Who runs Gallienus.net? Because I just bought a plate coin

I won this at Frank Robinson's latest auction and in the course of attributing it, I went to one of my go-to online references, Gallienus.net. When I located the coin, RIC 638 var A, Göbl 1630j, seeing the filled die on the obverse (in AVG) and the raised bump in front of the emperor's chin, my first thought was, "It looks like a die match." But upon closer inspection of the overall shape of the flan as well as the flan crack at 6:00, my next thought was, "It's not just a die match; it's the exact same coin!"

So, I have a plate coin. It would be nice to know some provenance, though, wouldn't it? So I was wondering who runs this website and how can I ask him/her about the provenance of the coin?

About GENIVS AVG:

In Roman religion, the genius is the individual life spirit that is present in every individual person, though it was also felt to be present in inanimate objects, such as in places, or things. To show reverence for the genius of another or to swear by it was a mark of deep respect; hence, the official cult rituals were performed to the genius Augusti (the life spirit of the emperor). Thus, to worship the genius Augusti avoided affronting the feeling against worshiping any living emperor.

But the genius of the emperor was not the only genius celebrated on Roman coins. Especially on coins of the tetrarchy we find Genius on the reverse honoring the Genius of the Roman people (POPVLI ROMANI) as well as the Genius of the Army (GENIVS MILITVM).

Genius is usually depicted as a nude or nearly nude male figure holding a patera (from which he sometimes pours a libation onto an altar, such as on my coin) and a cornucopiae, globe, scepter, or the head of Serapis; in his military guise, he holds a standard. As Genius of the Roman people, he is typically depicted, like the Greek goddess Tyche, wearing a mural crown.

Post anything you feel is relevant!

My coin:

Gallienus, AD 253-268
Roman billon Antoninianus; 3.47 g, 21.3 mm, 12 h
Antioch, AD 260-268
Obv: GALLIENVS AVG, Radiate and draped bust right
Rev: GENIVS AVG, Genius standing left by altar, holding patera and cornucopiae
Refs: RIC 638 var; Göbl 1630j; Cohen 295 var.; RCV --.
Notes: RIC lists this coin only with obverse K (radiate head right) or L (radiate head left); similarly, Cohen lists the coin with radiate head right. Sear only lists this reverse type with the inscription GENIO AVG, an issue from the Rome mint, AD 262-263, RIC 197.

The plate coin at Gallienus dot net:

 

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Nice Gallienus / Genius coin! Great portrait of Gallienus. The reverse is interesting. Is that a Sarapis headdress on the Genius of emperor?
I do not know who does the Gallienus dot net site but I did score a couple of coins that are plate coins from the site. Here is a Gallienus plate coin that appears on both gallienus.net and wild winds; like you I did not know until I was looking the coin up online and saw that it was the very same coin I was referencing

Gallienus - Cologne mint - RIC 10 Gallienus Antoninianus
Obv: GALLIENVS P F AVG, radiate and cuirassed bust left, holding spear and shield.
Rev: DEO MARTI, Mars standing left in tetrastyle temple, resting on shield and spear.
1,42 g, 20 mm. Göbl 889i; Cunetio hoard 714; Elmer 85; Stevenage hoard 508; RIC 10 var (obv. legend); Sear 10195 Courtesy of Marcy's Gallienus website, March 2011 http://mk.shahrazad.net/gallienus/

 

Nice coin.

Keith Emmett told me he collected only Gallienus at one time and then sold it off. It could be his page, but I don't know for sure.

 

Cool! It's funny that you had the exact same experience!

And yes, Genius is wearing a modius on his head, just like Serapis.

 

That page was created and run, at least for a time, by Dr. Marci Kulick - I know her as a contributor to Ancient Coins for Education, although we haven't corresponded in some time. So far as I can guess, she's in "family building mode" and may well be finding the combination of professional and personal commitments is leaving her little time for the hobby. It's also possible that someone else owned the coin in question and allowed use of the photo for the site.

 

Nice Gallienus @Roman Collector ... nice pick up from Frank.

I have a couple to toss in...


RI Gallienus 253-268 CE Ant Abundantia


Gallienus Silvered Æ Ant CE 263-264 AVG rad cuiras R Hercules R lion skin club star RIC 673

 

Here's a Gallienus with one of the winged horses pulling Sol's chariot:

 

Here's a Maximinus Daia follis with GENIO IMPERATORIS and three dots on the reverse, Genius holding patera:

 

UPDATE:

I just got an e-mail from Marcy, who contacted me through Frank Robinson. She tells me that she had her collection stolen during a burglary and this was one of the coins!

