Gallienus: Dude, Get a New Die

Discussion in 'Ancient Coins' started by gsimonel, Jun 21, 2020.

  1. gsimonel

    gsimonel Well-Known Member

    What a shame. Such a pretty obverse, and such a crummy reverse. Someone needed to tell the slaves stamping this coin that they needed to get a new reverse die. What's the point of boasting about your victory over the Germans on your coins if no one can see or read it?
    Gallienus2.jpg
    Gallienus (joint reign)
    AR double denarius
    Lugdunum mint, A.D. 258-259
    RIC 49
    Obv: GALLIENVS P F AVG
    Rev: VICT GE-RMANICA - Victory advancing right over globe between two captives (Use your imagination.)
    21 mm, 3.1g

    But my real question: Should the obverse legend be recorded as GALLIENVS [dot] P [dot] F [dot] AVG? Or maybe GALLIENVS - P - F - AVG? It looks like the little dashes were intentional rather than just an artifact of preservation or die flaw.

    Any thoughts?
     
  2. Avatar

    Guest User Guest



    to hide this ad.
  3. Spaniard

    Spaniard Well-Known Member

    I have mine with dot format...Under magnifier there are definite dots..
    Obverse dies looks a bit close?
    gal4.jpg
    Gallienus, Antoninianus, Minted AD 258-259 (Joint reign)
    Obverse..GALLIENVS dot P dot F dot AVG Radiate, curaissed bust right
    Reverse..GERMANICVS MAX V trophy between two seated and bound German captives
    RIC VI#18 variant obv legend dots..Cologne
     
    Last edited: Jun 21, 2020
  4. Roman Collector

    Roman Collector Well-Known Member

    It wasn't unusual for Roman die engravers to put dots between elements in inscriptions. See this thread, for example.

    I am always disappointed when an obverse is struck with a nice, fresh die and the reverse is struck with a very worn one. This Tetricus I, for example, would be a very nice coin indeed if the reverse die weren't ready to be melted down!

    [​IMG]
    Tetricus I, AD 271-274.
    Roman billon antoninianus, 2.55 g, 18.4 mm.
    Mainz, Trier, or Cologne, depending on who you read, AD 273-274.
    Obv: IMP TETRICVS PF AVG, radiate and cuirassed bust, right.
    Rev: LAETITIA AVGG, Laetitia standing left, holding wreath and anchor.
    Refs: RIC 88; Cohen 62; Hunter 18; RCV 11239; Elmer 787.
     
  5. Victor_Clark

    Victor_Clark all my best friends are dead Romans Dealer

    That's a Lugdunum thing. You can find it on later issues also like this Constantius I issue below. CONSTANTIVS NOB•C•

    Constantius I 28mm   9.5gm.jpg
     
  6. ancient coin hunter

    ancient coin hunter 3rd Century Usurper

    Very interesting coins. I have never seen a third century example of dots on the obverse.
     
  7. Victor_Clark

    Victor_Clark all my best friends are dead Romans Dealer

    dots on Probus coinage from Lyons might not be common, but not rare either.

    Lugdunum35.jpg

    Lugdunum107.jpg

    Lugdunum124b.jpg
     
  8. zumbly

    zumbly Ha'ina 'ia mai ana ka puana

    Dots on this one as well. Same reverse type, and same problem with the die as well...

    Gallienus - Vict Germanica 2105.jpg
     
  9. rrdenarius

    rrdenarius non omnibus dormio

    My two uncia's worth -
    Republican coins used dots for space markers. On this coin I include the dots - M·VOLTEI·M·F If the dots are left over spacing marks and you want to note they are there, add them to the general description. On the coin below - Border of Dots.
    P1010400.JPG
    P1010402.JPG
    M·VOLTEI·M·F
    M. Volteius M.f., AR Denarius. Rome, 75 BC. Crawford 385/4
    Obverse - Laureate, helmeted, and draped bust of Attis right; thunderbolt behind, control symbol; border dots.
    Reverse - Cybele driving biga of lions right; ΞΒ above - control number (in Greek letters); in ex - M·VOLTEI·M·F; border of dots.
    Crawford 385/4
     
  10. ValiantKnight

    ValiantKnight Well-Known Member

    Some dots in the obverse inscription.

    Marcian, Eastern Roman Empire
    AV solidus
    Obv: D N MARCIA-NVS P F AVG, diademed, helmeted and cuirassed three-quarter facing bust, holding spear over shoulder and shield decorated with horseman
    Rev: VICTORI-A AVGGG, Victory standing left, holding long jeweled cross, star in right field
    Mint: Constantinople
    Mintmark: CONOB
    Date: 450-457 AD
    Ref: RIC 510
    Size: 4.46 gr., 21 mm wide

    [​IMG]
     
  11. Alegandron

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

    My Abundantia always looks abundant.

    upload_2020-6-21_11-36-54.png
    RI Gallienus 253-268 CE Ant Abundantia S-secunda
     
  12. Alegandron

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

    Here is some Big-As DOTS on this Sextans...

    upload_2020-6-21_11-38-49.png
    Etruria or Umbria Aes Grave 3rd C BCE Sextans 23mm 25.15g Club-2 Dots HN 54 Vecchi-Th 172


    And DOTS that make this coin very rare. I discovered the rarity on my rare appearance on the Facebook Ancients site.

    upload_2020-6-21_11-39-49.png

    They circled the two dots and said that was scarce, but having two dots on BOTH ends were very rare.

    upload_2020-6-21_11-41-31.png
    Date: BC 650 - 600
    Mint: Taxila, Gandhara (modern East Afghanistan/ NW Pakistan)
    Denomination: Satamana
    11.3g,
    Obverse: Gandhara Symbol x 2 (This symbol is only found on early coins of Gandhara) ALso called (Septa-Radiant)
    Reverse: Uniface
    Ref: Rajgor #540/ 541
    ex: @Ancientnoob
     
    Johndakerftw and Romancollector like this.
  13. Romancollector

    Romancollector Well-Known Member

    @gsimonel I noticed that too about 3rd century antoninianii. I had quite a few with excellent obverses and poorly struck reverses, but I parted with them for that reason. From my experience, it has been difficult to find examples that are perfectly struck on both sides.
     
    rrdenarius likes this.
  14. CoinDoctorYT

    CoinDoctorYT Well-Known Member

    I think we all know that the late emperors were a bit lazy. They were like trust fund babies of Julius Caesar. Am I wrong?
     
Draft saved Draft deleted

Share This Page