I. Like. Big. Bronze, and I cannot lie...

terrific double sestertius JA, with a very distinctive portrait.

Here's mine :


Postumus, Double sestertius struck in Cologne, AD 261
IMP C M CASS LAT POSTVMVS P F AVG, Radiate bust of Postumus right
LAETITIA AVG, Galley travelling left
18.12 gr
Ref : Cohen #177, RCV #11049

Q

 

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Trajan Decius (and his wife Herennia Etrucilla) but mine is the worst one I have seen. Better:
https://www.cngcoins.com/Coin.aspx?CoinID=100998

Those of Decius vary a lot in weight so the smallest ones are no larger than 1st century sestertii. On the other hand there was this 54g monster:
https://www.cngcoins.com/Coin.aspx?CoinID=57987

 

If there ever was an emperor to be collected in gold, it is Postumus. He has several really great obverses and reverses that do not exist in silver or bronze and were made with extreme care. Probably the best is the 3/4 facing portrait style but some of the jugate ones and dressed as Hercules types are special, too. I feel lucky to have the silver but those who spend money should consider the gold.

 

How true

Q

 

No 'double sestertii' for me, but I love the posts. Terrific pick-up JA!!

....and thanks for the info Doug

 

Indeed. Here is RIC 260, from Wildwinds, one of my favorites, with Sol and Luna reverse...

 

No fair JA! You showed the real one. How about this one:

Becker. Love that Wildwinds!

 

Yeah, why Dane listed the Becker medals there leaves me scratching my head.

 

Btw, recent discoveries have suggested that the double sestertii of Postumus were inspired by issues of Gallienus, as opposed to Decius. It makes sense - why would Postumus bother reviving the short-lived, unpopular, and probably forgotten denomination of a decade past?

But evidently Gallienus also thought they were a good idea. (Which of course begs the question as to why HE bothered reviving the short-lived, unpopular denomination of a decade past - but I suppose when it comes to monetary reforms, the hope of government leaders always springs eternal.) Anyway...here's one that sold at Heritage 3043, Lot 32390



The write-up from the auction...

Most references do not show Gallienus as having issued double-sestertii in his own name, except for the quasi-anonymous so-called "interregnum" issues of AD 268. However a handful of specimens of this denomination with two reverse types (Pax and Victory) have appeared on the market in the 2000s, indicating a very limited issue. The citation VICTORIA AVG III, which, according to Alfoldi, was employed by the Western Roman mints at different times; if struck in Rome, the citation would indicate a date of AD 255-257; if at Milan (suggested by the obverse legend form), it points to an issue in AD 259, perhaps shortly after the capture of Valerian in the East and the revolt of Postumus in the West. If the latter is the case, the revival of the double-sestertius by Gallienus likely preceded and perhaps inspired the numerous Gallo-Roman double-sestertii of Postumus.

 

What silver denominations did postumus issue doug ...? And were those the coins which later became the billon ants?

 

.

 

Aurelian had a double bust double sestertius as late as 275:

https://www.acsearch.info/search.html?id=2666181

 

I welcome Dane's listing of the Beckers. So few people can tell the difference that any hints to sort them out and warn people are welcome.

Postumus' coins of the first couple years strike me as worth calling silver. Some types carried over into the billon and bronze looking years but some of his coins look better than anything of Valerian. It is a matter of where you draw the line. You can't say 25% is billon and 26% is silver especially when you are eyeballing the things. He did not issue pure silver (relatively) like we see from Carausius as far as I know.

 

Heres a coin I have had the pleasure of owning for a few years which will soon be entering someone elses collection for them to enjoy as I have done.
weight 17.8g
diameter 29mm
Bastien 91 official mint trier

I'll miss you old feller.

 

16.9g
31mm
Bastien 81 Trier mint (official)

 

18.3g
30mm
Bastien 61 Trier mint

 

I may take Dougs advice, and save up for a Postumus aurei/ checked my Calico book Volume 2. Man, there are some beautifull Postumus aurei! Maybe, i can sell off some of my butterfly collection to afford one.

 

Great coin! The portrait is very detailed and realistic.

 

Welcome @BargainHunterCoins !

 

I'm the lucky owner of one of those


Aurelian and Severina, Double sestertius Rome mint AD 274-275
IMP AVRELIANVS AVG, radiate and cuirassed bust of Aurelian right
SEVERINA AVG, diademed and draped bust of Severina right, on crescent
11.18 gr
Ref : Cohen # 1, RIC # 2, RCV # 11696

Q