My favorite Gallienus

I like these videos by Classical Numismatics. His latest one is on Gallineus.



His reign was troubled but interesting. His coins range from the barely collectable to the eyesore, to be sure, but they are varied and plentiful. Everybody has at least a few. I have dozens!

But this one is my favorite. It's got the neck beard, it's got a tiger, it's got a chocolate-brown patina, it's well-struck. What's your favorite in your collection?!


Gallienus, 253-268 AD.
Roman Æ Antoninianus, 2.63 g, 20.8 mm, 5 h.
Rome Mint, 10th emission, 267-268 AD.
Obv: GALLIENVS AVG, radiate head right.
Rev: LIBERO P CONS AVG, tiger walking left, B in exergue.
Refs: RIC 230K; Göbl 713b; Cohen 586; RCV 10281; Cunetio 1341; Hunter 112.

 

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I own a lot of him but this will always be my favorite & my oldest I own when I got into ancients.


Gallienus (253 - 268 A.D.)
AR Antoninianus
O: IMP C P LIC GALLIENVS AVG, Radiate and cuirassed bust right.
R: IOVI CONSERVA, Jupiter standing left, head turned right, holding scepter in right and thunderbolt in left.
5.1g
24mm
RIC 143F (Rome) Sear 10237

 

Nice joint reign example, @Mat! I like the die cracks on the obverse, too, because I like "technical" collecting.

 

He does some good videos on debasement and hyperinflation!

 

I consider it 'collector abuse' to ask us to select one favorite from our children. Still I do not love all my Gallienus coins equally so I might have a favorite. Which? I am not sure. Probably one of these.

 

Tough question, @Roman Collector.
Thank you for the interesting video.

From my 7 Gallienus antoniniani, I like 3 the most. My latest acquisition, with one of my favorite reverses (promoted also as my avatar)

IMP C P LIC GALLIENVS AVG, bust of Gallienus, radiate, draped, right / CONCORDIA AVGG, Two right hands clasped together
RIC V Gallienus (joint reign) 131, Cohen 125

My bid was with low hopes, as the auction was very animated in general, with prices well over my most pessimistic expectations, but I won this one bidding just once, with the minimum increment. Apparently the corrosion was a turnoff for other bidders. In hand, the corrosion is not that distracting and the coin is not that dull.

In my first lot of ancient coins I bought, there were 3 Gallienus antoniniani. I like 2 of them a lot, first because this is not a common reverse:

GALLIENVS AVG. Radiated and cuirassed bust of Gallienus on the right draped over the left shoulder, seen from three quarters forward (B01). LEG IIII FL VI P VI F. Lion leaping to the right. Reverse translation: “Legio quarta Flavia sextum pia, sextum fidelis”, (Fourth legion Flavia pious and faithful for the sixth time)
RIC V-1, Milan 343 (Joint Reign)


... and this one mostly because of the obverse


GALLIENVS PF AVG. Radiated and armored bust of Gallienus on the left, seen from three quarters in front with shield and holding a haste on the left shoulder (F1). GERMANICVS MAX V.Arms trophy with a captive on each side.Reverse translation: “Germanicus Maximus quintum”, (Winner of the Germans for the fifth time).
RIC V-1, Milan 343 (Joint Reign)

 

I think these two Gallienus antoniniani from the Zoo series -- showing a tigress and a gryphon -- are probably my favorites, not only because I like the reverses but because they're in nice condition for Gallienus:

 

I think this is my favorite, if only because it is so heavy - 5.84 grams, which is about twice as heavy as these normally come. The neck beard is nice too.

Gallienus Æ Antoninianus
(c. 260-268 A.D.)
Rome Mint
GALLIENVS AVG, radiate head right / SECVRIT ORBIS, Securitas, seated left, holding sceptre, right hand raised to head. Officina letter VI in exergue.
RIC (S), Rome 278; Göbl 555g.
(5.84 grams / 22 mm)
eBay Apr. 2018 $10.00 BIN

 

Very nice! Rare, great reverse, but man that portrait and neck beard are excellent!!!
My most rare is also my ugliest (and that's saying something!):

Gallienus,
A.D. 253-268.
Æ Double Denarius. Rome, A.D. 267/8. Radiate head of Gallienus right. Rv. HERCVLI CONS AVG, Calydonian boar standing right; E. 4.2 gr, 22mm, RIC 202. Göbl 729b. RSC 317. The second toughest of Gallienus' CONS AVG series to acquire.
Ex: Tauler & Fau

My fav portrait/neck beard is probably...


Best Patina as well as applied tar patina


This ones pretty rocking too:


Not to take you to school or anythingbut here's my example of your coin:

 

my favourite:

 

one of my favorite of his is this arch, would like to have seen it back then, oh for time travel.
Mysia Parium Gallienus.IMP LIC GALLIEN Laureate, draped and cuirassed bust of Gallienus to right, seen from behind. City-gate with three entrances with elephant-quadriga on top. Triumphal arch statues below top each side standing on columns, 26mm, 9.11 gm. Price and Trell fig 213. SNG France 1531

 

..i hope a family foto which includes my 3 Gallienus coins(but still missing a Mariniana) is proper..

 

..O, i watch these too...anyone we know?...

 

This one is not mine, but I saw it while watching an auction. A Centaur, pretty neat.

 

My favorite is a tie between Apollo and Diana. On one hand, Apollo is one of the least-represented deities on reverses of any emperor. On the other, Diana is...Diana.

 

Here are a few of mine!


DIANAE CONS AVG reverse. This one is double struck


PROVIDENTIA AVG. Scarce with the left facing bust


ORIENS AVG


An unusual VICT GAL AVG type. Sorry for terrible photos

A VIRTVTI AVG type from the SPQR mint


Another left-facing coin. This one in better condition than the other one, and with VIRTVS AVG reverse

 

Plenty of folks posting their Zoo series. I'm not a huge fan, but i have several. Here is my highest grade one:

 

I have far to few nice Gallienus coins yet but this is definetly my favorite out of them all:
Antoninianus - Emperor Gallienus - GERMANICVS MAX V - Lugdunum mint

 

I like the Sestertius denomination, despite the odd flan shapes and low weight typical of this reign:

IMP C P LIC GALLIENVS AVG - Laureate bust right, wearing paludamentum and cuirass
VIRTVS AVGG S C – Virtus standing frontal, head left, holding vertical spear reversed and shield resting on ground
Orichalcum Sestertius, Rome mint, September 253- early 254 AD
26,8 mm / 14,24 gr
RIC 248, Cohen 1295, MIR 36, 38bb, Sear 10495, Banti 82 (6 specimens)

 

Some: