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An interesting twin issue of Valerian and Gallienus from Viminacium
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<p>[QUOTE="Claudius_Gothicus, post: 7778200, member: 116315"]In Roman Imperial coinage, it's quite easy to find reverses that were used for both a senior emperor and his junior colleague; what's harder to come across, and undoubtedly far more interesting, are cases where the reverse, though similar, was adapted in a particular way to better fit each emperor. This is exactly what's going on with these two antoniniani from Viminacium; I have had the Valerian version for quite a while, and it featured on my Top 10 list for 2020, while the Gallienus came up for auction earlier this month at a really good price, and I've just received it:</p><p><br /></p><p>[ATTACH=full]1334313[/ATTACH]</p><p>Gallienus (253-268), Antoninianus, Viminacium mint.</p><p>Obverse: IMP GALLIENVS P F AVG, radiate and cuirassed bust right, seen from the front;</p><p>Reverse: VIC-T GE-RM, Victory walking left, holding wreath in right hand and palm branch in left hand, captive at her feet;</p><p>RIC V 404, Göbl 845</p><p><br /></p><p>[ATTACH=full]1334315[/ATTACH]</p><p>Valerian I (253-260), Antoninianus, Viminacium mint.</p><p>Obverse: IMP VALERIANVS P F AVG, radiate, draped and cuirassed bust right, seen from the front;</p><p>Reverse: VICT P-ART, Victory standing left, holding palm branch in left hand and resting right hand on shield, captive at her feet;</p><p>RIC V 262, Göbl 847</p><p><br /></p><p>These coins are quite rare and the Valerian in particular is not that easy to find at a good price, due to the ironic nature of the reverse that makes it highly sought after, with the only similar example being the VICTORIA GERMANICA antoniniani of Decius, who met a similar end, though at the hands of the Goths. These antoniniani belong to the final emission of Imperial coinage from the Viminacium mint, and there are a few variants that deserve to be mentioned, though I lack an example to show: the Gallienus also exists with the obverse GALLIENVS AVG GERM (Göbl 848), while the Valerian comes with a cuirassed-only bust too, as well as the longer reverse legend VICT PARTI (Göbl 846). Together, I think they're a pretty nice set!</p><p><br /></p><p><img src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/5/5e/Ancient_balkans_4thcentury.png/790px-Ancient_balkans_4thcentury.png" class="bbCodeImage wysiwygImage" alt="" unselectable="on" /></p><p><i>The location of Viminacium in Moesia alongside other important cities in the region, with the administrative divisions of the 4th century (<i>Wikipedia; Map made by user PANONIAN)</i></i></p><p><br /></p><p>Even though the Viminacium mint is mostly known for striking its famous bronze provincials coins ([USER=99554]@Ocatarinetabellatchitchix[/USER] made <a href="https://www.cointalk.com/threads/viminacium-the-city.382033/" class="internalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="https://www.cointalk.com/threads/viminacium-the-city.382033/">a great thread about them</a> a while ago!), which were first struck under Gordian III in 239, when the city had received the status of colonia, it also produced several series of silver antoniniani and gold aurei, beginning with the usurper Pacatian, who had used the city as his capital; outside of a small issue for Philip I<i>, </i>the mint then only restarted the production of antoniniani under Valerian I, and it continued up until its closure around 257 AD, with some of its engravers possibly being sent to the newly opened mint in Trier, Gallienus' headquarters.</p><p><br /></p><p><img src="https://www.auctiones.ch/images/000011/010011_l.jpg" class="bbCodeImage wysiwygImage" alt="" unselectable="on" /></p><p><i>A very rare antoninianus of Philip I from Viminacium, illustrating the mint's peculiar style of portraiture and lettering (Image courtesy of Auctiones GMBH)</i></p><p><br /></p><p>Despite being a relatively minor mint, it was still quite significative in the grand scheme of things, as it was the one which first produced Roman Imperial coins with a heroic bust (though they're extremely rare), as before then they had only been used on provincials!