While the most sought after coins can reach astronomical prices, there is no shortage of Roman coins to be found for a modest price. Despite its ugly, rough, irregular flan, abstract variation on a Tetricus I Antoninianus, blundered legends, brown and rusted patina, line drawing rendition of "PAX" with a right arm that looks more like a cornucopia than a scepter, I like the rugged look of this coin from the northwest territories that were separated from the Roman Empire between 260-274 AD as the Gallic Empire. Aurelian reunited the empire in 274 in a bloody defeat of Tetricus' army in the Battle at Châlons (today Châlons-en-Champagne, France). Tetricus surrendered and survived, perhaps by betraying his army, and later was appointed by Aurelian governor in Lucania (southern Italy) - much more on this in this enjoyable post from @Curtisimo) A shortage of official coins in the northwest with Aurelian's reform of the monetary system is a leading explanation for why there are so many barbarous coins from this time. Obv: IMP TETRICVS, crude radiate bust right. Rev: P X AC, Pax standing left, holding branch and sceptre (or cornucopia?) 2.8 g, 19 mm. Please share your favorite radiates, barbarous or otherwise.
Nice and ugly, Sulla80. Here is a barbarous radiate I got a while back which combines terrible artistic work with a wretched double-strike. A truly miserable, tiny coin, but kind of charming too, I think. My effort to attribute it: Barbarous Radiate Æ Antoninianus Gaul / Northern Europe (c. 274-300s A.D.) V I S A (?), cuirassed and radiate bust right (Tetricus?) / APTE retrograde C, unidentified goddess standing (reverse double-struck). (0.84 grams / 16 mm)
I had to take pictures of some of my Barbarous coinage once I saw this thread! Fun coins!! I'm still not certain of the last one even being a barbarous imitation or what it is??
That last on of yours appears to be a barbarous imitation of those Constantinople City Commemorative “Victory on Prow” coins minted in the early 330s. Great coin!
Here's a couple of ugly fun imitations: This one's fun because you can make out most of the legend and it's interesting... "C P _ _ _ C(or B)IVS TETRI" and this one is a cool fallen horseman about the size of a pea... very hard to photograph!
I really love these uglies. My radiate of the day: Tetricus I - Bronze barbarous radiate 2.08g, 17mm, unofficial mint, c. 271 - 284 A.D.; obverse blundered IMP TETRICVS AVG, radiate head right; reverse blundered legend, figure standing left.
Something about the Tetrici seems to bring out the imagination in barbarous die cutters. Here's my example: Bronze Barbarous Imitation of an Romano-Gallic Antoninianus, Presumably of Tetricus II, A.D. 273-274 Obv: Elvin-like radiate bust of (probably) Tetricus II Rev: Sol, radiate, nude except for chlamys on shoulder, advancing left, raising right hand and possibly holding standard in left X in left field, unknown symbol in right 13mm, 0.8g.
