Hi all! I just went to my first coin fair in about a year and a half. I was quite excited to go, as this is a rare opportunity to buy coins in-person for me (given both Covid and the lack of coin shops in my area). Despite the large gathering, It felt pretty safe, as everyone I could see wore masks. Unfortunately, I arrived at the fair late, so the choice wasn't as great as I'd hoped. Anyway, here are my buys Gallienus antoninianus, GERMANICVS MAX V A pretty nice silver ant for a type I don't have yet (surprisingly, given how common it is). The stain on the obverse makes him look like he has a moustache lol Postumus antoninianus, struck by Aureolus I like coins struck by Aureolus, and this is a nice, chunky coin with good detail. Possibly an improvement on my current one (which has better detail but a large flan crack) Postumus antoninianus, SALVS PROVINCIARVM A relatively poor condition antoninianus of Postumus, although this type was struck very early in his reign. This coin also has the slightly scarcer obverse variation, with CASS LAT in the legend. I didn't buy this at the coin fair, but will share it anyway (given it arrived around that time) Gallienus antoninianus - Mule A pretty beat-up antoninianus of Gallienus, although it has PVDICITIA reverse; a type only used for Salonina, making this coin a mule. Surprisingly, on the day I went to the fair, I won a couple of eBay lots (expensive day for me lol). I'll share those in a different post when they arrive, and I have better pictures Please share any coins of Postumus or Gallienus you have bought, or any others that might be relevant!
Date: 257-258 AD, AR antoninianus Obverse: GALLIENVS P F AVG, Radiate cuirassed bust left, holding spear over right shoulder, and shield at left shoulder Reverse: GERMANICVS MAX V, Trophy of armor with two bound captives seated at base Size: 23.31 mm Weight: 2.99 grams Attribution: RIC Vii 18, rare 3 Santa:
He pretty much always used the obverse legend "IMP POSTVMVS AVG", and on the reverse, all his types used a variation of "AEQVIT" in the legend. The bust type is also pretty distinctive (with the beard running in the same line as the forehead, and the head slanted backwards)
This page from CT's own @dougsmit has the details: https://www.forumancientcoins.com/dougsmith/feac75aur.html Doug has a ton of great material on his pages if you haven't already read through them... that's how I found out my own initial Postumus coin was an Aureolus...
Looks like you had fun, @Harry G! That's a popular reverse type for Gallienus. Here's the same reverse iconography (and left-facing radiate bust), still in use 60 years later: Constantine II, Caesar AD 316-337. Roman billon centenionalis, 3.02 g, 19.0 mm, 11 h. Trier, second officina, AD 320. Obv: CONSTANTI-NVS IVN N C, radiate, draped and cuirassed bust, left. Rev: VIRTVS EXERCIT, trophy with bound captives seated to left and right; -/-//STR. Refs: RIC vii, p. 187, 265; Cohen 262; RCV 17285.