</p><p><br /></p><p><img src="https://www.cngcoins.com/photos/enlarged/4420291.jpg" class="bbCodeImage wysiwygImage" alt="" unselectable="on" /></p><p><i>(Image courtesy of CNG)</i></p><p><br /></p><p>This coin belongs to the same emission as my VICT GERM, and both are referring to the third of Gallienus' five Germanic victories, as identified by this type emitted at the same time at Rome with TER in the reverse legend (it was sold a few days ago at Naumann, but unfortunately I was outbid by a lot):</p><p><br /></p><p><img src="https://media.biddr.com/media/img/auction_lots/1838/1999612_1623925138.l.jpg" class="bbCodeImage wysiwygImage" alt="" unselectable="on" /></p><p><i>(Image courtesy of Numismatik Naumann)</i></p><p><br /></p><p>Unfortunately, we only know of the specific circumstances of the fifth, the defeat of an Alemannic invasion near Mediolanum. As for Valerian, his coin refers to his campaign in the East to recover the territories taken by Shapur a few years earlier, after the battle of Barbalissos; however, despite a few early successes, he was eventually defeated and captured at Edessa, with his subsequent whereabouts being unknown, the only emperor to experience such a fate.</p><p><br /></p><p>The mint also struck some antoniniani for Mariniana, Salonina and Valerian II, but they're not as interesting, in my opinion. While listed in RIC V, they're usually attributed to the wrong mints, and Viminacium was instead given the first two Antiochene emissions of Valerian and Gallienus (it was Göbl who finally ordered them correctly). Here's one of Salonina:</p><p><br /></p><p>[ATTACH=full]1334314[/ATTACH]</p><p>Salonina (253-268), Antoninianus, Viminacium mint.</p><p>Obverse: CORN SALONINA AVG, diademed and draped bust right, on crescent;</p><p>Reverse: IVNO REGINA, Juno standing left, holding patera in right hand and sceptre in left hand;</p><p>RIC V 28 (misattributed mint), Göbl 847</p><p><br /></p><p>Some of her types are relatively common, while others are very rare; still, despite losing out on one in Naumann, I'm still determined to collect all the ones from this mint and create a type set.</p><p><br /></p><p>That's all for now; post your "twin issues", your coins of Viminacium, your coins referencing important victories, or anything else you think might be relevant <img src="styles/default/xenforo/clear.png" class="mceSmilieSprite mceSmilie1" alt=":)" unselectable="on" unselectable="on" />!</p><p><br /></p><p>Sources:</p><p>- RIC V;</p><p>- "Die Munzpragung Der Kaiser Valerianus I./ Gallienus/ Saloninus 253-268 Regalianus 260 Und Macrianus/ Quietus 260-262", Robert Göbl, 2000;</p><p>- "The numbering of the victories of the Emperor Gallienus and of the loyalty of his legions", The Numismatic Chronicle and Journal of the Royal Numismatic Society, Andreas Alföldi, 1929;</p><p>- <a href="http://www.muntenmuseum.nl/" target="_blank" class="externalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="http://www.muntenmuseum.nl/" rel="nofollow">http://www.muntenmuseum.nl/</a> ;[/QUOTE]</p><p><br /></p>
[QUOTE="Claudius_Gothicus, post: 7778200, member: 116315"]In Roman Imperial coinage, it's quite easy to find reverses that were used for both a senior emperor and his junior colleague; what's harder to come across, and undoubtedly far more interesting, are cases where the reverse, though similar, was adapted in a particular way to better fit each emperor. This is exactly what's going on with these two antoniniani from Viminacium; I have had the Valerian version for quite a while, and it featured on my Top 10 list for 2020, while the Gallienus came up for auction earlier this month at a really good price, and I've just received it: [ATTACH=full]1334313[/ATTACH] Gallienus (253-268), Antoninianus, Viminacium mint. Obverse: IMP GALLIENVS P F AVG, radiate and cuirassed bust right, seen from the front; Reverse: VIC-T GE-RM, Victory walking left, holding wreath in right hand and palm branch in left hand, captive at her feet; RIC V 404, Göbl 845 [ATTACH=full]1334315[/ATTACH] Valerian I (253-260), Antoninianus, Viminacium mint. Obverse: IMP VALERIANVS P F AVG, radiate, draped and cuirassed bust right, seen from the front; Reverse: VICT P-ART, Victory standing left, holding palm branch in left hand and resting right hand on shield, captive at her feet; RIC V 262, Göbl 847 These coins are quite rare and the Valerian in particular is not that easy to find at a good price, due to the ironic nature of the reverse that makes it highly sought after, with the only similar example being the VICTORIA GERMANICA antoniniani of Decius, who met a similar end, though at the hands of the Goths. These antoniniani belong to the final emission of Imperial coinage from the Viminacium mint, and there are a few