Claudius II "Gothicus"

Marcus Aurelius Claudius "Gothicus" AKA Claudius II:

In two short years the man, who may or may not have been the son of Gordian II, brought the empire back from the brink that Gallienus left it at (if you remember, Gallienus is the one that left his father to be a human foot stool for a decade before the Persian king, Shapur, decided to make Valerian drink molten gold).
After a decade of erosion, this guy was the fuse that set everything up for Aurelian to reunite the empire. Claudius II put in all the work and garnered all the respect that Aurelian would utilize to rebuild the empire!
Much like Philip II did for his son, Alexander The Great (though don't tell @Alegandron that I said that). And like Alexander, as much as we hate to admit it to ourselves, Aurelian may have sown the seeds for the destruction of his benefactor. I like to believe the popular accounts, both stating that neither had anything to do with their predecessors death. But other stories persist and we'd be a group of fools if we believe every popular account we read was actually the way it went down.
We'll never know.
Either way, I'm a member of the MASSIVE fans of Alexander and Aurelian club. But often feel guilty for not supporting their supporters...
So, I picked up this dope Claudius II, though, not only for the historocity, but LOOK at that portrait The Gothman has a jaw line and the high cheek bones of a Lorenzo Lamas, enjoy. And don't even get me started on the ultra confident Mars strut:

Claudius II Gothicus. AD 268-270. Æ Antoninianus (20mm). Mediolanum (Milan) mint, 1st officina. 2nd emission, January AD 269-summer AD 269. Radiate, draped, and cuirassed bust right / Mars advancing right, holding trophy and transverse spear; P. Normanby 1020; RIC V 172 (Siscia);

I think I pegged the ID but feedback is always appreciated

Here are other related coins:

VALERIAN I
Antoninianus, RIC 13, Oriens9 viewsOBV: VALERIANVS PF AVG, radiate, draped & cuirassed bust right
REV: ORIENS AVGG, Sol, standing left, holding globe & raising right hand
Minted at Lyons, 258-9 AD Former CT coin from Bing


Gallienus
Æ 27mm of Seleucia ad Calycadnum, Cilicia. AD 253-268. ΑΥ Κ Π ΛΚ ΓΑΛΛΙΗΝΟϹ, laureate, draped and cuirassed bust to right / CEΛΕVKEΩΝ TΩ Π KAΛVΚ, Athena standing right, holding shield and striking with spear at serpent-legged giant, who hurls stone. SNG France 1064-6; SNG Levante 789; SNG Leypold 2615. 9.7g, 27mm, 6h.
Nice brown patina.Very fine.
Purchased from Biga auctions December 2021

Gallienus wifey:

Salonina
(AD 254-268) AR Antoninianus / Venus
AD 257-260, 22.30mm, 3.38 grams,
Obv: SALONINA AVG, draped bust right, wearing stephane, set on crescent
Rev: VENVS VICTRIX, Venus Victrix standing right, seen from rear, leaning on column and holding palm branch and apple
RIC Vi 8 Cologne, XF
Ex-Marc Breitsprecher purchased Jan 2022. Ex-Phil Peck sold as the Morrison Collection at Heritage.

Another couple C2s:

Divus Claudius II Gothicus
BI Antoninianus. Rome, AD 270-271. [DIVO CL]AVDIO, radiate head to right / CONSECRATIO, garlanded and lit altar. RIC V.1 261; MER-RIC 1276 (temporary). 1.62g, 16.4mm, 12h. with a beautiful dark green patina. Unearthed Dec 2021 Burgundy region of France


Claudius II Gothicus.

A.D. 268-270. AE antoninianus Rome mint. IMP CLAVDIVS AVG, radiate head right / LAETITA AVG, Laetitia standing left, holding wreath and anchor; X-II in fields. RIC 56


Quintillus
270 CE AE Antoninianus (19 mm, 2.88 g), Roma (Rome).
Obv. IMP C M AVR QVINTILLVS AVG, radiate, draped and cuirassed bust right.
Rev. AETERNIT AVG Sol standing left, raising right hand and holding a globe; N in left field.
RIC V, 7.

Our hero!

Aurelian
Pisidia. Kremna AD 270-275.
Bronze Æ 32mm., 14,18g. Laureate, draped and cuirassed bust right / Facing statue of Artemis Ephesia, with supports. nearly very fine Cf. Von Aulock, Pisidien II 1621-3.
Ex Savoca London


I purchased the OP coin for under $20 shipping included
So, do I slab it and sell it for 20x what I paid??


I kid, I kid

Please share your Claudius Gothicus coins, Aurelian or anything you feel is relevant

 

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My favorite is this one with Isis.


