Hi all! I just picked up this coin on eBay. Strangely, it was described as being a Probus antoninianus, rather than Hostilian (which is probably why it was so cheap). (Sorry for poor quality photos) The coin shows Hostilian as Augustus, which was a title given by Trebonianus Gallus to Hostilian after the deaths of Hostilian's father and brother, Trajan Decius and Herennius Etruscus. Coins of Hostilian giving him the title of Augustus are much rarer than coins giving him the title of Caesar. Most of the coins I can find of Hostilian as Augustus are minted from Antioch, while mine is from Rome mint. It also has the unusually short obverse legend IMP C MES QVINTVS AVG - Radiate, draped, cuirassed bust right. The reverse is PIETAS AVGG - Mercury standing left holding purse and caduceus (RIC 188) The only other example of this coin that I could find claimed that theirs was the fourth known example, making mine the fifth. Show me some coins of Hostilian that you've got
Interesting coin. I'm still missing a Hostilian as Augustus. Mine is a Caesar. Hostilian Antoninianus (AD 251) Obv.: C VAL HOS MES QVINTVS N C, radiate and draped bust facing right Rev.: MARS PROPVG, Mars advancing right, holding spear and shield Ag, 2.86g, 25x20mm Ref.: RIC 176a and a provincial: Hostilian Syria, Antiochia Billon tetradrachm Obv.: Γ OYAΛ OCTIΛIAN ME KYINTOC KECAB, bareheaded and draped bust right, S below Rev.: ΔΗΜΑΡΧ ΕΞΟΥCIAC, eagle standing right on palm branch, holding wreath in beak, SC below Billon, 13.16g, 26.1x28.1mm Ref.: Prieur 651
Great catch and addition. Hostilian (250 - 251 A.D.) AR Antoninianus O: C VALENS HOSTIL MES QVINTVS N C Bust radiate, draped right. R: PRINCIPI IVV - ENTVTIS Hostilian standing l. holding standard and spear. Rome Mint 4.16g 22mm RIC-181d (S), C-34 (4 Fr.) Ex. Jonathan Kern, ANA Show, 19 March 1998. Ex. Harlan J Berk Buy or Bid Sale, #213, Lot 312
Very nice! I added this Antiochene Hostilian as Augustus a few years back And just this year finally upgraded my ratty Hostilian as Caesar Looking more regularly, I feel like the coins of Hostilian as Augustus aren't as rare as I originally thought (and I've heard estimates of his reign as anywhere from 1 - 6 months) although curiously coins of Volusian as his Caesar certainly are!
..kool! that seems to be a good way to get an item for less ..the last coin i got of him(i've 2 provincials) just last week or so was bought listed(and bought as) as an Aemillian.....a surprise, but not a wholly bad one ..i'll post a pic when i'm able..
What a find, @Harry G! I only have him as Caesar. Hostilian as Caesar, AD 250-251. Roman AR antoninianus, 4.32 g, 20.5 mm, 5 h. Rome mint, 5th officina. 5th emission, early AD 251. Obv: C VALENS HOSTIL MES QVINTVS N C, radiate, draped, and cuirassed bust right, seen from behind. Rev: PRINCIPI IVVENTVTIS, Hostilian standing slightly left, holding signum and reversed spear. RIC 181d; RSC 34; RCV 9561; Hunter 4.
Congratulations on a great acquisition! Like many others, I have only a Hostilian as Caesar, namely the rather common Mars the Defender type -- the same variety as @Finn235's, I believe, with PROPVGNATORI spelled out in its entirety rather than abbreviated as PROPVG: Hostilian Caesar (son of Trajan Decius), AR Antoninianus, 251 AD, Rome Mint. Obv. Radiate, draped, and cuirassed bust right, C VALENS HOSTIL MES QVINTVS N C / Rev. Mars running right, holding spear in right hand and shield in left, MARTI PROPVGNATORI (Mars the Defender). RIC IV-3 177b, RSC IV 15, Sear RCV III 9556 (ill.). 22 mm., 3.65 g.
Congratulations--scarce, interesting coin in very nice condition. The next time everyone starts dumping on eBay again you should post that coin and then listen for the sound of everyone munching on their own words. It's surprising that HOST does not appear anywhere in the obverse inscription. That's probably why the seller didn't recognize the emperor. Alas, my only Hostilian is a modest provincial from Viminacium: Provincial Bronze (AE26) Moesia Superior, Viminacium Obv: C VAL HOST M QVINTVS C Rev: P M S COL VIM - Moesia, standing between bull and lion AN XII in exergue Moushmov 55 25x27mm, 12.2g.