variants that deserve to be mentioned, though I lack an example to show: the Gallienus also exists with the obverse GALLIENVS AVG GERM (Göbl 848), while the Valerian comes with a cuirassed-only bust too, as well as the longer reverse legend VICT PARTI (Göbl 846). Together, I think they're a pretty nice set! [IMG]https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/5/5e/Ancient_balkans_4thcentury.png/790px-Ancient_balkans_4thcentury.png[/IMG] [I]The location of Viminacium in Moesia alongside other important cities in the region, with the administrative divisions of the 4th century ([I]Wikipedia; Map made by user PANONIAN)[/I][/I] Even though the Viminacium mint is mostly known for striking its famous bronze provincials coins ([USER=99554]@Ocatarinetabellatchitchix[/USER] made [URL='https://www.cointalk.com/threads/viminacium-the-city.382033/']a great thread about them[/URL] a while ago!), which were first struck under Gordian III in 239, when the city had received the status of colonia, it also produced several series of silver antoniniani and gold aurei, beginning with the usurper Pacatian, who had used the city as his capital; outside of a small issue for Philip I[I], [/I]the mint then only restarted the production of antoniniani under Valerian I, and it continued up until its closure around 257 AD, with some of its engravers possibly being sent to the newly opened mint in Trier, Gallienus' headquarters. [IMG]https://www.auctiones.ch/images/000011/010011_l.jpg[/IMG] [I]A very rare antoninianus of Philip I from Viminacium, illustrating the mint's peculiar style of portraiture and lettering (Image courtesy of Auctiones GMBH)[/I] Despite being a relatively minor mint, it was still quite significative in the grand scheme of things, as it was the one which first produced Roman Imperial coins with a heroic bust (though they're extremely rare), as before then they had only been used on provincials! [IMG]https://www.cngcoins.com/photos/enlarged/4420291.jpg[/IMG] [I](Image courtesy of CNG)[/I] This coin belongs to the same emission as my VICT GERM, and both are referring to the third of Gallienus' five Germanic victories, as identified by this type emitted at the same time at Rome with TER in the reverse legend (it was sold a few days ago at Naumann, but unfortunately I was outbid by a lot): [IMG]https://media.biddr.com/media/img/auction_lots/1838/1999612_1623925138.l.jpg[/IMG] [I](Image courtesy of Numismatik Naumann)[/I] Unfortunately, we only know of the specific circumstances of the fifth, the defeat of an Alemannic invasion near Mediolanum. As for Valerian, his coin refers to his campaign in the East to recover the territories taken by Shapur a few years earlier, after the battle of Barbalissos; however, despite a few early successes, he was eventually defeated and captured at Edessa, with his subsequent whereabouts being unknown, the only emperor to experience such a fate. The mint also struck some antoniniani for Mariniana, Salonina and Valerian II, but they're not as interesting, in my opinion. While listed in RIC V, they're usually attributed to the wrong mints, and Viminacium was instead given the first two Antiochene emissions of Valerian and Gallienus (it was Göbl who finally ordered them correctly). Here's one of Salonina: [ATTACH=full]1334314[/ATTACH] Salonina (253-268), Antoninianus, Viminacium mint. Obverse: CORN SALONINA AVG, diademed and draped bust right, on crescent; Reverse: IVNO REGINA, Juno standing left, holding patera in right hand and sceptre in left hand; RIC V 28 (misattributed mint), Göbl 847 Some of her types are relatively common, while others are very rare; still, despite losing out on one in Naumann, I'm still determined to collect all the ones from this mint and create a type set. That's all for now; post your "twin issues", your coins of Viminacium, your coins referencing important victories, or anything else you think might be relevant :)! Sources: - RIC V; - "Die Munzpragung Der Kaiser Valerianus I./ Gallienus/ Saloninus 253-268 Regalianus 260 Und Macrianus/ Quietus 260-262", Robert Göbl, 2000; - "The numbering of the victories of the Emperor Gallienus and of the loyalty of his legions", The Numismatic Chronicle and Journal of the Royal Numismatic Society, Andreas Alföldi, 1929; - [URL]http://www.muntenmuseum.nl/[/URL] ;[/QUOTE]
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An interesting twin issue of Valerian and Gallienus from Viminacium
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