Today I filled another missing spot in my Sestertius collection (five more to go now...). Sestertii of Herennius Etruscus never ever come in the unpatinated state that I look after, so I gave up on that and got a dark one instead. Also, most bronzes of Herennius were not struck with a complete flan and the portraits rarely show any traits of personality. That being said, I think this is an acceptable compromise: Q HER ETR MES DECIVS NOB C - Draped bust of Herennius Etruscus right PIETAS AVGG S C - Mercury standing left, holding purse in right hand, caduceus in left Sestertius, Rome (1st officina), 3rd emission of Trajan Decius, spring 250-mid 251 AD 28mm / 15.72 g, RIC IV 167a corr. (draped) (R 2); Cohen 12, Banti 1 ex Auction Emporium Hamburg 73, 23.04.2015 (lot 241) Although Sestertii were minted during Herennius´ brother Hostilians short stint as co-Augustus with Treboninianus Gallus in the second half of 251, no roman bronzes were struck at the Rome mint for Herennius Etruscus as Augustus during the final emission of his father Trajanus Decius. There are Antoniniani celebrating the anticipated VICTORIA GERMANICA of both Augusti that in fact turned into their heroic last stand of father and son in the swamps of Abrittus in ealy June 251. Aurei of Herennius as Augustus do exist as well, at least according to all major reference catalogues and price guides, which usually state that these are just as rare and as valuable as those from the Prince´s time as Caesar. That is totally wrong. I can find no reference that a single Aureus of Herennius as Augustus has ever been on the market, while about a dozen of his as Caesar have changed hands in the last decades. I could not even locate the picture of one on the Internet so I assume that they are actually exceedingly rare (and could fetch six-digit-prices, if one should ever appear at an auction). This seems to support the assumption that a new emission usually started with silver which was then joined by gold, while new bronze coins were of less urgency. In fact according to most resources no Sestertii of Herennius are allocated to the 4th to 6th emissions of Trajan Decius at all, but the types of the 3rd emission seem to have been continued to be struck for another year or so. In any case the Mercury type seems to be the last Sestertius reverse that was introduced for Herennius Etruscus, after he was introduced as Princeps Iuventutis (RIC 169, 171 and 172) and the earlier PIETAS reverses (RIC 168) had shown the priestly emblems usually connected with the duties of a prince. Mercurius had last appeared on coins of Marcus Aurelius a century earlier. The unusual combination of a picture of Mercur with a legend praising the Pietas of the Imperial family (that can also be found on coins of Hostilian) can, according to Franziska Schmidt-Dick ("Typenatlas der Reichsprägung von Augustus bis Aemilianus") be interpreted in the way that that it is the God of Commerce and Prosperity himself who has provided and guaranteed this Pietas in the first place. Here is my Antoninianus of Herennius as Princeps Iuventutis: Let´s see your Sestertii or anything else of Herennius Etruscus! PS.: Have any of you heard anything more of the claim that the battlefield of Abrittus has been found?
Wow! What a beautiful pair. Great, well detailed new sestertius. Congratulations. HERENNIUS ETRUSCUS AR Antoninianus OBVERSE: Q HER MES DECIVS NOB C, Radiate and draped bust of Herennius right REVERSE: CONCORDIA AVGG, Clasped hands Struck at Rome, 250/1 AD 3.53g, 21mm RIC138 HERENNIUS ETRUSCUS AR Antoninianus OBVERSE: Q HER ETR MES DECIVS NOB C, Bare-headed and draped bust right REVERSE: PRINCIPI IVVENTVTIS, Herennius standing left, holding rod and spear Struck at Rome, 250 AD 3.0g, 20mm RIC 147c, C26
That is a lovely sestertius! I particularly enjoy the Mercury reverse type, too. I only have sestertii of his parents:
Great 3rd century coins! That sestertius is especially nice!! Attractive portrait with great detail and the Mercury reverse is just outstanding! So much detail! Yeah I am jealous. Here is my ant of HE:
Wow @Julius Germanicus nice coins. Really enjoy the Sestertius and your Ant is crisp! My perspective on Roman Coins is collecting the Republic, pretty much BCE time period. A Sestertius was AR and the key Unit of Value was the Denarius not the Sestertius (being 10 Asses and later deflated to 16 Asses in 141 BCE). I do not have his Sestertius, but do have a couple of his Ants: RI Herennius Etruscus 251 CE AR Ant Apollo seated RI Herennius Etruscus 251 CE AR Ant Prince Stdng I like what @Roman Collector posted... so here is his Father RI Trajan Decius 249-251 CE AR Ant Dacia draco standard His Mommy: RI Herennia Etruscilla 249-251 BCE Ant crescent Fecunditas cornucopiae child RSC 8 His Brother: RI Hostilian 251 CE AE 27 Viminacium Moesia Bull-Lion
That's a wonderful sestertius with a great reverse type. Congrats!! And I'm so impressed you have only 5 slots still to fill! Here's an ant. of Etruscus, as well as one of Hostilian as Augustus:
Very nice pick up of a notable coin J G. My last coin bought is a provincial of H. Etruscus . and i have an ant. of mammy but yet lack dear ole dad , but i've been bidding on him. i find it interesting he was named after his mother(male form) and was the 1st emperor killed in battle by enemies of the empire.
Here is a link from 2016... http://archaeologyinbulgaria.com/20...-battle-of-abritus-near-bulgarias-dryanovets/
A very nice OP Herennius Etruscus sestertius and wonderful coins from other members! My closest friend recently sold off his Decius and family collection, which he had been working on since 1966. Here is my double sestertius which I got from him.
I didn't know he struck double sestertii - have to keep an eye out for one of these, along with Postumus
Thank you everybody for posting your coins!!! Here is a reunion of Trajan Decius´ family in Sestertius format, even though strictly speaking Herennius as Caesar could not have met Hostilian as Augustus If I ever replace my Decius Sestertius, it shall be with one of those. But I doubt I will be able to afford one as great as yours! Double Sestertii of of Postumus sadly do not even play in the same league with those of Trajan Decius (and the rare specimens of Herennia Etruscilla) concerning weight, size, roundness, metal, style (most of them at least) execution and overall quality control. Late examples are downright barbaric in appearance. I love your Ant of Herennia! Beautiful style and toning!
