Postumus ? lightweight dupondius ?

Discussion in 'Ancient Coins' started by singig, Oct 21, 2021.

  1. singig

    singig Well-Known Member

    Hello, I need your help to identify this coin , it has 23 mm and 6.4 grams.
    post1.jpg
    The emperor should be Postumus , I looked also at other gallic emperors , they don't seems to have this PAX AVG reverse. The right side the of obverse legend should be .......STVMVS P F AVG, but not sure.

    Postumus has only one antoninianus with Pax runnig left , RIC 78 , this type is generally made in silver , very rare in billon, average weight 3.2 g.

    The closets coin I found is this dupondius (lightweight Double Sestertius 24 mm and 11.41 g) RIC 218 , the reverse is a die match for me.
    https://www.acsearch.info/search.html?id=5494786
    5494786.jpg

    I would like to know you opinions , if is Postumus ?, and what denomination is it ? Thanks!
     
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  3. ancient coin hunter

    ancient coin hunter 3rd Century Usurper

    Hard to tell I would guess Postumus. Could be a lightweight sestertius. I found on wildwinds.com that some sestertii also have radiate crowns (like the double sestertii). I have a double sestertius.

    Postumus
    A.D. 260

    Ӕ Double Sestertius
    Obverse: L IMP C M CASS LAT POSTVMUVS P F AVG; radiate, draped and cuirassed bust right.

    Reverse: P M TR P COS II PP S C; Emperor in military attire stg. l.; holding globe and spear.

    Reference: RIC V Lugdunum 106

    [​IMG]

    [​IMG]
     
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  4. Al Kowsky

    Al Kowsky Well-Known Member

    singig, Your coin has so much corrosion that probably accounts for the light weight, it may be what's left a double sestertius :eek:.
     
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  5. singig

    singig Well-Known Member

  6. dougsmit

    dougsmit Member

    There are radiate coins of Postumus half the diameter of the sestertii which usually are a bit barbarous looking. Were they intended to be double sestertii or dupondii? I traded away my only one years ago so have none to show but prefer to call the ones with smaller diameter dupondii even if the intent was greater.
     
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  7. singig

    singig Well-Known Member

    Thank you ! @dougsmit , I will label it as small dupondius .
    I cleaned the coin a little more , now I can read the upper right side of the legend , ...STVMV.... is clear Postumus. I put it in comparison with a antoninianus from the same period.
    post4.jpg
     
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  8. John Anthony

    John Anthony Ultracrepidarian

    So many Gallic coins deemed unofficial, or barbarous, have a cast aspect - as does yours. Yet you found a struck example that does indeed appear to be a reverse die match. It's a case that lends credence to the idea that "official" struck coins were sometimes used to make molds for "unofficial" cast issues. (I put official and unofficial into quotes because Gallic minting history is such a muddled guessing game.)
     
    Last edited: Oct 22, 2021
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