Gordian III, Antioch, Roma

I haven't bought a Gordian silver for a few years. I saw this one and changed that.

Gordian III, Antoninianus
Obv:– IMP CAES M ANT GORDIANVS AVG, radiate draped bust right
Rev:– ROMAE AETERNAE, Roma, helmeted and seated left on shield, holding Victory and spear
Minted in Antioch
Reference:- RIC 200

Large flan, Slightly uneven strike evident on the reverse

4.16 gms. 23.25 mm. 180 degrees



Share youe eastern Gordys....

 

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I bought the sestertius of Gordian III recently at a Heritage auction pictured below. It was struck on a ragged blank but has a good looking portrait & image of Liberalitas (goddess of generosity) holding an abacus & cornucopia. Hey, for $99 including buyers premium I couldn't resist .

Gordian III, AD 238 - 244, Rome Mint, AE sestertius: 20.63 gm, 32 mm, 11 h. RIC IV.III 269a.

 

Nice coins - the sestertius was a good deal! I usually see them going for $150-250 these days.

 

Such a handsome chap!

GORDIAN III Antoninianus (241-243 AD) 22mm 5.4g Rome mint RIC 95
Obv; IMP GORDIANVS PIVS FEL AVG, Bust of Gordian III, rad, dr, cuir, right
Rev; VIRTVTI AVGVSTI. Hercules, nude, standing right, Rt hand on hip, left hand on club set in rock, lionskin next to club.

 

The celator had a good day at work making this one too.
I should take a better photo of this one. Have been telling myself for years...

 

Gordian III, A.D. 238-244

AR Antoninianus, 24mm, 4.9 grams

Rome mint, A.D. 241-243

Obverse: IMP GORDIANVS PIVS FEL AVG; Radiate, draped, and cuirassed bust right

Reverse: PM TRP III CIS II PP; Apollo seated left, holding laurel branch and leaning on lyre

Reference: RIC IV 114

 

Nice image!...he has that "deer with the head lice" look...wait, that's not right..."deer in the headlights" look?...nah, I'm sticking with head lice!

 

How to distinguish where it is minted Rome or Antioch - style or some details?
Gordian III
Philip I

 

Differentiation is purely on style.

 

Nice coins!....
Here's my Rome mint..With a naked Hercules about to play the clarinet!

Gordian III AR Antoninianus 23mm/4.28gr Toned..
IMP GORDIANVS PIVS FEL AVG, radiate draped bust right / VIRTVTI AVGVSTI, Hercules standing right leaning on club set on stone and holding lion skin
Rome mint: AD 241-243 (9th, 10th, and 11th Issues, 4th Officina) RIC 95, RSC 404

.....The style of @svessien coin looks different is this an Eastern mint?

 

Hello, here my Gordian III. from Odessos, Thrace. I bought it in 1979 within a lot of
6 bronce coins for DM 55.00

Av: AVT KM below, ANTΩNINOC ΓOPΔIANOC draped bust of Gordian with laurel wreath and bust of the great God (Θεόs Mέγas) with Kalathos and cornucopia

Rev:ΘΔHCCE(I)TΩ, Athena to the left, in right hand a Phiale, left hand on spear, beside her a shield, in filed to the left an E



Pick u. Regling Bd.1 S. 576, No. 2348 plate V No.3 but only the obverse side
Eckhel catalogue 72,11
Mionnet, p.2, 360,942

 

Struck at Berytus-Phoenicia, this coin has goddess of love Astarte in temple. BMC 238.

 

According to my Sear calatog, it’s struck in Rome. I would not be surprised if it was Antioch, though, as a variety of mine is Antioch mint according to Sear. On my coin, the die has been cut a bit deeper, making the relief higher. Most Gordian coins have the end of the nose and the lips smeared out. I’m not sure this is a question about where they are minted though. Both these are struck in Rome, for example, if we can trust Sear vol. III:




I believe this is first of all a question about the celator having a good day, and hot enough blanks for a full strike. However, I think this question is interesting enough to have a look in RSC, to see if these may be coins from another city than Rome.

 

There are coins of which I am sure of the mint and others where I only believe I have identified correctly. I see my Roma as Rome mint.


Oriens and Fortuna are Eastern.

 

The later Antiochs like Doug's and mine are easy: the distinctive cuirass is diagnostic.



These were issued for Gordian's ill-fated invasion of Persia. Interestingly, their silver content is higher than for Rome issues.

Earlier issues (like the OP) are tougher, I think. But if you look at a bunch of Antioch tetradrachms I think you can get a good feel for the style. Another source is Roger Bland's PhD thesis, available here, although the plates are not very high quality. As far as I know, it's the main piece of scholarship on Gordian III's eastern mints.

 

Nices examples everyone

Here's one I believe having been minted in Antioch



And just for the pleasure of showing it off, my huge (25 mm and 6,95 grams) Rome mint antoninianus



Q

 

These are Rome mint examples, but I like 'em:


Gordian III, AD 238-244.
Roman AR antoninianus, 3.62 g, 21.6 mm, 5 h.
Rome mint, 2nd officina, 3rd emission, AD 241-243.
Obv: IMP GORDIANVS PIVS FEL AVG, radiate, draped and cuirassed bust, right.
Rev: IOVI STATORI, Jupiter standing facing, head right, holding scepter and thunderbolt.
Refs: RIC 84; Cohen 109; RCV 8615; Hunter 51.


Gordian III AD 238-244.
Roman AR Antoninianus, 5.52 g, 23.2 mm, 2 h.
Rome mint, 4th officina, 8th-11th emissions, AD 240-243.
Obv: IMP GORDIANVS PIVS FEL AVG, radiate and draped bust, right
Rev: VIRTVTI AVGVSTI, Hercules standing right, right hand on hip, left holding lion's skin and resting on club set on rock
Refs: RIC 95; Cohen 404; RCV 8670; Hunter 71.

Perhaps my favorite imperial issue of Gordian III:


Gordian III, AD 238-244.
Roman Æ Sestertius, 20.01 gm, 28.2 mm, 11 h.
Rome, 5th officina. 9th emission, AD 241.
Obv: IMP GORDIANVS PIVS FEL AVG, laureate, draped and cuirassed bust, right.
Rev: PM TRP IIII COS II PP SC, Apollo seated left, holding laurel branch and resting left arm on lyre.
Refs: RIC 302; Cohen 252; Sear --; Banti 72.


Gordian III, AD 238-244.
Roman Æ sestertius, 24.30 gm, 28.7 mm, 12 h.
Rome, AD 240.
Obv: IMP GORDIANVS PIVS FEL AVG, laureate, draped and cuirassed bust, right.
Rev: LIBERTAS AVG SC, Libertas standing left, holding pileus and scepter.
Refs: RIC 318a; Cohen 153; RCV 8717; Hunter 147.

 

Not my finest Gordian III, but the only eastern one I have. As already stated above, coins showing Oriens were apparently only minted in Antioch. It also has the characteristic cuirass (lorica squamata).


Gordian III, Roman Empire, antoninianus, 242–244 AD, Antioch mint. Obv: IMP GORDIANVS PIVS FEL AVG; bust of Gordian III, radiate, draped and cuirassed, r. Rev: ORIENS AVG; Sol standing l., raising r. hand and holding globe in l. 22mm, 4.35g. Ref: RIC IV Gordian III 213.

 

Maridunum,

Your coin seems to show Roma holding a spear pointing upwards rather than the usual scepter.

Pictures are only photocopies, but I see only scepters on the eleven specimens of this type illustrated by R. Bland in his unpublished dissertation, pl. 17, 56/1-14.