My first Postumus

It's been a few weeks since I last got a new coin to show here, but this came in the mail this week. Postumus is one of those emperors who may never become my main focus, but spark my interest enough to make me stay on the lookout for at least one affordable higher grade example of one of their coins to add to my collection. I've been down rabbit holes by such purchases though, so who knows how many I'll end up with..
The quality of the portrait is what ultimately made me decide for this particular coin. It always is really!

Gallic Empire, Postumus, antoninianus, Cologne mint. Sold as a RIC78 but surely this is a RIC318. I keep forgetting to weigh it, but the vendor says 3.51 grams

 

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A nice example.


Postumus (260 - 269 A.D.)
AR Antoninianus
O: IMP C POSTVMVS P F AVG, Radiate, draped, and cuirassed bust right.
R: FIDES EXERCITVS Four military standards, hand on top of second, eagle on third.
Lugdunum (Lyon) mint. Struck 266 A.D.
3.8g
20mm
RIC V 303; Cunetio 2432; Elmer 417; RSC 65

 

Very nice!! Yes, it's RIC 318 (Pax STANDING), not 78 (Pax WALKING).

 

Here's my nicest Posty -- a Secret Saturnalia gift!

 

That's some nice portrait of Postumus !

That's the biggest Postumus I can contribute with :


Postumus, Double sestertius - Cologne mint, AD 261
IMP C M CASS LAT POSTVMVS P F AVG, Radiate bust of Postumus right
LAETITIA AVG, Galley travelling left
18.12 gr
Ref : Cohen #177, RCV #11049

Q

 

very nice..i've STiLL not got one...not because i ain't lQQkin' tho...

 

Nice one! I like how the pose and pointing finger of your Pax makes her look like a schoolmarm giving an unruly student a dressing down.

Pax standing (P officina mark) : RIC 318; Mairat 162-5


Pax walking left : RIC 78; Mairat 70-4

 

Very nice @Guilder Pincher ! Why not indulge in a bit of Postumus?


Postumus, AD 260-269
AE “Double" Sestertius, 33mm, 24.9g, 12h; Colonia Agrippinensis or Treveri mint.
Obv.: IMP C M CASS LAT POSTVMVS P F AVG; Radiate, draped and cuirassed bust right.
Rev.: LAETITIA AVG (AVG in exergue); Galley left, four rowers and steersman


Postumus, AD 260-269
Ӕ Sestertius, 31x29mm, 19.2g, 12h; Lugdunum mint, AD 261
Obv.: IMP C POSTVMVS PF AVG, laureate, draped and cuirassed bust right.
Rev.: VIRTVS AVG, Mars standing right holding spear and leaning on shield.


GALLC EMPIRE, Postumus, AD 260-269.
Æ dupondius, 23mm, 7.4g, 12h; Lugdunum mint.
Obv.: IMP C M CASS LAT POSTVMVS P F AVG; Radiate draped cuirassed bust right.
Rev.: LAETITIA; Galley sailing right.


Gallic Empire, Postumus, AD 260-269
Billon Antoninianus, 1.5g, 20mm, 7h; Uncertain Gallic mint.
Obv.: IMP C POSTVMVS PF AVG; Radiate, draped, cuirassed bust right.
Rev.: PROVIDENTIA AVG; Providentia standing left, holding globe and scepter.


Postumus, Gallic Empire, AD 260-269
AR Antoninianus, 22mm, 3.0g, 6h; Trier mint, AD 260-261.
Obv.: IMP C POSTVMVS P F AVG; Radiate, draped, and cuirassed bust right.
Rev.: VICT-ORIA AVG; Victory advancing left, holding palm in left hand and wreath in right hand; captive at feet.

 

As long as the 'posthumous' ain't you dear fellow........I do enjoy your posts..........

 

Very nice!

 

I wish I could convince myself of the purpose of that P in the field. If it is the officina which seems obvious, where are are coins with other letters from other shops? Add to that the fact that there are coins of Victorinus with a V in field and I get curious.


There are many style variations for Postumus but I also remain unconvinced that we have the mints assigned correctly. It does make sense that the coins with better silver are earlier but I really need to spend some time reading up on Postumus before I feel comfortable with the subject.


I am fond of the unique to Postumus reverse showing Hercules, patron god of, possibly (?), his home town, Deuso. HERC DEVSONIENSI
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Postumus
This is one of those historical facts lost to time but suspected from coin evidence. Where was Postumus born? We have no birth certificate.

It also comes in AE double sestertius version.

 

Thanks for pointing that out... I typed without thinking.

Mairat classifies these simply as mint-marks, and certainly not officina marks. During this period (c. mid-end 268), he has the Trier mint operating with two officinae, both of which employed P in the left field - officinae A adding it to the earlier ORIENS AVG type without the mint-mark, and officinae B doing the same for the the PAX AVG Pax walking left type. If he has a theory that rationalises the use of the coding, I'm afraid I haven't read it yet.

 

Maybe it's "P is for Postumus and V is for Victorinus!"

 

That's very interesting and now I have to have one.

 

Very nice addition @Guilder Pincher.
To my eye the hand looks more like PAX is doing Shadow Puppets.
Mmmmm, is it a Rabbit ?

 

Here are two from my collection. Number one is an antoninianus, SERAPI COMITI AVG, 2nd one is a double sestertius, emperor standing in the guise of Mars...

 

These have been shown many times.

 

Thanks for all the comments and show and tells everybody! Very informative and some nice coins on show. Oh, and to me, the more I look at Pax, the more it looks like the second twig is just a defect and she's actually supporting her team at the circus wearing a foam hand..

 

That is a great coin @Guilder Pincher .

My only Postumus:

Before:

RI Postumus 259-268 CE Antoninianus Cologne Oriens GREEN


After @YOC 's cleaning help:

We had NO clue that it was this well silvered. Please forgive my poor pic.



And a coins from one of his Generals:

RI Postumus struck by Aureolus 268 CE Revolt of Milan Concordia