A rare and unusual Claudius II from Cyzicus - VENVS AVG

As the mother of their legenday progenitor Aeneas, the goddess Venus was very important for the Romans and appeared on plenty of coins in a variety of different forms; however, during the Roman Empire, she is usually found on the reverses of coins of empresses, and it is unusual to see her paired up with the obverses of male rulers. With the exception of Caracalla, as far as I know, the coins of the few other emperors who used her on their reverses are all quite rare, and amongst them there are also a few ones of Claudius II. Since his coinage has become and will continue to be my main collecting focus, I could not pass up on the opportunity to add this coin to my collection; it won't win any beauty contest, and I ended up paying more than I would've liked, but when you're dealing with the second known example of a variety of an already very rare type, I think we can all agree that you might have to make some compromises:


Roman Empire, Claudius II (268-270), Antoninianus, Cyzicus mint.
Obverse: IMP C M AVR CLAVDIVS AVG, radiate, draped and cuirassed bust right, seen from behind;
Reverse: VENVS AVG, Venus standing left, holding helmet in right hand and transverse spear in left hand, shield to the right resting against her;
RIC V 245, RIC V Online 874, La Venera 9862

While I do admit that the deposits on the reverse are quite annoying and detract a little bit from the overall beauty of the coin, I'd say that it was still a good purchase regardless of rarity: the greenish toning is quite pleasing, the details on the reverse are very sharp and the portrait is a splendid example of the style used in the early period of the Cyzicus mint. However, the reverse is clearly what's really important in this particular coin: VENVS AVG had been used initially as part of Claudius II's issue of antoniniani at Smyrna with the SPQR mintmark, which used the B1 and D2 bust types; these coins are quite scarce but not impossible to find, though I unfortunately haven't obtained an example yet:


(Image courtesy of Classical Numismatic Group)

However, as you've probably noticed, my coin has a very different portrait style and is also missing the SPQR in the exergue - these signs indicate that it belongs to the first emission of the Cyzicus mint; this variant, unlike its predecessor, is incredibly rare and was missing from both the Gysen and Johannessen collections, as the only other known example, a double die match, was part of the La Venera Hoard, and is now in a museum in Verona. Considering the fact that its quality is not stellar, either, I guess I can't complain too much about mine:



The coins belonging to the first emission of the Cyzicus mint are, for the most part, extremely rare and often unique, and they are a really interesting field of study, as they usually copy the same reverses that were used at Smyrna (after all, the new mint was most likely staffed by the same people), and most of them were subsequently abandoned, replaced by types more common and more familiar to most collectors like VICTORIAE GOTHIC. While VENVS AVG was one of the reverses that suffered this fate, this depiction of Venus, with a different legend, was, interestingly, resurrected after Aurelian's rise to power:


(Image courtesy of Paul Francis Jacquier)

Since this is the final stop of the journey of this reverse type (Venus with these attributes, but a different legend, was used for the last time by Magnia Urbica on her antoniniani), I suggest we retrace our steps and analyze the different phases of the VENVS AVG reverse legend before its appearance on Claudius II's coins.

As far as I know, this reverse legend was first used on Roman Imperial coins on denarii of Julia Titi - while on these coins the goddess is already shown holding the attributes of "Venus Victrix", her posture is completely different:


(Image courtesy of Numismatica Ars Classica)

The type then went on a very long hiatus until it was introduced at the Antioch mint to be used first by Salonina, wife of Gallienus, as well as, surprisingly, by Vaballathus, a few years later - the legend has now been paired with a representation of Venus Victrix that had been introduced on Caracalla's denarii a while earlier, though the replacement of the sceptre with the spear appears to be an Eastern innovation:


(Image courtesy of Classical Numismatic Group)

(Image courtesy of Leu Numismatik)

The same exact type was also imported to Smyrna and used for Salonina as well as her husband Gallienus, setting up the precedent for its usage by his successor Claudius II and also suggesting that the new mint was initially staffed by engravers from Antioch, which would explain the similarity in the portraits of the first emissions:


(Image courtesy of Paul Francis Jacquier)

That's all for now; post your antoniniani of Claudius II, your coins from Cyzicus, your coins with Venus, or anything else you feel like might be relevant !

And while this rarity of Claudius II might have been quite mundane, I can assure you that my next one is going to be far more special ...

