Aurelian As upgrade

I also ran into one of these at a coin show in Denver. I paid a reasonable price for it with the simple knowledge that it was not an antoninianus and was fairly unusual. I have found since that it is quite common, but almost never in high grade.

 

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That's one possibility, for sure... and one idea about "limes" issues is that they are actually fourrée cores (see below)...

Good thoughts, at least it recapitulates some of my own thinking. There are other unusual denominations with this reverse type at Rome (including the rare double sestertius), so they may well have been doing some experimentation. But still... what is it supposed to be, even as an experiment?

One idea I've had is that it's a fourrée core, from an imitation gold fraction. In Doyen's study of the mess that is Gallienus gold, he lists a semissis from the previous issue at Rome that is about the right weight. But I don't know what the module is, or if it has a radiate crown. There are also other fractions, including 1g gold coins (tremissis/triens?) that might fit, but they are all extremely rare, and I haven't even seen a photo of any of them. My main question is whether any of them have radiate crowns. (On the gold, radiates are normally reserved for the double-aureus, or binio - during the sole reign these can be surprisingly light and are often mistaken for aureii.)

Still a mystery to me, but my current (extremely tentative) bet is a fourrée gold fraction. If I find out none of the fractions have radiate crowns that hypothesis would go out the window, though. Any help would be greatly appreciated!

 

That's a very fascinating hypothesis, though I don't even know if fourrées of Aureus fractions have ever been recorded. I'll see if I can find any photos or drawings that show whether or not they are supposed to feature a radiate crown.

 

Resurrecting this thread from last week, cuz it was the catalyst to a purchase that quickly followed. These had been on my list for a while (in my vcoins watchlist actually) and this made me pull the trigger. They were delivered Tuesday.


27mm, 8.5g


27mm, 7.4g

I also want to pick up the AE denarii for them both as well, but have put a pin in that for now.

 

I'd gladly trade by Aurelian denarius for your coins!!
I picked this one up for the kingly sum of just $15.

This one appears to be RIC 73. A rather common one, but a really important piece of history, in my opinion. Far as I can tell it was the last [circulating] denarius in Rome; denarii were made until the Tetrarchy but I don't think they were common money.

May I ask how much you paid for that Aurelian? I'm watching one at $125 but I don't know if that's too much for it.

 

This post-reform Diocletian issue is arguably the last circulating denarius (VTILITAS PVBLICA, 1.42g, 16.5mm):

They're quite rare, so it's possible it was a non-circulating special issue, but they were produced in reasonable numbers at several mints.

 

Wow. That’s incredible. I’ve heard of these but never seen one. Amazing!

 

The Gallienus coin is a quinarius:

https://www.acsearch.info/search.html?id=2267881

 

AURELIAN


RI Aurelian 270-275 CE AE Ant receiving Globe from Jupiter


SEVERINA


RI Severina Wife of Aurelian 274-275 CE BI22 Antoninianus 3.14g Rome mint Crescent Concordia RIC 317


AURELIAN and VABALATHUS


RI Vabalathus 271-272 CE and Aurelian

 

Well, the weight would make you think so, but I've never seen a quinarius with a radiate crown - which of course normally means 2x something. (Note that it's also a different issue from the one you linked, VICTORIA AVG III vs. just VICTORIA AVG.)

 

I'm guessing a very high quality fourree core. I have a "similar" item; a radiate Gordian III which should be some amount of silver, but isn't.

My best guess on this one is a very high quality antoninianus fourree core; the breaks in the patina point that in my opinion. although I can't imagine why they would fourree an ant.

 

Thanks, @hotwheelsearl, I'm leaning in that direction too (but it would have to be a fourrée of a gold fraction, given the size.)

@Valentinian has a great page on these. Gordian fourrées are actually pretty common, and not surprising because the silver content was still pretty high. Moving later in the century they become scarcer, but see Warren's page for some examples. The latest one I know about is in my own collection, a Gallienus dating to 256 or later:

The originals had so little silver it seems like this counterfeiter was possibly a bit of a bozo, who quickly went bankrupt.

Your Gordian looks imitative in style to me. Neat item!