Gordian III - Plentiful, Beautiful, and Cheap

Discussion in 'Ancient Coins' started by furryfrog02, May 29, 2020.

  1. furryfrog02

    furryfrog02 Well-Known Member

    I know a lot of people don't care too much for Gordian III coins. His coins are like the Toyota Corolla of the ancient coin world. They are every where and nice looking examples can be had for pretty cheap.

    I have been driving my Toyota since 2007. It was cheap, it is dependable, albeit not very beautiful :p Therefore, Gordian III and his coins have a special place in my heart :)

    I picked this up for a pittance, in my opinion, last week and it arrived in the mail today. It has a beautiful dark green patina and is pretty well centered although there are some weak/missing spots. Best of all, it fits my love of Victory/Nike! Overall, I absolutely love it!


    Gordian III
    AE25
    Hadrianopolis, Thrace
    Obverse: AYT K M ANT ΓOΡΔIANOC AV, laureate, draped bust right
    Reverse: AΔΡIANOΠOΛEITΩN, Nike standing left with wreath and palm branch
    Gordian III Hadrianopolis.png

    Let's show some love for the Toyota of the coin world, Gordian III. Share your beautiful/cheap G3's!
     
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  3. Andres2

    Andres2 Well-Known Member

  4. Clavdivs

    Clavdivs Well-Known Member

    I bought a new Corolla in 2002... at the time my wife was pregnant with our 2nd child. That child took her drivers test in that car when she turned 16.
    I finally retired it few month ago..
    The shop that bought it picked it up with a flat bed and told me they don't crush Corollas... they put them in containers and ship them to India.

    upload_2020-5-29_19-21-46.png
     
  5. Alegandron

    Alegandron "ΤΩΙ ΚΡΑΤΙΣΤΩΙ..." ΜΕΓΑΣ ΑΛΕΞΑΝΔΡΟΣ, June 323 BCE

    I like the Nike/Victory goddess, too.

    Here is his As

    [​IMG]
    RI Gordian III 238-244 CE AE As 25mm Hercules S-C
     
  6. furryfrog02

    furryfrog02 Well-Known Member

    @Clavdivs That is the plan with my car. FFIVN is 9 right now. I plan to drive this car until he turns 16 and then he can have it for a year or two. I currently have 130,000 miles on it and it runs like it did when I bought it.
     
    Justin Lee, Inspector43 and Clavdivs like this.
  7. DonnaML

    DonnaML Well-Known Member

    I drove a 1995 Corolla for many years, and then bought a used 2005 Corolla which I drove until I moved back to Manhattan and had no further need to own a car. My son drives a 2009 Corolla.

    So I like them!

    All my Gordian III's were inexpensive.

    Gordian III AR Denarius, 240 AD [TRP III]. Obv. Laureate head right, IMP GORDIANVS PIVS FEL AVG / Rev. Gordian on horseback left, holding spear downwards in left hand & raising right hand, PM TR P III COS PP. RIC IV-3 81, RSC IV 234 (ill. p. 7 & on book jacket), Sear RCV III 8678. 18 mm., 3.59 g.

    Gordian III Denarius - jpg version.jpg

    Gordian III AR Denarius, 241-242 AD, Rome Mint. Obv. Laureate, draped, & cuirassed bust right, IMP GORDIANVS PIVS FEL AVG / Rev. Diana standing facing, head right, holding flaming long torch right with both hands, DIANA LVCIFERA. RIC IV-3 127, RSC IV 69, Sear RCV III 8673 (ill.). 20 mm., 2.7 g., 6 h. (Issued in celebration of marriage of Gordian & Tranqullina, 241 AD. See Sear RCV III 8673 at p. 123.)

    Gordian III-Diana Lucifera denarius jpg.jpg

    Gordian III AR Antoninianus, 242-243 AD [TRP V], Rome Mint. Obv. Radiate, draped, and cuirassed bust right, IMP GORDIANVS PIVS FEL AVG / Rev. Apollo seated left, bare to waist, holding branch with right hand & resting left forearm and elbow on lyre, PM T-R P V COS II PP. RIC IV-3 89, RSC IV 261, Sear RCV III 8648. 22.65 mm., 4.67 g.

    Gordian III Ant. - Apollo reverse - jpg version.jpg

    Gordian III with wife Tranquillina, AE 26 mm., 241-244 AD, Thracia, Anchialus [Pomorie, Bulgaria]. Obv. Confronted busts of Gordian III right, laureate, draped and cuirassed, and Tranquillina left, draped and wearing stephane; ΑVT Κ M ANT / ΓOPΔIANOC AVΓ clockwise around; CEB TPAN // KVΛΛINA in exergue; border of dots/ Rev. Apollo standing left, holding patera in right hand; left arm resting on column; ΟΥΛΠΙΑΝωΝ / ΑΓXΙΑΛEωΝ clockwise around; border of dots. Moushmov 2939, Varbanov 668, AMNG II (Strack, 1912) 656. 26 mm., 11.91 g.

    Gordian III - Tranquillina Anchialus (Thrace) - jpg version.jpg
     
  8. furryfrog02

    furryfrog02 Well-Known Member

    If anyone was wondering, or cared, I paid $25 for the first coin. I had seen it a week ago and it was on sale but then the seller dropped the price again. I couldn't say no.

