Here is my newly arrived Gallienus. I have wanted this type for a while and found this I think it "exactly" matches the one here http://www.wildwinds.com/coins/ric/gallienus/t.html What do you think? Gallienus, AR-Billon Antoninianus. GALLIENVS dot P dot F dot AVG, radiate, cuirassed bust right DEO MARTI, tetrastyle temple with Mars standing left within, holding spear and resting hand on shield. RIC 10 var (dots in legend); Goebl 889i; Cunetio hoard 714; Elmer 85; Stevenage hoard 508; RIC 10 var (dots in legend); Sear 10195 My Pics:
Thanks. I was considering trying to remove the green from the coin but with confirmation that this is the same actual coin on wild winds I will likely just give it a quick acetone bath and enjoy the coin as it is. I do not another published coin in my collection to my knowledge.
Here's a temple coin of his wife that is so similar in reverse inscription and iconography, that I think it was intended as a companion issue: Cornelia Salonina, AD 253-268 Roman silvered billon antoninianus; 2.66 g, 20.6 mm Cologne, AD 259-260 (Joint reign) Obv: SALONINA AVG, diademed and draped bust, right Rev: DEAE SEGETIAE, Dea Segetia, nimbate, standing facing in tetrastyle temple Refs: RIC 5; Cohen 36; RCV 10631; Göbl 902c; Elmer 96; Hunter 21 Notes: Some attribute to Lyons mint, AD 258
yup good idea, leave it as it is. if you must do anything to it, give it a coat of verdi-care. can't beat that for a reference being "the" coin, not "a" coin.
What is the deal with left-facing busts of Gallienus? Are they special presentation issues? I found the coin below in a batch of uncleaned coins. After cleaning and IDing it (RIC 492; RIC doesn't distinguish between left- and right-facing obverses) I put it up for auction on eBay. I knew it was unusual, so I hoped it would bring maybe $10-15. It ended up selling for around $250. So my guess is there is something special about the obverse portrait. Can anyone tell me what that is?
@gsimonel, it is my observation that left facing busts of Gallienus typically sell for premiums and are more rare, but not to an extreme. Your coin may have sold for quite a premium because of the left facing perhaps, but I am thinking the radiate crowned helmut has more to do with it.
one reason it sold for so much might be because it a rarer spear forward bust, versus the more common spear over shoulder.
Excellent coin and clear photos. On my screen the coin looks a bit red which I fear would come off in ammonia but if that is a photo problem and the coin is gray I don't see a problem trying. The reverses that come with left obverses seem to have been used until the dies really were shot making it hard to find a great coin on both sides. There are several styles. My favorite: 'Also ran' but not a common type: OK, Antioch, why did you make the lion so small? This coin would have been twice as good if they shot the reverse with a telephoto lens.
Nice helmeted coin. Looks like you scored the wildwinds example. I like to compare actual busts with the coin portraiture. This bust has Gallienus with a concerned, furtive look (as well he should have been given the chaos of the era).
At Doug, there is a couple areas of red deposit but the rest of the coin is the typical silver gray. And here is another couple left bust: Gallienus / Small Lion Antioch Mint 265 AD Obverse: GALLIENVS AVG, radiate and cuirassed bust left. Reverse: P M TR P XIII, lion standing left, bucranium (cow skull) between front legs C VI P P and palm branch in exergue References: RIC 602, Göbl 1622d; RSC 843 Scarce.
I have a had few standard lefties of Gallienus. My favourite of them is the following SAECVLARHS AVG My favourite portrait of his that I have owned is:- Probably because it is such an untypical portrait.
