My First Sestertius!!! Gordian III Vimanacium

@Justin Lee , sorry for the late response! My little guy isn't quite up to the standard of the sold coin...

 

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It's still very nice for what it is. Thanks for sharing!

 

And for less than a dollar, I suppose I shouldn’t complain!

 

Here's my year 1:

Gordian III - Viminacium - Varbanov 104

 

And my year II:



Gordianus III, AE33, Viminacium. Dated CY 2 (AD 240/1). Obv. Laureate, draped, and cuirassed bust right. Rev. Moesia standing facing, head left; to left, bull standing right; to right, lion standing left. AN II (date) in exergue. PMS COL VIM. 33 mm, 23.04 g. Green patina, smoothed.

Although I don't understand why Gordian's year 2 = 240, when his reign started in 238.

 

Great addition @hotwheelsearl! Congratulations on your first sestertius. It's a great chuck of metal to hold in hand indeed.

Here's my first sestertius, purchased in 2016:

I am interested in this question. What makes a coin a sestertius, and not a provincial AE? I understand that under Valerian, Viminacium became an imperial mint? Would only coins struck at that time, be considered official Rome imperial coins with corresponding denomination? Or does that mean that coins struck previously, are also considered imperial coinage? I also wondered this for the 'sestertii' struck Augustus in Pergamum.

 

Nice piikup for a first attempt @hotwheelsearl
Nothing like a Viminacum big bronze here, but a decent GIII sestertius to share


Gordian III, Sestertius - Rome mint, AD 241/243
IMP GORDIANVS PIVS FEL AVG, laureate and draped bust right, seen from behind
IOVI STATORI, Jupiter standing, looking right, holding thuderbolt and sceptre. S C in field
20,18 gr
Ref : Cohen #111, RCV # 8710, RIC # 298a

As a bonus, here's a virtual tray displying my sestertii of the third century




Q

 

AMNG (in German) is one of the references you can find on archive.org. Here's a link to the page with your coin. These come laureate and "mit Krone" (radiate). I think yours is AMNG 81, laureate, like this one also from year III, however this one the legend is different: "IMP CAES...":

Moesia Superior, Viminacium, Gordian III, AD 238-244, dated CY 3 (AD 241/2)
Obv: IMP CAES M ANT GORDIANVS AVG, Laureate, draped, and cuirassed bust right
Rev: P M S COL VIM, Moesia standing facing, head left, extending hands to bull and lion standing at her feet on either side; AN III (date) in exergue
Ref: AMNG I 79

 

Coins of Viminacium are numbered from the year of the city, not the year of the reign. For example, coins of Philip and Otacilia are dated IIII - XI, those of Decius and family years XI-XII, Trebonianus Gallus from XII-XIIII, Aemilian XIV, etc.

 

Imperial coins made to circulate everywhere do not have the city name on the reverse. Viminacium was a full Colony so was allowed Latin language coins but they were still for local use as I understand it. Later, the concept of coins for local use died off and was replaced with branch mints. There was overlap until the last mint of the old system, Alexandria, was converted by Diocletian along with his currency reform that brought us the AE1 follis.

 

While you are looking at these Viminacium coins, keep an eye out for similar coins for the Province of Dacia that are year dated using a different system and use a different set of animals honoring their local legions. These start with Philip (AN I = 246 AD) so are later than coins available in the largest size. They are a bit harder to find in really great shape but should not be confused with the coins of Viminacium. This Volusian from year 5 (251) shows an eagle and a lion. ex.PeteB 1999
https://www.cngcoins.com/Search.asp...R_TYPE_ID_2=1&SEARCH_IN_CONTAINER_TYPE_ID_4=1

 

Nice AE Gordianus Hotwheelsearl! Congrats!
I do not have a AE Gordian to share but here is couple
of Aemilian's AE coins. One from Viminacium and one from Dacia.

Aemilian AE of Viminacium, Moesia.
IMP C M AEMIL AEMILIANVS A, laureate, draped bust right
PMS-COL VIM, Moesia standing with hands outstretched over a lion and a bull. Date AN XIV in exergue. AMNG 179, Martin 6'01'31.


Aemilian, AE Sestertius of Dacia.
IMP C M AEMIL AEMILIANVS AVG, laureate, cuirassed bust right, seen from back
PROVI-N-CIA DACIA, Dacia standing facing, holding vexillum marked XIII in left hand and curved sword in right hand; vexillum marked V to left, eagle and lion at feet. AN VIII in exergue. AMNG 57; Martin 6.53.3. Moushmov 21

 

Below is a Viminacium year (period) chart. I do not know where I got this from but it it the reference that I use rather than doing the math.
ANNO: Period

I- july 239 - july 240
II- july 240 - july 241
III - july 241 - july 242
IIII - july 242 - july 243
V - july 243 - july 244
VI - july 244 - july 245
VII - july 245 - july 246
VIII - july 246 - july 247
VIIII - july 247 - july 248
X - july 248 - july 249
XI - july 249 - july 250
XII - july 250 - july 251
XIII - july 251 - july 252
XIV - july 252 - july 253
XV - july 253 - july 254
XVI - july 254 - july 255

 

I agree, these too are equally as interesting, and a bit less common than the Viminacium colony coinage. I have 2 rough ones:


Philip the Arab, Ruled 244-249 AD
AE Sestertius, Provincia Dacia
Struck 248/249 AD (RY 3)
Obverse: IMP M IVL PHILIPPVS AVG, laureate, draped and cuirassed bust right.
Reverse: PROV-INCI-A DACIA, Dacia standing facing, head left, holding curved sword and vexillum inscribed XIII; before her to left, vexillum inscribed V; at her feet, eagle to left, lion to right;, AN III below (RY 3 = 248/249 AD).
Reference: Varbanov 11
Size: 29mm, 14.5g
Note: The eagle and the lion were emblems of the two legions V (Legio V Macedonica) and XIII (Legio XIII Gemina) who were stationed in the area.


Trajan Decius, Ruled 249-251 AD
AE Sestertius, Provincia Dacia
Struck 250/251 AD (RY 5)
Obverse: IMP C M Q TRAIANVS DECIVS AVG, laureate, draped, cuirassed bust right.
Reverse: PROVIN-CIA DACIA, Dacia standing with head to the left holding a bundle of rice in right hand over eagle with wreath in mouth, and scepter in left hand over lion, AN V below (RY 5 = 250/251 AD).
Reference: Moushmov 11
Size: 28mm, 13.6g
Note: The eagle and the lion were emblems of the two legions V (Legio V Macedonica) and XIII (Legio XIII Gemina) who were stationed in the area.

 

Philip II. 247-249 AD. MOESIA SUPERIOR, Viminacium. Æ (23mm, 8.36 gm, 6h). Dated Year 9 (247/248 AD). Obv: Laureate, draped and cuirassed bust right, seen from behind. Rev: Moesia standing facing, head left; bull and lion at sides. Date ANVIIII in exergue. Varbanov 156 (R3).

 

I also have a Provincia Dacia Philip, albeit a completely wrecked one

 

Thank you dougsmit for your explanation!