    Here is my other G3 that I won in a Frank Robinson auction a few auctions back. I think I paid $35 for this one. Also one of my favorites
    Gordian III Ant.jpg
     
  9. robinjojo

    robinjojo Well-Known Member

    You'd have to be out of your gordian not to like his coinage!
     
  10. ancient coin hunter

    ancient coin hunter 3rd Century Usurper

    I've got a bunch but I also have the same type as Donna, so here it is.

    gordian3.jpg

    gordian4.jpg
     
  11. Shea19

    Shea19 Well-Known Member

    Another of the same type as ACH and DonnaML.

    E711B749-E327-4920-A80C-AAC57F81D59A.jpeg
    Gordian III, Antoninianus (22 mm, 4.61 g), Rome, circa 242. IMP GORDIANVS PIVS FEL AVG Radiate, draped and cuirassed bust of Gordian to right. Rev. P M TR P V COS II P P Apollo seated left on throne, holding branch with his right hand and resting his left elbow on lyre. RIC 89.
     
  12. robinjojo

    robinjojo Well-Known Member

    But I've never seen a reverse of Gordian playing the accordion...
     
    DonnaML likes this.
  13. robinjojo

    robinjojo Well-Known Member

    Here's my tetradrachm, from Antioch. I have other examples of his coinage, yet to be photographed. Maybe the next Big One out here in CA will motivate me...

    D-Camera Gordian III Tetradrachm, Syria, Antioch, eBay purcahse, Israel,  5-25-20.jpg
     
  14. ancientone

    ancientone Well-Known Member

    Toyotas and Gordian III here too. My last 4runner could have gone to the moon and back.

    MyraGordian.jpg Lycia, Myra. Gordian III AE32. Artemis Eleutheras
    Obv: AYTKAIMANTGORDIANOCCEB / Bust of Gordian III r., laureate, wearing paludamentum and cuirass.
    Rev: MY P A E WN / In tetrastyle temple, simulacrum of Artemis Eleutheras, wearing veil and modius.
    AE32, 19.2g.
    Sold it for a pittance.
     
  15. dougsmit

    dougsmit Member

    We are fancier people and have a 2003 Camry. That means I should show a fancier Gordian so my GIII Caesar sestertius is about as fancy as I get. Why these sell for less than a Balbinus bothers me.
    ro0640bb2238.jpg

    On the other end is this barbarous fourree denarius with Pax legend and the figure of Aequitas/Moneta.
    ro0630bb0213.jpg
     
  16. octavius

    octavius Well-Known Member

    Here are three sestertii of Gordian III and two Antoniniani. My favorite is the last with Virtus reverse. I thought his facial expression was especially well done. His coins may be common place, however he did have a rather interesting and eventful reign.



    13675sestgLG.jpg 3240440.jpg 4090659.jpg GD355.jpg 4390579.jpg
     
  17. Ocatarinetabellatchitchix

    Ocatarinetabellatchitchix Well-Known Member

    This is the very first Gordian III I bought when I started collecting.

    04E2E7D0-0D2C-4782-9971-7803BCB4A0E6.jpeg
    Unlike my first Corolla, I still have it. I also have to say that I only got rid of my old Toyota when it reached the venerable number of 238,900 miles on the odometer. That's the average distance between the earth and the moon...I will never manage to make the long journey, but at least I have traveled the distance!
     
  18. Bing

    Bing Illegitimi non carborundum Supporter

  19. Clavdivs

    Clavdivs Well-Known Member

    Get the body oil sprayed and they last forever... I didn't and the body went on mine but it ran fine. I live in Canada - so salty roads in the winter did 'er in.
    I currently have a 2011 Venza and 2012 Sienna.. I get them sprayed every year now as they have to last until my two kids finish University. So around 2026 or so...
     
  20. furryfrog02

    furryfrog02 Well-Known Member

    Great Gordians everyone!
    I'm also glad to see I'm not the only one rocking the 'Yota. My personal goal is 250,000 miles with it. It has been paid off for 9 years and I love not having car payments. That means I have more money for coins...I mean college funds...ok a bit of both :)
     
  21. zumbly

    zumbly Ha'ina 'ia mai ana ka puana

    I don't have a well-traveled Corolla, but this Gordie has a more or less permanently place in my wallet. It's covered its share of miles in a variety of planes, trains, automobiles, and ships.

    Gordian III - Fortvna Redvx 1726.jpg
    GORDIAN III
    AR Antoninianus. 4.61g, 22.3mm. Rome mint, AD 243-244. RIC IV 144. O: IMP GORDIANVS PIVS FEL AVG, radiate, draped, cuirassed bust right. R: FORTVNA REDVX, Fortuna seated left, holding rudder set on ground in right hand and cornucopiae in left hand; under seat, wheel.

    My latest Gordie, from yesterday's Gorny & Mosch auction, is like the OP coin, also a provincial from Hadrianopolis:

    Gordian III Hadrianopolis - Cybele lion Corybas 00256Q00.JPG GORDIAN III
    AE27. 1023g, 27mm. THRACE, Hadrianopolis, AD 238-244. Varbanov 3797. O:
    ΑΥΤ Κ Μ ΑΝΤ ΓΟΡΔΙΑΝΟ, laureate, draped and cuirassed bust right. R:
    ΑΔΡΙΑΝ / ΟΠΟΛΕΙ / ΤΩN, Cybele, holding drum and scepter, reclining left on lion advancing right; behind lion to right, a Korybas advancing right, head left, holding shield and torch.
     
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