Mariniana AE Antoninianus DIVAE MARINIANAE - Veiled & draped bust right on crescent CONSECRATIO - Peacock flying right, carrying Mariniana, veiled, with raised hand & scepter. RIC 6, RSC 16. The dealer that sold me the Nemausus crocodile offered me this coin which I accepted after a decent price was agreed on. Less than half price of a lot of examples being sold now. I know, it's low grade but this is one that I figured never to have since they are rare and high priced for my budget. As soon as the order is processed, should be seeing it in the mail, hopefully.
Move over and quit hogging the junk bin, Gil! Nice find though! Btw, did you get the Nemausus? Did it live up to your expectations?
Low grade or not, she is relatively scarce. I do not own one. Congrats. Two thumbs up. :thumb::thumb:
Thanks for the comments, all. I just looked up the ruler rating in aorta which is a lean version of ERIC II. #128, I did have #118 (Theodora) which was my previous rarest ruler.
Gil, do you know anything about the scholarship concerning who minted these coins? ERIC says they were all minted posthumously, and since she was the wife of Valerian I, we might assume the coins were made under his authority, if she died while he was still alive. Valerian II died as a boy with only one year as Augustus, and the throne was usurped after that. Would any other emperor have had cause to memorialize her?
John Anthony: I really don't know the answer to that question and I doubt anyone else does either, definitively. RIC V-1 doesn't say much about her. Aurei, antonininiani and a few bronzes were issued in her name as DIVA. It says it appears that she died before Valerian I assumed his position. Coinage for her was issued 253-257. All of the coins are of the CONSECRATIO type except for one.
