I've always liked the Gordian III coins - the extreme level of Roman artistry means that anyone can easily tell that he was fairly young when his coins were created. Which makes sense, since he died aged only 19 in 244. His relatively short reign doesn't appear incredibly significant overall, though he apparently opened the Temple of Janus' doors for the last time in Roman history. The coin below just arrived today. The obverse could be better, it has some very visible wear on the high points, but it's still fine. The much cleaner and detailed reverse attracted me to the coin, especially considering its pretty decent price. The coin also has a little heft to it and feels fairly substantial in hand. Decent coin, decent price, I can deal with it. GORDIAN III AR silver antoninianus. IMP GORDIANVS PIVS FEL AVG, radiate, draped & cuirassed bust right. Reverse - P M TR P VI COS II PP, Gordian standing right with globe & spear. RSC 276. 22mm, 5.3g. 242-243 AD.
Gordian III coins have been my favorite ever since I entered this realm of collecting. here are some photos I have, on my laptop later I will post more if I remember. My only sestertius.
Gordian III Ae Sestertius 240 AD Obv Bust right laureate draped and cuirassed. Rv Felicitas standing left RIC 328 20.40 grms 30 mm Photo by W. Hansen Here we have the image of Gordian when he was at the ripe old age of 15. I wonder how lucky he might have felt. After all everyone of his predecessors since Caracalla had met with a violent death.
I have several dozen Gordian provincial coins, but I do like a nice Gordian III antoninianus now and then. Gordian III, AD 238-244. Roman AR antoninianus, 3.62 g, 21.6 mm, 5 h. Rome mint, 2nd officina, 3rd emission, AD 241-243. Obv: IMP GORDIANVS PIVS FEL AVG, radiate, draped and cuirassed bust, right. Rev: IOVI STATORI, Jupiter standing facing, head right, holding scepter and thunderbolt. Refs: RIC 84; Cohen 109; RCV 8615; Hunter 51.
I like Gordians with some dirt. Many have been shined up, so honest coins are special. Here’s my favorite dirty Gordian III. Here’s my favorite clean coin:
This one was minted when he was still a little tyke: Silver Double Denarius (a.k.a. Antoninianus) Rome mint, A.D. 238-239 Obv: IMP CAES M ANT GORDIANVS AVG Rev: VICTORIA AVG - Victory, advancing left, holding wreath and palm branch. RIC 5 20x22mm, 4.0g.
Here's a rarity - a Gordian III antoninanus with a lot of circulation wear. My local dealer doesn't like low grade stuff, so he had it priced at $7.25. How could I resist? My photo washes it out - it has a nice dark battleship gray tone, probably from an old paper envelope: Gordian III Antoninianus (July-Dec. 243 A.D.) Rome (12th Issue, 3rd Officina) IMP GORDIANVS PIVS FEL AVG Radiate bust rt., draped & cuirassed. / SECVRITAS PERPETVA, Securitas stdg. left, elbow on column, sceptre in right hand. RIC 153; Sear 8661 (3.63 grams / 21 x 24 mm)
That's an interesting coin! Not only was that thing making the rounds well into the reign of Gallienus, but it has a boardwalk flan and was struck off-center on the reverse so you can see the size of the reverse die relative to the size of the beaded border. You can see a lip where the flan wasn't hit by the die, but curled up against the outside edge of the reverse die a good 2 mm beyond the edge of the beaded border.