I'm going to send it back to her. Frank is a retired federal judge; that crook picked the wrong coin dealer to fence stolen goods to!!!

 

Ouch! I hope that scum is caught.

 

Wow, what an unexpected development! I hope this somehow leads to the burglar being caught.

 

Roman Collector I will be contacting by PM to get contact info. I hope the coins I purchased are not coins stolen from her collection.

 

Wow! What a plot twist.

Regarding the term "plate coin", is it really the right phrase to describe a coin which is pictured on a website? I thought it meant that the coin appears in a printed numismatic publication. Coins on Wildwinds aren't considered "plate coins", for instance... or are they?

If appearance on any numismatic website qualifies the term, everyone send me pictures of your favorite coins and I'll post them to my website so you can say you have a plate coin. Special low fee for my CT friends

 

This is an update. As it turns out I too purchased coins stolen from Marcy. Six coins to be exact. All purchased on eBay through the same seller. I have been in contact with Marcy and the seller. I have returned all 6 coins to the seller. The seller was polite and cooperative with me. He returned my money with no hassle. The last I was informed the police were in possession the coins. I hope the police are quick in processing the coins so they can be returned to Marcy.

 

@Roman Collector & @TJC you've both done good. With some luck, because of you two, hopefully the crook will be caught.

 

A plate is a page in a printed book for which separate plates are burned for printing photographic images on higher quality paper than the text section of the book. This is more typical of older books. Everything else is an illustration. Still interesting, but not a plate. For example, I have a coin illustrated in the Mazzini catalog, and it is a plate coin. I have another coin illustrated in RSC and it is an illustration. A coin illustrated on a web site is an illustration, not a plate.

"Plate" seems more prestigious than "illustration" perhaps because photographic reproduction was once more difficult and expensive than it is today; therefore fewer coins were deemed worthy of illustration in reference publications. If you have a plate coin from a book printed pre-1960s, I think it adds interest and value.

 

Wow, horrible their coins got stolen, it's great that your doing the right thing.


Thanks,
Jacob

 

I agree with benhur767's 20th century definition of 'plate' except for the matter of the plate having to be better. For example, plates in Dattari-Savio show pencil rubbings gathered together on separate pages but no one will accuse them of being more than they are - marginal at best - but they are 'plates'. Today we have new options that require new definitions mostly caused by the Internet. The big question is not so much 'plate' but 'published'. When we show a coin never before seen by anyone online, does that revelation stop it from being 'unpublished'? Does it matter if that online revelation is on Coin Talk, a specialized web site like the new RIC V replacement or the British Museum online catalog of their collection? Does an online publication of a coin 'count' if made in an obscure scholarly web-journal seen only by members of the in-crowd but not if it was made in a dot-com vanity page not blessed by a university? These new questions will have to be addressed but probably will not be as universally agreed upon in this new era when much of the study is done and funded by non-public/non-professional entities. Language requires regular updating to remain pertinent and current. 'Plate' is a word which may need a critical reappraisal in the near future.

 

I doesn't "have" to be better. Often it is better, especially for older publications. Remember that printing and imaging technology are vastly improved since the 70s. Books that are pre-1960s often reserved better quality paper for illustrations so that they would reproduce better. This required the production of separate printing plates. Certainly the term "plate" can be expanded and used more loosely than it's original definition, but "illustration" is a more appropriate term.

I think if anyone is "wrong" in using the word "plate" when referring to a coin illustrated in a book or web site, it is only in a very technical sense and not particularly important. Everyone knows that what is really meant is that the coin is illustrated — it is shown, there is a picture of it — regardless of the specific production process.

The usage of the word "plate" has been expanded beyond its original meaning, similarly to the word "font." Font means a particular point size of a typeface. 12 point is a font. 14 point is a font. Arial and Times are typefaces. Now people refer to Arial and Times as fonts. Technically wrong, but everyone knows what is meant. So not very important, not worth correcting. It's part the natural evolution of language.

 

Excellent points, everyone. I guess the phrase "plate coin" might need to be loosened or expanded to accommodate newer technology. Since a person citing a coin as a plate coin/illustrated coin will also note where it appears, the location of appearance is the real meat of the matter anyway.

It's like "ex So-and-So Collection". Sounds fancy, but unless the cited So-and-So is notable for something, it may not mean much (like @zumbly's "ex TIF Collection" coin, lol. I hope he didn't pay a premium for that )