Antoninianus arrived and now I have doubts

I'm not sure about this coin now that I have it in hand. It seems too silver for the poor condition of the surface. I know everything is faked these days but this one didn’t seem a likely candidate for that. Also the style matches other examples without being an exact copy. Thoughts?

My coin:



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Valerian I. AD 253-260. AR Antoninianus (18mm, 4.06 g, 11h). Samosata mint. 2nd emission, AD 256-260. Radiate, draped, and cuirassed bust right / RESTITVT ORIENTIS, the Orient standing right, presenting wreath to emperor standing left, holding spear. RIC V 287; MIR 36, 1685e; RSC 189. EF. Good silver.

 

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I have no reason to think it isn't genuine; it's just been harshly chemically cleaned. You might be interested in this write-up I did a few months back about that reverse type.

 

Looks okay to me, and par for the course for harshly cleaned billon of the period.

 

You would think the surface would be smoother if the full (and thin) layer of silvering survived. Maybe a genuine coin that was replated recently?

 

If the billon has enough silver contwnt to still look silvery even if the surface is pitted then it could just be harsh cleaning.

 

The silver content was much higher during the joint reign of Valerian I and Gallienus than it was 10 years later during Gallienus' sole rule. This is the expected appearance of an antoninianus of Valerian that has been chemically cleaned or subjected to electrolysis.

 

@H8_modern Your new coin is real, just pitted. Still a decent coin, and worth collecting. Enjoy it.

Here is my only Valerian I

 

It was your post that had me start looking for the type. I’m not a big enough fan of the later emperors to spend decent money for one but was happy to find a budget example.

 

I concur with the others, it's perfectly genuine. I have the same issue (30 bucks quite a few years ago):

 

Rough but good. I agree not much fot the late especially about after 300 AD either. I don't think I paid more than $20 on this one.


But check out this rough Elagabalus. Poor guy got a real harsh cleaning or something. I wanted the type and was really hoping the sellers pics were bad.
I'm not sure exactly what happened to the poor guy.

 

An interesting post, with some interesting coins. It took me a while, but I have gotten pretty enthusiastic about Valerian-Gallienus issues. The wildly-fluctuating silver content were originally off-putting to me, but after getting a few in hand, I really like the variation in appearance, color, weights, style, etc. A chaotic time reflected in chaotic coinage. And pretty affordable too.

For what it's worth, I too think the OP is original, just cleaned.

Here is one I got recently, with a PIETATI reverse, a bit crude, but to me very pleasing:





Valerian I Antoninianus
(c. 254-255 A.D.)
Viminacium or Antioch mint
IMP C P LIC VALERIANVS AVG, radiate, draped bust right / PIETATI AVGG, Pietas standing left, holding sceptre, leaning on column.
RIC 219A Viminacium; Goebl 1563a Ant.; Sear 9956.
(3.25 grams / 20 mm)

 

I am not sure when they started with the silver wash over coppery colored coins but early Val/Gal were decent silver looking coins without it followed by ugly billon without wash and finally better looking but lower silver coins that did require the wash. Yours is from that middle period and not well struck. Add some harsh cleaning and you have what we see. There is a point in the billon mix where the silver content makes the mostly copper coin uglier than if it were not there.

 

Valerian I

RI Valerian I 253-260 CE AR Ant Felicitas stndg Caduceus and Cornucopia

Valerian II

RI Valerian II 256-258 CE Silvered Ant PRINCIP IVVENTVS

(Looks like my V-II is harshly cleaned like your V-I @H8_modern !)

 

I think it's authentic but harshly cleaned, still a collectible coin though. Here's my $20 example (and my only Valerian until I get one of his sestertii from early in the reign.





I classify it as a tweener since it still has a silver appearance in hand, but one can tell the silver content in these coins was dropping. I like the OP coin with the Oriens reverse even if it was fake news and the opposite of what actually was happening at the time.

 

Here's a typical Valerian:

 

Yours is much nicer but I paid just $20 delivered last week.

 

Typical, isn't it, H8 modern ? When you don't have it, you want it, and when you have it, you're not so sure ! And that applies to numismatics, too. I see you're attracted to small, roundish art.

 

That’s why I prefer Greek and early Roman and have a hard time finding interest in LRBs. I know others find them fascinating but I’m not an enthusiast.

 

your coin, if that is what you are talking about, is not an LRB

 

Not the best I've seen, yet decent !

Q