Coins of Gordian III were among the last Roman issues to be struck in relatively good silver. Thus they were hoarded a lot and survive in large numbers, making them an interesting collecting field: Some favorites: Gordian III, Roman Empire, AR denarius, 240–241 AD, Rome mint. Obv: IMP GORDIANVS PIVS FEL AVG; bust of Gordian III, laureate and draped, r. Rev: P M TR P III COS P P; Gordian on horseback riding l., raising r. hand and holding spear or sceptre in l. 20mm, 2.66g. Ref: RIC IV Gordian III 81. Gordian III, Roman Empire, AR antoninian, 241–243 AD, Rome mint. Obv: IMP GORDIANVS PIVS FEL AVG; bust of Gordian III, radiate, draped, cuirassed, r. Rev: VIRTVTI AVGVSTI; Hercules, nude, standing r., r. behind back and resting l. hand on club set on rock; beside club, lion-skin. 22mm, 3.49g. Ref: RIC IV Gordian III 95. Gordian III, Roman Empire, AE sestertius, 244 AD, Rome mint. Obv: IMP GORDIANVS PIVS FEL AVG; bust of Gordian III, draped and laureate, r. Rev: VICTORIA AETERNA, Victory, winged, standing l., leaning on shield and holding palm branch, captive at feet l.; in fields flanking, SC. 32mm, 19.68g. Ref: RIC IV Gordian III 338.
Some of mine Rome mint, 5th emission, AD 05-243/02-244 IMP GORDIANVS PIVS FEL AVG, radiate, draped and cuirassed bust right, seen from behind SECVRITAS PERPETUA, Securitas standing left, holding scepter and resting on column 6,95 gr, 25 mm Ref : RIC #153, RCV #8661, Cohen #336, Michaux #409 Ex FORVM ancient coins Rome mint, 4th emission, AD 12-239/05-243 IMP GORDIANVS PIVS FEL AVG, Draped and radiate bust of Gordian right VIRTVTI AVGVSTI, Hercules standing right, leaning on club set on rock 5.41 gr Ref : RCV # 8670, Cohen # 404, RIC # 95, Michaux # 385 Rome mint, AD 241 IMP GORDIANVS PIVS FEL AVG, laureate and draped bust right DIANA LVCIFERA, Diana standing right, holding lighted torch in hands 3,08 gr Ref : RSC # 69, RCV # 8673, RIC # 127, Michaux # 269 Rome mint, AD 241 IMP GORDIANVS PIVS FEL AVG, laureate, draped and cuirassed bust right SALVS AVGVSTI, Salus standing right, feeding snake 4.4 gr Ref : RIC IV part III # 129a, RSC # 325, RCV # 8681, Michaux # 272 Sestertius minted in Rome, AD 241/243 IMP GORDIANVS PIVS FEL AVG, laureate, draped and cuirassed bust right, seen from behind IOVI STATORI, Jupiter standing, looking right, holding thuderbolt and sceptre. S C in field 20,18 gr Ref : Cohen #111, RCV # 8710, RIC # 298a, Michaux # 187 Q
Here is a Gordian III with scalloped edges. Maybe used as a game piece or some kind of token. Gordian III A.D. 241- 243 AE Sestertius 27x28mm 13.2gm IMP GORDIANVS PIVS FEL AVG; radiate, draped and cuirassed bust right. P M TR P III(I) COS II P P S-C; Gordian in military dress, stg. right, holding transverse spear and globe. RIC IV Rome 305/306
That reminds me of a pair of "Gordy" sestertius coins in my collection which are (I think) both RIC IV 297a. The lower one was obviously buggered up for some reason. Perhaps it was to make it a game piece as @Victor_Clark mentioned re: his example above. Or, perhaps as the seller speculated... "Considering the state of the economy and denominational reforms of the 3rd century (with the sestertius disappearing circa the 260's), it's actually not very common to see sestertii of emperors like Gordian in any state of significant wear. So this likely indicates a period of usefulness extending past the coin's circulation shelf life. Considering the 'damage' from the squared nail marks makes a perfect cross on the reverse (with the middle of the T of the cross right through Sol's head), and the conflation of Soli Invictus Natalis with the birth of Jesus (Dec 25th), it's likely this coin had religious significance to a Christian or Christian-leaning Pagan in the 3rd/4th century, equating Jesus & Sol." Or, perhaps someone was bored and chose to doodle in a way that would be quasi-permanent. Regardless... they're both Gordian III coins!
