I'm in love...with a new BOOK !

Just received my latest acquisition: the book THE CUNETIO & NORMANBY HOARDS. A "must have" for all 3rd century or Gallic Empire coins' lovers.



The Cunetio's Hoard was discovered in 1978 and was published by E. Besly and R. Bland in 1983. It contained 54,951 coins between Domitian (81-93 AD) and the Tetricii. It was composed of a sestertius of Domitian, a denarius of Commodus (180-192 AD), 1033 denarii and Antoniniani coins from the Severian period to 253 AD, 27 332 coins from the central Empire of Valerian I to Aurélien, 24,411 antoniniani of the Gallic Empire from Postumus to Tetricus without forgetting 2,149 radiate imitations. The treasure was acquired by the British Museum.

As for the Normanby (Lincolnshire) Hoard, discovered in 1985 and published in 1988 under the pen of R. Bland and A. Burnett, it contained 47,912 pieces from Valerian I (253-260 AD) to Carausius (286- 293 AD). The treasure consisted of 12,418 antoniniani and Aureliani from Valerian I to Probus, 33,163 Antoninians from the Gallic Empire from Postumus to the Tetricii, 69 coins from Carausius and 2,262 radiate imitations. Found at the metal detector, the British Museum was able to make a selection of 550 of the rarest coins, the hoard was given to a professional and dispersed on the numismatic market.



This fantastic book published in 2018 is a reprint in full of two of England's greatest hoards published in the 1980s. The original works have been out of print for a long time and that of Cunetio's Treasure in its original version often sells for over 300 $. The quality of the plates (40 for Cunetio and 39 for Normanby) is impeccable and seems more legible, on semi-matt paper, than the original on glossy paper. Page VIII is a joint manual for the two hoards with the different references. It should be noted that the Cunetio and Normanby treasures have become over time reference books often used and cited in hoards studies. A second part (p. IX-X) talks about the recent work devoted to the study of radiated coinage (Antoniniani, Aureliani and radiate imitations) between 253 and 296 AD, a period of Military Anarchy articulated between the coinages of Valérien-Gallien (253-268 AD) from Claudius II to the tetrarchic reform (268-294 AD), the Gallic Empire (260-274 AD) and the British Empire (286-296 AD) for Carausius and Allectus.






A third point put forward by S. Moorhead aims to inform the reader concerning the metallic content of the coins following the chronology with a drastic weakening of the silver rate during the whole period and with an attempt of recovery in hand after the reform of Aurélien in 274 AD. Moorhead emphasizes the irregular coins of the period. Finally, an updated bibliography makes it possible to perceive the evolution since the publication of the two sets (p. XVI-XVII) 35 years ago.

In conclusion, I present you my only coin from the Normanby hoard, a Victorinus with AEQVITAS reverse, not often seen with the legend IMP C VICTORINVS PF AVG.

See you in two months, I have some reading to do !

 

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Looks like one I'll have to splurge for!

The title of your thread reminds me of the late, great Eddie Money!



Here's a "CONS AVG" coin such as illustrated in your book.



Gallienus, AD 253-268.
Roman billon Antoninianus, 3.53 g, 20.1 mm, 1 h.
Rome, AD 267-268.
Obv: GALLIENVS AVG, radiate head, right.
Rev: DIANAE CONS AVG, stag walking right; X I in exergue.
Refs: RIC 179K; Göbl 745b; Cohen 157; RCV 10201.

 

Great book. I will have to get one. I also have a Victorinus from the Normanby Hoard:

Victorinus Antoninianus, 268-270

Cologne. Bronze, 19mm, 2.8g. Radiate, cuirassed bust, IMP C VICTORINVS PF AVG. SALVS AVG, Salus standing, holding a snake (RIC 67).

Of course I'd have loved one from the Cunetio Hoard if that'd been possible. That's a huge number of coins between the two!