was one of those non-entity emperors, at least on the information we have. He just sort of fell into the throne by relation and quickly fell out due to mutiny. I see him standing on the edge of the Styx, scratching his head, saying, "What just happened?"

 

Salus reverses are some of my favorites.

 

I saw that & thought ain't no way I'm bidding on that, what would everybody think then?
I recently saw a similar coin on eBay & thought was fake, anyway that was my DA moment of the month. If anybody doesn't recall. It feel free to look at my posts from last week. I was wrong for the millionth time in life, lol.

 

Falling horseman are some of the most common of Roman coins. Granted, the AE2's are less common than the AE3's, but altogether they are so common, and so readily available in nice grades, that I've never come acrss a counterfeit. I've seen a few that were doctored with false patinas, but never an outright fake. I'm sure they're out there though - somebody has probably faked one just because people like me say, "They're so common they don't get faked."

My point is...these are not coins you need to worry much about when it comes to forgeries.

 

I picked up the Diocletian. I am superstitious so you'll have to wait.
Was good timing as I was looking for one anyway, all were looking bad to. The voice in my head told me to wait for JA''s post. I should listen to that voice more often.

 

JA always had the good stuff. Every time I tell myself I'm done buying for the month, he always manages to pull out of thin air a silver coin that I just have to have.

I need to count them to be sure, but I think something like 12 out of my 34 silver ancients and medievals are all Ex. JA

 

@Sallent sshhhh

 

He does at that, almost have to set your budget around that. This be the 4th from JA. Have some nice silver denaris but none from him as of yet. 3 of the 4 came from YOC. Had some nice coins last week I wanted but had already broke my budget.

 

Well, the people at this auction were lucky I did not bid on the Septimius Severus and all the other silver. I had to hold myself back more than usual because I have more than $300+ in bids at an auction house with the auction closing in a few days. Too bad my budget has limits. So many coins, not enough to get them all when I want them. Oh well, little by little then.

At any rate, it's more fun to make it a long term project rather than having a billion dollars and getting all coins at once. The trill of the hunt cannot be underestimated.

 

PS: my birthday is August 10. I certainly would not be opposed to some of you getting together and secretly gifting me an Elagabalus denarius.

 

Yeah we all wish we had friends like that. Mine was a couple months ago. I don't recall even getting a good meal out of it.
I do agree, don't think I'd want to go out & buy every coin I wanted all at once. Besides I don't know every coin so my wants change as I learn.