Latest Tetradrachm to my pile is a Saloninus. I got it very cheap. It won't win any beauty contests but Alexandrian tets. of his are very scarce to nearly rare. So I am happy to have one of his in Tetradrachm form, no matter the grade. Saloninus (258 - 260 A.D.) Egypt, Alexandria Billion Tetradrachm O: PO LI KORCA VALERIANOC K CEB, Bareheaded, draped, and cuirassed bust right. R: Eagle standing left, head turned, holding wreath, L Z (?) in fields. 23.3mm 7.38g Köln 3005; Dattari (Savio) 5377; K&G 93.8; Emmett 3776.7.
That is plain cool Mat. Saloninus is not a "common" Emperor. Eagle is always cool in my book... Why are they Rare? Low known mintage? None survived? Just the nature of the beast? $10? No. You need to go right back there and cough up some more bucks... go on, right now. Thieving is wrong, and is even against the law in most areas. Well except Washington DC...
SALONINUS Antoninianus OBVERSE: SAL VALERIANVS CAES, radiate draped bust right REVERSE: PRINC IVVENT, prince standing left holding baton & standard Struck at Lugdunum, 259-260 AD 2.2g, 21mm RIC 10, C 61 SALONINUS Antoninianus OBVERSE: SALON VALERIANVS NOB CAES Radiate, draped, and cuirassed bust right, seen from behind REVERSE: SPES PVBLICA, Prince, holding spear and Spes, holding flower standing face to face; wreath above Struck at Samosata, 259-260 AD 2.81g, 22mm RIC V 36 var.
Nice! I don´t have a Saloninus yet because Sestertii of his only come to the market once every ten years and then are neither handsome nor affordable (for me) :-( So one day I´ll settle with an Ant if I ever find one that is made of good silver.
My Saloninus seem to have bites taken out of them: RI Saloninus 259 BI Ant Stndg Globe Spear Captive at feet RI Saloninus 258-260 BI Ant Preistly Implements
^Thanks for the replies. I actually have a decent silver that I got cheap, $40. What caught my eye for it was the toning and the slightly heavier weight. Worn obverse die, but still decent. Saloninus (258 - 260 A.D.) AR Antoninianus O: SALON VALERIANVS CAES, radiate, draped and cuirassed bust right. R: PIETAS AVG, priestly implements - littus, knife, jug, simpulum, and sprinkler. Rome 4.3g 21.1mm RIC V 9, RSC IV 4
Good catch @Mat, I don't have him on an alexandrian tet, only brother Valerian II Valerian II, Tetradrachm Alexandria mint, year 4 (AD 256-257) TT LIK KOPOYALEPIANOS KAIE CEB, bare bust, draped and cuirassed Eagle standing left, head right, holding wreath in beak. L delta in field 10,18 gr Ref : Emmett # 3764/4 RCV # 10754 And below is what I've got for the young dude Saloninus, Antoninianus Cologne mint, AD 258-260 SALON VALERIANVS CAES, radiate and draped bust right PIETAS AVG, sacrificial implements 2.85 gr Ref : Cohen # 41, RCV # 10767 Saloninus, Middle bronze Rome mint, AD 258-260 LIC COR SAL VALERIANVS N CAES, draped bust right PRINCIPI IVVENTVTIS, Saloninus standing left holding globe and spear. A captive at his feet. S - C in field Mintmark ? at exergue 7.1 gr Ref : RCV # 10778 v, Cohen # 90, RIC # 34 The as being quite rare at this period Q
It's the sort of coin one might find in a "junk" bin, that everyone else has passed up because of its circulation wear. But the seasoned collector of Alexandrian tets would snap it up as a rare treasure!