 

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Great coins and research.
I think the Titus version probably predates his daughter's a smidge (I believe hers was under uncle Domitian):

 

Nice coins,
I have only got two coins of this goddess and it seems during the height of the third century crisis Venus got quite thin.
Empress Salonina - VENVS VICTRIX - Rome mint

And the renewed Venus of the tetrarchy:
Empress Galeria Valeria - VENERI VICTRICI - Heraclea mint

 

Can't resist posting my Venus Victrix. First saw the type in @Ryro's posts and decided I need one.

The coin is not spectacular but I need to take a better pics. I bought an old digital camera for 30 EUR and I thought it's a toy, but results are very pleasing.


Julia Domna (wife of S. Severus) AR Denarius. Rome, AD 193-196.
draped bust right
Rev: Venus, seen from behind standing right, leaning on column, half nude with drapery hanging low beneath her posterior, holding palm branch and apple.
RIC 536 (Severus)
2.16 g, 17 mm

 

Thought I'd share this interesting little ae of Claudius II I picked up recently.

Claudius II Ae Antoninianus : Rome mint

Obv: IMP C CLAVDIVS AVG; Radiate bust right
Rev: VICTORIA●G●M; Victory standing left holding shield in right hand and palm branch over shoulder; seated captives at each side of feet

RIC (temp) refers to this as a “Victory of Naïssus” type. Haven't researched what that is exactly.

 

Great VENUS VICTRIX all! This is one of my holy grail coins. I have had my eye on several.

 

The cult of Venus was widespread throughout the empire, even into the Christian era. It makes you wonder why she appears so infrequently on the coinage.

 

Very nice catch CG. I saw this one in the last Nomos auction. I'm really surprise that the RIC and the catbikes site are only rating it scarce (s) !
And by the way, you really know your stuff for a 17 years old boy !

 

><..a sign of the times..

 

Great coin @Claudius_Gothicus ! I enjoyed your write up as well. I don’t have a CG with a Venus reverse so I’ll show a very humble posthumous example because... why not!


Roman Empire
Divius Claudius Gothicus
AE Quinarius(?), possibly struck at irregular mint in Gaul
Dia.: 17 mm
Wt.: 1.8 g
Obv.: DIVO CLAVDIO; Radiate head right.
Rev.: CONSECRATIO; Eagle standing left, head right.
Ref.: RIC V-a 266(var)

I look forward to seeing your other Claudius Gothicus coin that you mention.

 

Wonderful write up, @Claudius_Gothicus! Venus is one of my subcollections and I adore coins depicting her. You're right that the goddess is far more frequently depicted on coins issued for empresses than emperors.

You have found a real specialty item there! I love the feeling of finding a coin known only from one or two examples! It makes one feel as if one belongs to a club with a very exclusive membership.



The Venus Victrix standing as seen from the front motif was a popular reverse type in the third century. I have too many to post without taking over your thread, so I'll limit myself to a little mini set of this type from Julia Mamaea. It was issued in the AV quinarius, denarius, sestertius, and middle bronze denominations. Of course, I'm missing the AV quinarius.


Julia Mamaea, AD 222-235
Roman AR denarius; 3.27 gm, 18.7 mm
Rome, AD 231, 12th emission
Obv: IVLIA MAMAEA AVG, diademed and draped bust, right
Rev: VENVS VICTRIX, Venus standing left, holding helmet and scepter; shield at her feet
RIC 358; BMCRE 713; Cohen 76; RCV 8216


Julia Mamaea, AD 222-235.
Roman orichalcum sestertius, 23.08 g, 30.6 mm, 12 h.
Rome, 12th emission, AD 231.
Obv: IVLIA MAMAEA AVGVSTA, diademed and draped bust, right.
Rev: VENVS VICTRIX S C, Venus standing left, holding helmet and scepter, shield at her feet.
Refs: RIC 705; BMCRE 718-722; Cohen 78; RCV 8235.


Julia Mamaea, AD 222-235.
Roman Æ as, 9.84 g, 25.0 mm, 11 h.
Rome, 12th emission, AD 231.
Obv: IVLIA MAMAEA AVGVSTA, diademed and draped bust, right.
Rev: VENVS VICTRIX S C, Venus standing left, holding helmet and scepter, shield at her feet.
Refs: RIC 707; BMCRE 723-24; Cohen 79; RCV 8249.

 

In the span of early 269 to September 270, Cyzicus struck:

- the long obverse legend types but without the SPQR exe
- the long obverse legend SPQR types post-Smyrna
- the M - C series, which is very rare ca. mid 269
- the short obverse legend SPQR types
- the short obverse legend types but without the SPQR exe

That's a lot of series for just over a year and a half.