Claudius II Gothicus, AD 268-270.
Roman billon antoninianus, 4.07 g, 22.4 mm, 5 h.
Antioch, officina 5, issue 1, end 268-end 269.
Obv: IMP C CLAVDIVS AVG, radiate, draped and cuirassed bust, right.
Rev: SALVS AVG, Isis standing left, holding sistrum and situla; Є in exergue.
Refs: RIC 217A; MER/RIC temp 1024; Cohen 256; RCV 11370; Huvelin 1990, 10; Normanby 1109.

 

Certainly not Quietus, possibly Quintillus. And what an extraordinarily late Greek colonial/provincial coin for Aurelian.

 

Thanks! And I've corrected the OP. You spend a couple hours putting something together, and then leave it up to what may or may not be day drinking related to mess it up.

 

Nice coins and write-up, as always, @Ryro.

My only Claudius II for 2022 sort of matches the OP, but MARS VLTOR:


Claudius II Æ Antoninianus
(Sept. 268-end 269 A.D.)
Rome Mint (1st Issue)
IMP C CLAVDIVS AVG, radiate and cuirassed bust right, / MARS VLTOR, Mars walking right, holding transverse spear and trophy of captured arms
RIC V 66 (see notes).
(2.69 grams / 21 x 18 mm)
eBay Jan. 2022 Ck Lot @ $6.25
Attribution Notes:
Cunetio 1989; Normanby 668; Venèra 7329-7395; Çanakkale 1481-1509; Colonne 319; Hunter IV 21.
"Refers to Claudius' great victory over the Goths at Naissus... Against all advice, Claudius confronted the barbarians at Naissus in Upper Moesia....and annihilated them." (all info from FORVM listing)

 

I thought it was Crassus who was made to drink molten gold, while Valerian got away with beeing flayed alive and dyed blue?

Anyway, let’s get to the coins.

 

I love the era of Claudius II, Gothicus and all the craziness.

Here is C2G and his brother Q.

 

If you’d like to add useless details about this coin : bust D2, 41 in Normanby with average weight of 2.97g. Cunetio 2254, 23 specimens, average weight of 3.02g…..

And to contribute to your fun thread, here’s another Claudius with Mars but from Rome:



and why not an Aureolus with Mars from Milan, minted just a few months before yours, beginning of 268 AD. But it’s from the third officinae (T).

 

Ok, I mentioned it in another recent thread, but how can you tell what coins were minted under Aureolus? I haven't figured that out yet. As far as I can tell, all the coins he minted were minted in the name of Postumus. Are there any "tells"?

Sorry if I hijacked this thread. Feel free to ignore!

 

Excellent coins thus far, I think the killer of the Goths agrees (so weird that the Romans would take on the name of the people's that they'd subjected or even committed out right genocide on, right??).
@Roman Collector That is a down right surreal coin, particularly the reverse. Mother of God, Isis, in dark green and black hues! And, what is it that she holds in that situla
@Marsyas Mike ($6.25!?!?!? Noice) & @Ocatarinetabellatchitchix (the green and brown toning on your Claud does is perfection) flexing some rocksteady Mars struts

LOVELY coins! And I didn't remember the bit about him being dyed blue
As you know, the story is told of both as well that Crassus' head was used as a cup to drink out of, and a prop head, like we'd use for hamlet, in plays
Another Travolt...Mars

AUREOLUS
Antoninianus
OBVERSE: IMP POSTVMVS AVG, radiate, draped, and cuirassed bust of Postumus right
REVERSE: VIRTVS EQVIT, Virtus advancing right, holding transverse spear and shield; T in ex.
Struck at Mediolanum, 268 AD
3.17g, 19mm
RIC V 388. Ex @Bing
@furryfrog02 that is one of the best Quintillus I've seen :0

 

1) the very distinctive portrait.

2) minted in Milan (with the very particular style and fabric, very different of the coins of the Gallic Empire mints, with the officinaes marks P, S, T.

3)* All reverse legends always end with Aequit, Equit or Equitum' in honor of Aureolus who was the general-in-chief of the Milan cavalry.
* (exception with the SALVS AVG reverse)

 

The Valerian has an unusually fine portrait. Does anyone have a Claudius II Sestertius?

 

Cohen published several coins which he described as Sestertii, but it seems that the RIC classified them as Asses. Other scholars calls them Dupondii. Anyway here is a very scarce specimen sold by LANZ in 2000, 25mm and 12.20g:

 

Here’s my only antoninianus of Claudius II:

Claudius Gothicus, Roman Empire
AE antoninianus
Obv: IMP CLAVDIVS P F AVG, radiate, draped, cuirassed bust right
Rev: VICTORIAE GOTHIC, two bound captives seated at base of trophy
Mint: Cyzicus
Date: 268-270 AD
Ref: RIC 252
(need to take my own photos of it one day)



Claudius must’ve been rolling in his urn when these were made

Athalaric, Ostrogothic Kingdom
AE decanummium
Obv: INVICT-A ROMA, Roma helmeted, facing right
Rev: D N / ATHAL / ARICVS / REX, legend within wreath, X (10) below
Mint: Rome
Date: 526-534 AD
Ref: COI 86; MIB 78; MEC 1, 133-4