I'm very much into barbarous imitations, I wish I had more time for this. A pity that literature about these is hard to find. It is often very hard do define where a coin was issued if find data are missing. 'Gallia', 'Celtic', 'Eastern tribes', that's about it. Are there any published large finds with many types pictured? That could help. As for Tetricus imitations, they are probably from Gallia or maybe British. Here are a few. Do you see the text all made up from ooo's and xxx's? It is an imitation of a Victoriae Laetae (VLPP) type of Constantine the Great. Man, would he be mad at the artist who distorted his portrait like this! AE imitation of Constantine I, ca. 320. Victoria Laetae (VLPP). 18 mm, 2.4 gr. Double struck, overstruck? A Fel Temp Reparatio (FTR) type of one of his sons. Don't have technical data, I must weigh and measure it sometime. This attractive Tetricus imitation is one of my top barbs of this year. Tetricus I 271-274. AE antoninianus. Contemporary imitation. Obv. Radiated head t.r. Two triplets of dots standing out (and some more dots flying). VV - ICVC. Rev. Goddess with spear t.r. STIVI. 13 mm, 0.76 gr. Here something definitely went wrong. Where's the emperor's nose? And these flying things, are they ribbons, braids, wings? AE imitation of a follis of Constans or Constantinus II. Trier, 348 or later. Obv. Draped and diademed bust right. DN II (…) / PFAG. Rev. Emperor standing left on galley, holding something [phoenix on globe], Victory seated right, steering the boat. TR in exergue. 22 x 20 mm, 3.1 gr. This coin was found in Ukraine. Many imitations of Roman denarii are to be found there in hoards, often mixed with real denarii, evidence of soldiers' pay. Aelius? AR barbarous imitation of a denarius. Obv. Curly head right with mumble script MOHHA OMIEO. Rev. Standing goddess with things dangling from her hands, script to the outside MOMMI ISLIOIVN. 17 mm, 2.77 gr. Another Tetricus, from France. No data, just the pic. Is that Virtus jumping rope? This is Tetricus II. Bought it in one of the last (snif!) JAZ auctions. Tetricus II 273-274. Barbarous radiate. Obv. Radiate, cuirassed bust r. TIATRICVS. Rev. Hilaritas standing left, holding palm branch and cornucopia. Imitating RIC 80. Text IIII. 16 mm, 1.82 gr. And the last one, a wilder VLPP type. AE barbaric imitation of a nummus of Constans, Constantinopolis. Obv. Diademed, cuirassed and draped bust r. ONSTIIA. Rev. Two victories, each holding a wreath. 13 mm, 1.3 gr. In exergue ONA (more or less).
And then there's the minimi, tiny barbarous imitations, possibly from France or Britain. Here are a few. I don't have technical data ready. They measure about 8-12 mm. The first mimicks Magnentius, the second Tetricus I, as well as the third, though they are very different.
Not gibberish! Have you not heard of the grand and heroic reign of emperor Mohha Omieo?!?! Haha... barbarous coins with legends that you can sorta make out are the best. It reminds me of another imitation posted maybe a year ago with a hilarious garbled legend and made up name... I can’t remember what it was... I’ll have to look for the thread.
This is my last contribution, I have to go now, but I would like to show you this fascinating imitation, more like a barbarian than the others, from Germany. It used to be my avatar in my past. What a snarl that fellow has on his face, and all the nice little ducks in a row swimming under the two arguing soldiers on the reverse. 18 mm, 2.31 gr.
I very much agree with those who find appeal in the barbarous coins but I have serious doubts that we will ever really know much about them as a whole. It is unusual to find two of them that are alike unless they both were part of one find. I wish we could know the who, when, where and why but I do not hold out much hope. My favorite is this left facer with reverse figure holding a rudder.
One of the reasons this coinage is so attractive. Rare but affordable. Local coins, home made almost.
I love me some barbarous radiates! Long ago, they were my first passion, and I tried to make a collection of them. Of course, that's a death march, because there are endless variations. I still save all the ones I come across in lots, and probably have about 50. Not many are imaged, because I haven't gotten to that part of my collection yet. Here is one of my favorites, a curiously official-looking Tetricus II with a clearly homemade Hilaritas reverse. My theory is that someone looted dies from the mint as the Gallic Empire was collapsing, and then made illegal coins for as long as they were able.
Most barbarous coins copy official originals but there are some that seem original. Years ago I saw one with a reverse that seemed to be a retiarius gladiator with net and trident. The seller wanted more than I was willing to pay but that may have been a mistake on my part. I would particularly like to see BR coins with original reverse types.
How about a barbarous URBS ROMA TYPE? Most people agree that this coin is barbarous, claiming that the size of the lettering on the reverse is too large for an official issue. But the coin is very small, about the size of a 5th century issue, and the size of the letters is similar to that seen on many of the VICTORIA AVGG types from that time period. So there may be another explanation. Obv: VRBS ROMA - Helmeted Roma, facing right. Rev: PIETAS REIP - Pietas, standing, holding infant to breast. 11 mm, 0.8g