 

I was very excited to see your VENVS VICTRIX of Salonina "rear view" - from what I can tell, this is a fairly scarce coin. Somehow I got two of them, equally cruddy but in different ways.

From the research I did a couple years back, it is not in RIC, and is the Cologne Mint. However, I just looked into it again and found it under RIC 8 - in OCRE it states Lugdunum mint (a few years ago, even the Gallienus.net site stated it was not in RIC; a revision since then, perhaps?). Your post states it is the Rome mint - I was wondering if you had further information on this? I couldn't find a lot of info on this, so anything additional would be welcome.

I did find three auctions on acsearch that adds a lot to my attributions; this one from CNG is most helpful (note it also states Cologne, despite RIC/OCRE):

Salonina. Augusta, AD 254-268. Antoninianus (22mm, 2.56 g, 7h). Colonia Agrippinensis (Cologne) mint. Struck AD 257-260.
SALONINA AVG, draped bust right, wearing stephane, set on crescent / VENVS VICTRIX, Venus Victrix standing right, seen from rear, leaning on column and holding palm branch and helmet / apple.
MIR 36, 904c; RIC V (joint reign) 8 (incomplete description); Cunetio 735; Stevenage 519.
Toned, green deposits, cleaning scratches, flan crack. Good VF.
Ex N. M. McQ. Holmes Collection, bought from C. J. Martin (Coins) Ltd., 1983.
https://www.acsearch.info/search.html?id=6141224

Here are mine, with my early attempts at attributions (time for a revision, it seems):


Salonina Antoninianus
(wife of Gallienus)
(256-257 A.D.)
Cologne Mint
SALONINA AVG, diademed, draped bust rt. on crescent / VENVS VICTRIX Venus from back, naked to waist leaning on column holding palm & apple.
Göbl 904c; Cunetio hoard 735; (Not in RIC).
(2.59 grams / 21 mm)
eBay Mar. 2018


Salonina Antoninianus
(wife of Gallienus)
(256-257 A.D.)
Cologne Mint
SALONINA AVG, diademed, draped bust rt. on crescent / VENVS VICTRIX Venus from back, naked to waist leaning on column holding palm & apple.
Göbl 904c; Cunetio hoard 735 (Not in RIC).
(2.79 grams / 23 x 21 mm)
eBay Aug. 2018

 

Julia Domna
Reverse: VENERI VICTR, Venus standing right, naked to waist, leaning on column to left, holding palm and apple.

Reverse: VENVS VICTRIX, Venus standing left, leaning on column, holding helmet and Palm branch; shield at feet.

Caracalla
Reverse: VENVS VICTRIX, Venus standing left, holding crowning Victory and sceptre, and leaning upon shield to right.

Salonina - Reverse: VENVS GENETRIX, Venus standing left, holding apple and sceptre; at foot, Cupid and in field right.

 

These two coins, presumably by the same engraver if not a die match, are not mine; I came across the first on Numisbids and the second on ACSearch while looking at Roman Republican coins. Especially given that Venus was the goddess of love and beauty, etc., and the ancestor of the Roman people via Aeneas, I would nominate the engraver as the least talented engraver of her face and posterior in Roman history. Gold coins were rare enough in the Roman Republic that one would think that only the most talented of engravers would be assigned to the task, but no.

Vibius Varus aureus, Apollo on obverse and Venus observing herself in mirror on reverse, 42 BCE. The two examples are respectively from an upcoming Nomos auction and an NAC auction from a few years ago.





Zooming in, particularly on the first one, gives the full flavor.

There are other examples of the same type on acsearch that actually are quite well-done.

I think either of these could be used to illustrate the Evil Queen in Snow White.

If anyone has come across worse, I'd like to see it.

 

The two are from the same dies, I would say.

 

@Marsyas Mike Hmm. I dont know why I attributed it for the rome mint but doing a bit research now this page claims it to come from Treverorum or Lugdunum and even gives it a RIC number:
http://www.antique-coins-shop.eu/epages/64090014.sf/de_DE/?ObjectPath=/Shops/64090014/Products/7068K
And here another one claiming the Lugdunum mint:
http://numismatics.org/ocre/id/ric.5.sala(1).8

 

That was my original assumption, but then I noticed a slight difference in the back of Venus's hair. Although I suppose the reverse die could have been modified after one of the coins was struck.

 

I don't see the difference in the hair, are you sure it's not just due to wear or the lighting/photography? Everything else seems identical, which means, in my experience, same dies.

 

You're probably correct.