By 269, Postumus had successfully maintained his breakaway Gallic Empire for 9 years. Laelian's rebellion against him in the spring of 269 was unsuccessful, and he appears to have been killed by his own troops. Attractive portrait coins of him are hard to find and this is my first (and probably only) one. - Laelianus - Antoninianus. 269 AD. Mainz mint. Obv: IMP C LAELIANVS PF AVG legend with radiate and cuirassed bust right. Rev: VICTORIA AVG legend with Victory advancing right, holding wreath and palm. RIC 9; Cohen 4; Elmer 625; Sear 11111
Wow! A decent Laelianus is a challenge to find. That's an emperor who is still lacking in my collection. Coingratulations!
Congrats, that is a very nice Laelianus! LAELIANUS AE Antoninianus. 3.55g, 22.9mm. Colonia Agrippinensis (Cologne) mint, AD 269. RIC 9; Mairat 231. O: IMP C LAELIANUS P F AVG, radiate and cuirassed bust right. R: VICTORIA AVG, Victory running right, holding wreath and palm frond.
Very nice acquisition ! HH Gilljam in his Antoniniani und aurei des Ulpius Cornelius Laelianus Gegenkaiser des Postumus, (1982) masterfully studied the coinage of Laelianus for which in 1986 in his supplement, he had listed a total of 365 Antoniniani worldwide with 56 obverse dies and 59 reverse dies. He also recorded 24 reverse dies reused during the reign of Marius. Here is one of them : And here's the latest reference from J.Mairat, so you'll be able to attribute it more accurately.
Very nice. I don't think I've seen a coin of his before. But he does look exactly the same as Postumus and Victorinus. Was it a Gallic look or did the engravers just change the names? I guess there was a pretty high turnover of usurpers. Postumus Antoninianus, 260-265 Cologne. 3.3g. HERC PACIFERO, Hercules leaning on club with lion's skin on rock (RIC 67). From the South Petherton (Somerset) Hoard, 2013. Victorinus Antoninianus, 268-270 Cologne. 2.8g. SALVS AVG, Salus (Safety) feeding a snake (RIC 67). From the Normanby (Lincolnshire) Hoard, 1985.
Great coins shown here. I like the OP coin. The coin of Zumbly shows a portrait style that I was not familiar with. Here is my one and only Laelianus Ulpius Cornelius Laelianus may have been a distant relative of Trajan, as suggested by his nomen Ulpius and his affiliation to Spain. I like how the celator has made his portrait distinguishable by giving him a longer beard.
Nice find, @eparch Laelianus Roman Empire Laelianus, AD 269 AE Antoninianus, 19mm, 3.4g, 6h; Moguntiacum mint. Obv.: IMP C LAELIANVS PF AVG; Radiate, cuirassed bust right. Rev.: VICTORIA AVG; Victory advancing right. Reference: RIC Vb 9, p. 373 Ex: @John Anthony
Don't have a Laelianus yet. Here's a Marius, the blacksmith who was characterized by matchless strength and blunt honesty, according to the Historia Augusta. He was said to have been killed by a sword of his own manufacture...as you can see the Victory reverse type is very similar to that of the OP coin. Marius, AD 269. AE Antoninianus. 17Mm, 2.6g, 6h; Mainz or Trier, AD 269. Obv.: IMP C M AVR MARIVS AVG Radiate, draped and cuirassed bust right. Rev.: VICTORIA AVG Victory advancing right, holding wreath and palm frond. Reference: RIC 18.
Thank you for the info - I will update my file I go with the Gallic look theory - I have conviced myself that Laelian looks a little more worn/haggard than Postumus. It is of course possible that his hold on power was so tenuous that the mint was not provided with an image of him to copy.
A lot of great Laeliani! Here's mine, bought in a local coin shop in 1967, with the 2x2 it came in. Antoninianus. 3.01 gr. 21 mm. 2h. Obv:I P C VLP COR LAELIA[NVS]. Radiate, draped bust right. Rev: VICT -OR - IA AVG Victory advancing right, holding palm branch and wreath. RIC 5:2, #8, footnote 1.
Since his coins were only minted in one "German" mint (Mainz, Cologne or Trier), where Laelianus was active, it is plausible that the celator has seen Laelianus in person, either as Augustus or in his previous capacity. I think this also explains why short-lived emperors like Marius are so distinguishable on their coins.
