As some of you will be aware, this coin was seized by Spanish Customs, held until I had transferred an exorbitant amount of Euros. Its details were then sent to the Cultural and antiquities dept who held it for another week before releasing it. Finally it has arrived, and here he is. A weak reverse strike but I wanted it for the Obverse Postumus AR Antoninianus. Trier, 260-269 CE IMP C POSTVMVS P F AVG, radiate, draped and cuirassed bust right / MONETA AVG, Moneta standing left with scales in right hand and holding cornucopiae and raising hem of skirt with left. RIC 75. RSC 199, Sear 10962. (Note the curly hair above the brow on the obverse. This is one of the main characteristics which distinguishes this coin from RIC 315 from Cologne, on which the hair is in more or less straight lines.) Feel free to post anything relevant
Treveri was the main mint of Postumus; other mints were Cologne (Colonia Claudia Agrippina Augusta) and Milan (Mediolanum). Treveri and Cologne are located at a relatively close distance; they were the most important cities of the Imperium Galliarum. At the Treveri mint 10 emissions were struck from mid 260 until mid 269; at Cologne 2 emissions were struck from 268 until early 269 AD and at Milan 4 emissions from early 268 to mid 268 AD. The reverse MONETA AVG continued to be issued during issue 6 by officina C. It is not straightforward to attribute Postumus Antoniniani. The attribution to mints in Cologne and Lyon are from RIC of 1933, but already in 1941 Elmer rejected Lyon, and referred to mints in Cologne and Treveri. The attribution to Treveri seems to be from Besly, Edward; Bland, Roger (1983). “The Cunetio Treasure”. Elmer and C. F. Zschucke do not attribute Postumus coins to Treveri but to Cologne. Nowadays, Cologne is always considered the mint (RIC 315). The reverse MONETA AVG is by far the most common of the whole Postumus’s reign. Moneta means the mint but also the coins issued, i.e. the currency, as in French still today “la Monnaie” means the mint and “la monnaie” means the coins in circulation. Postumus’s Moneta reverse has been the subject of several interpretations, but this reverse appears during issue 4 at the Treveri mint to which corresponds the introduction of a higher weight-standard (c. 3.37 g against c. 3.17 g for the previous issues). See https://www.cointalk.com/threads/postumus-mints.308149/#post-2947866
Also poor photography later in the evening on a Tuesday, but I wanted one of these and snagged it locally from Germany. Also, the Obv. is very nice, but the Rev. is rather dull. Did Postumus reuse older dies and add his own new portrait? Have not had time to properly look this one up for better reference. Postumus Usurper in Gaul AD 260-269 Colonia Agippinensium (Cologne) Antoninianus AR 25 mm, 3,05 g
These "empires within the empires" are a lot of fun. They would make for an interesting magazine article except for the fact that the subject is too esoteric for most collectors. Here is my run of coins: Postumus Antoninianus of Postumus, Obverse: IMP C POSTUMVS P F AVG “Emperor Caesar Postumus Pius Felix (dutiful, patriotic) augustus.” Reverse: FIDES MILITVM “Fides military” Fides was the personification of good faith and confidence. Here she is holding military standards. Sear 10940 Marius the Blacksmith. The "happy age" only lasted for a few months for him. Antoninianus of Marius, Obverse: IMP C MARIVUS P F AVG “Emperor caesar Marius Pius Felix augustus.” Reverse: SAEC FELICITAS “Happy age.” Felicitas, personification of happiness and prosperity. Ric 10, Sear 11120 Victorinus. He liked the ladies too much. He hit on the wrong one, and one of his generals did him in for it. Antoninianus of Victorinus, Obverse: IMP C VICTORINVS P F AVG “Emperor caesar Victorninus Pius Felix (dutiful, patriotic) augustus.” Reverse: PAX AVG “Peace augustus” Personification of peace holding an olive branch “V” in left field, * in right. Sear 11174 And Tetricus who was able to live after the brought the Gallic Empire back into the fold. Antoninianus of Tetricus I, Obverse: IMP C TETRICVS P F AVG “Emperor caesar Tetricus (P)ius (F)elix (dutiful, patriotic) augustus.” Reverse: VIRTVS AVGG “Virtus” The personification of courage, probably in armor holding victory and a spear. Sear 11258 NOTE: The use of “AVGG” which is the plural form of the word may have indicated the elevation the younger Tetricus to the rank of augustus during the latter days of Tetricus’ reign, or it might indicate the desire of Tetricus to be accepted as an imperial colleague of Aurelian in Rome.
Great coin, post, and cautionary warning for travelers, @expat ! Here’s my Postumus mini-collection.
