Here areas a couple of quick pictures of this interesting Galba Denarius I picked up today. I have been poring over my RIC I trying to pin down the attribution, and have been unable to find a match. Acsearch shows no examples with this combination of obverse and reverse legends. Obv: Bust of Galba, globe at point of bust. Legend - GALBA IMPERATOR. Rev: Hispania standing holding corn ears and poppy (?) in right hand, round shield and spears on left. Legend - HISPANIA behind figure of Hispania, partially off the planchet. 3,41 g. A hit on the bust and small break on edge, but otherwise a nice example. RIC lists similar examples but with the legend GALBA IMP on obverse, and HISPANIA on reverse (but in front, not behind the figure of Hispania). The style is unmistakably the product of a spanish mint (Tarraco?), possibly also Narbonne. Any help is appreciated
Very interesting. It has to be Tarraco because that is the only mint that used the GALBA IMPERATOR title. This coin is definitely NOT in RIC.
Thank you for confirming this, Roman Collector. It may be a previously unrecorded type. I am glad I followed my instinct and bought this today in spite of not having my books with me.
Great catch @Eduard IF I saw that in a dealer's tray I definitely would have bought it. Here is my example of the Hispanic reverse. Galba AR denarius, VF, Rome mint, ( 3.512g, 19.0mm, 180o), Nov 68 - Jan 69 A.D.; elegant style, light toning on nice surfaces, high-points flatly struck, Obv: IMP SER GALBACAESAR AVG, laureate head right; Rev: HISPANIA (counterclockwise starting on left), Hispania advancing left, draped, poppy and two stalks of grain in extended right hand, round shield and two transverse spears in left hand; RIC I 193 (R2), BMCRE I 16, RSC II 83, BnF III 89, Hunter I 1 var. (no CAESAR, Aug - Oct 68), SRCV I (2000) 2103 var. (same) Ex: the Jyrki Muona Collection; Ex: Forum Ancient Coins Coin depicted in the Wildwinds.com database.
Thank you, Orfew. I remember seeing your lovely example and thinking to myself, 'I have to get me an 'Hispania' type. My chance came today.
I cannot claim to be an expert either, that is why I showed the coin to 4 ancient coin dealers at the Numismata show yesterday and today - all 4 declared it to be genuine, in their opinion. I must say in-hand it makes a good impression even if the surfaces are a bit rough.
Thank you for mentioning this reference - I was not aware of this work on Ancient Coinage of the Iberian Peninsula. It seems very interesting. I guess it is not available on-line?
I am VERY glad you have a confirmed Spanish mint Galba @Eduard ! WONDERFUL piece and what a great story. I enjoy the irony of the downfall of the Julio-Claudian Dynasty. Nero, last of the Julio-Claudian Dynasty, had revolts and the start of the Cival War by JULIUS CAESAR Vindex, a Gaul NOBLE (irony that Julius Caesar CONQUERED Gaul). Vindex supported and probably intended Galba to be Emperor... RI Civil War Revolt of Vindex CE 68-69 AR Denarius ROMA RESTITVTA - IVPITER LIBERATOR Jupiter seated r Tbolt Scepter 17mm 3.02g RIC I 62 RSC 374-RARE RI Civil War VINDEX 68-69 CE AR Denarius 3.22g Gallic mint SALVS GENERIS HVMANI Victory l globe - SPQR in wreath RIC 72 BMCRE 34-36 RSC 420 RARE My Galba Quinarius is minted in Lugdunum where the Civil War generally started with Vindex... whose full support of Galba and getting rid of Nero. A proud Celt descendant of the people that Julius Caesar subjugated and the same man who killed off his own Republic... RI GALBA AR Quinarius Lugdunum mint laureate r Victory globe stdng left 15mm 1.5g SCARCE Big Irony, Big Fun! @RAGNAROK would be proud!
Funny how life works out! BTW, Wiki: Lugdunum is a latinization of the Gaulish *Lugudunon, meaning "Fortress (or hill) of (the god) Lugus" or, alternately "Fortress of the champion" (if *lugus is a common noun cognate with Old Irish lug "warrior, hero, fighter"). The Celtic god Lugus was apparently popular in Ireland and Britain as is found in medieval Irish literature as Lug(h) and in medieval Welsh literature as Lleu (also spelled Llew). According to Pseudo-Plutarch, Lugdunum takes its name from an otherwise unattested Gaulish word lugos, that he says means "raven", and the Gaulish word for an eminence or high ground, dunon
Wow, thank you guys for the interesting historical tidbits. I am certainly not as well versed as you both on the history of the romans in Gallia (I tend to be parochial and concentrate more on what was going on 'east' of the Rhein), but I certainly do appreciate it and enjoy it. Alegandron, please don't post that Vindex anymore (kidding of course) - I am getting extremely jealous and feel a strong 'need' to have one too! Here is my humble quinarius of Galba minted at Lugdunum: (pretty rough but it cost me nothing).
East of Rhine??? PQ Varus??? YEAH! No prob Eduard! RI Publius Quinctilius Varus 5-4 BCE AE20 8.0g Tetrachalkon Zeus Tyche Orontes Antioch Yr ZK RPC 4252 SNG Cop 92
