Inspired-Gordian III

There's been some talk about Gordians here of late, moreso I and II.
Even though it's been under a year, (around 10 months) since I really started collecting ancients after atleast 20 years of U.S and world coins. Oh man, why did it take so long? I honestly can't answer that. But once my eyes were open I haven't blinked.
I'm not going to give any history lessons here because I don't think I can say anything you don't already know.
I will say Gordian III isn't my favorite Emporer but man I do respect him. He is in my top 5 though. I have a place for all the military Emporers and G III is one of them.
At the end of 2016 I had only one G III in my collection. One of our own generous members @Sallent sent me a G III at the beginning of 2017.
Since then he has had a couple of threads on G III.
So I can say he truely inspired me. I now have four Gordian III's in my collection, this one came in the mail today.

Gordian III
AR-23mm, 3.7g, Rome 242 AD
IMP GORDIANVS PIVS FEL AVG
Radiate draped and cuirassed right
PM TRP V COSII PP
Emporer standing right in military garb. Holding spear and globe
RIC 93

View attachment 601991
@Sallent I'm slowly catching up

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here is one of my two gordian iii ants...


Gordian III, AR Antoninianus, 241 AD
O: IMP GORDIANVS PIVS FEL AVG ,Radiate bust right, draped and cuirassed, R: PM TR P IIII COS II PP - Emperor standing right, holding a spear and a globe. Rome mint. RIC 92, 24 mm, 4.1g.

 

I've seen on several coins and this one included. I find it interesting when I search a sight like wildwinds to find several sometimes up to 12 different coins with the same reference number but each differ in weight and size. I understand wear and corrosion and the way they're struck. But sometimes the numbers are way off.

 

here's an G3 with Sol holding a globe with no spear. i call it my G3 ol sol hoda globe coin, with a slight crack. Rome mint on this one.

 

I collect Gordian III, however most of mine have not been photographed. This one has been.



FIDES MILITVM reverse, RIC IV 209, RSC IV 92, listed as rare.

 

RIC IV 216, RSC IV 319, ex Lindgren colletion

 

RIC IV 280

 

Nice Gordian III coins everybody, no doubt about it he was a prolific coin minter for his six year reign a lot more than most, I only have a couple of his, this provincial Deultum Thrace temple in perspective with cult statue aphrodite standing with vase is my favorite. AE 23, Varbanov 2277.

 

I often wish I started collecting ancients 10 or even 5 years earlier than I did, but better late than never!

I have quite a few Gordians I'm very fond of, like this one with a portrait clearly showing his man-boy whiskers.

 

I wish I got into ancient earlier as well. They had plenty to choose from at the local shop when I really got into us coins in 97

 

Nice coins everyone.

Does anyone know why such a relatively obscure ruler as Gordian III was such a prolific minter of coins? The average person has never heard of him, and yet his coins are so common!

 

Poor Gordian III! I guess as a short-lived boy-king, he probably should have gotten hold of Tutenkamen's PR person if he wanted any measure of fame a millennia or two on . On the other hand, judging by how ubiquitous his coins are, in his day he was probably anything but obscure .

Sorry, you probably wanted a better answer than that. I'll offer the suggestion that GIII's coins, specifically his silver ones, are so common not necessarily because he minted more of them, but because in the two decades that followed, the finesse of the empire's antoninianii fell so precipitously that everyone began hoarding his nicer shinier ones. We can thank all those nameless and forgotten hoarders that we're now able to pick up this obscure ruler's coins on the cheap.

 

By the standards of his day. Gordian ruled for a long time. His reign saw the final switch over from denarii to antoniniani in bulk so there was demand for a lot of the new coins to replace all the denarii people were hoarding while they could still get them. Gordian's silver denarii are the last common ones made. There are two factors that make a coin common. Least important is how many were made. Most important is how many survive. A few chance finds of huge quantities of any coin can make it common. These are guesses. Which seem reasonable?

 

Gordian's bronzes are attractive and affordable:





I like the Gordian and Tranquillina marriage commemoratives.



And I'm waiting for three more to arrive in the mail:

 

the Praetorian guard supposed to protect their emperor, but both his predecessors
Balbinus and Pupienus , as Gordian himself were slain by the guard.

 

I think I've shown my GIII coins ad- nauseam, but here they are again

 

My other 3

Thanks for sharing.
I had hoped Sallent could give a more definative answer to Gregs question. Maybe when I have time I will research it a little.

 

My Gordian III... not a perfect silver, rather a ruddy As:


RI Gordian III 238-244 CE AE As 25mm Hercules S-C

 

I'll add four to the mix; an AS, a sestertius and two silver Antoninianii. I find the posted portrait styles interesting---usually depicting him as a bit 'goofy' but many as far more 'dignified'.



Edited: OOPS, corrected....Antoninianus!!!