Theodahad, Ostrogothic Kingdom
AE decanummium
Obv: [INVICT]-A ROMA, Roma helmeted, facing right
Rev: D N / THEODA / HATHVS / REX within wreath, X below
Mint: Rome
Date: 534-536 AD
Ref: COI 90



Witiges, Ostrogothic Kingdom
AE decanummium
Obv: IN[VIC-TA ROMA], Roma helmeted, facing right
Rev: D N / VVIT / ICES / REX, legend within wreath, X below
Mint: Ravenna
Date: 536-540 AD
Ref: MIB 84/3, BMC 13



Baduila, Ostrogothic Kingdom
AE decanummium
Obv: D N BAD[V-ELA REX], helmeted, draped, bust facing
Rev: D N B / ADV / ELA / REX in four lines within wreath
Mint: Rome
Date: 550-552 AD
Ref: MIB 89a

 

I've always liked the reduced Sestertii argument. Asses would have been pretty worthless by then.

This one has an unusually nice portrait. Perhaps it was part of a public donative (I'm having a brain drain - what was the proper term for a public donative?) or a small presentation medal?

 

Thank you thank you thank you!
I've been trying to find a concise answer and this is perfect!

 

And per the Claudius Sestertius, to borrow a phrase from the band Roxette, many of the really expensive auction coins have "the look". Many are that dark, glossy green. It's quite attractive and I suppose the gloss is a lacquer or something similar. Are many of the expensive ones repatinated?

 

Many of them have gotten a coating of renaissance wax at some point, I believe.

You might settle for an Aurelian as/reduced sestertius (whatever it was). It’s a nice coin too, and more easily found:


Aurelian AE As. Rome mint. IMP AVRELIANVS AVG, laureate and cuirassed bust right / CONCORDIA AVG, Aurelian and Severina clasping hands, radiate bust of Sol, right, above them, mintmark Δ. RIC 80, Cohen 35, Sear 11646.

 

Yes, I have a less nice Aurelian Sestertius and a tooled double Sestertius.

 

Great coins, everyone! I have very little from this period myself:

Claudius II Gothicus, potin Tetradrachm, 269/270 AD (Year 2), Alexandria, Egypt mint. Obv. Laureate, draped, and cuirassed bust right, AVT K KΛA - VΔIOC CEB / Rev. Eagle standing left, head right, holding wreath in beak, L-B (Year 2) across fields. Emmett 3879.2, Milne 4248 at p. 101 [Milne, J.G., Catalogue of Alexandrian Coins (Oxford 1933, reprint with supplement by Colin M. Kraay, 1971)], Dattari 5412. 20 mm., 9.28 g, 12 h.



Claudius II Gothicus, billon/AE Antoninianus, 269 AD, Obv. Radiate bust right, draped and cuirassed, IMP CLAVDIVS P F AVG/ Rev. Mars, naked, advancing r., carrying spear & trophy, VIRTVS AVG P. In exergue: Officina mark P ( = 1). RIC V-1 172, Sear RCV III 11385. 17 mm., 3.18 g.



Aurelian, silvered AE Antoninianus, 274-75 AD, Cyzicus Mint. Obv. Radiate cuirassed bust right, IMP C AVRELIANVS AVG/ Rev. Female personification (Victory?) [wings not clear] standing. right presents wreath to Aurelian standing left, RESTITVTOR ORBIS. In exergue: A C (Officina 1). RIC V-1 368, Cohen 210, Sear RCV III 11592. 24.15 mm., 3.68 g.



Severina (wife of Aurelian), billon Denarius, issue 11, early-Sep 275 AD, Rome Mint. Obv. Diademed, draped bust right, SEVERINA AVG / Rev. Venus Felix stdg. left holding apple(?) & sceptre, VENVS FELIX. In exergue: Γ [gamma] (Rome, Officina 3). RIC V-1 6, Cohen 14, Sear RCV III 11709; MER/RIC [Monnaies de l’Empire Romain/Roman Imperial Coinage] 1857 (temp.) (see http://www.ric.mom.fr/en/coin/1857) .19 mm., 2.1 g.


Vabalathus with Aurelian, billon Antoninianus, 270-272 AD, Antioch Mint. Obv. [to right] Laureate, draped, and cuirassed bust of Vabalathus right, VABALATHVS V C R IM D R [Vir Clarissimus, Rex, Imperator, Dux Romanorum ] / Rev. [to left] Radiate and cuirassed bust of Aurelian right, Γ [gamma] (Antioch, Officina 3) below, IMP C AVRELIANVS AVG. RIC V-1 Aurelian 381, Sear RCV III 11718, Cohen 1. 21 mm., 3.43 g.*



*Opinions differ as to which side is the obverse.