Balbinus antoninianus

Discussion in 'Ancient Coins' started by roman99, Jul 14, 2021.

  1. roman99

    roman99 Well-Known Member

    I've been chasing after a Balbinus for a long time, and I was finally able to win one from a heritage auction at an acceptable price. The guy only reigned for three months so his coins are hard to come by.

    Please post your coin(s) of Balbinus, and emperors that have eluded you for a while.
     

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  3. Bing

    Bing Illegitimi non carborundum Supporter

    Nice examp[le @roman99. Sadly, I do not own a Balbinus example.
     
    Last edited: Jul 15, 2021
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  4. Marsyas Mike

    Marsyas Mike Well-Known Member

    That is a very nice Balbinus you got there, @roman99 - that portrait is wonderful.

    I don't have a Balbinus (or Pupienus) of any sort, but I did just get this Gordian III sestertius that was issued under B & P for a few short months in 238 A.D. It was mis-listed on eBay as Philip II, and thus affordable -

    Gordian III - Sest. as Caesar Jug Lituus Jun 2021 (0aa).jpg
    Gordian III Æ Sestertius
    Late April-July 29, 238 A.D.
    Rome Mint

    M ANT GORDIANVS CAES, bare-headed, draped bust right / [PIET]AS AVG[G] S C in exergue, jug between lituus, secespita and patera left, simpulum and aspergillum right.
    RIC 3; Cohen 183; BMC 64-66.
    (21.33 grams / 29 mm)
    Notes: "In response to popular pressure shortly after their own elevation to imperial status, the emperors Balbinus and Pupienus adopted Gordian as Caesar. This scarce coin was part of a limited and formal coinage produced for Gordian." Wildwinds
     
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  5. ancient coin hunter

    ancient coin hunter 3rd Century Usurper

    Balbinus. AD 238.

    Æ Sestertius, 33mm, 22.9g, 12h; Rome mint. 1st emission.

    Obv
    .: IMP CAES D CAEL BALBINVS AVG; Laureate, draped, and cuirassed bust right.

    Rev
    .: CONCORDIA AVGG; Concordia seated left, holding patera and double cornucopia; S C in exergue.

    Reference
    : RIC IVb 22, p. 171.


    [​IMG]

    [​IMG]
     
  6. roman99

    roman99 Well-Known Member

    That's awesome, Gordian III as Caesar issues are very scarce and so much more costly than most of his coins.
     
  7. Finn235

    Finn235 Well-Known Member

    Beautiful Balbinus! His coins are almost universally nice, so I feel like it's justified to spend a little more to get one that will really "wow" you every time you see it.

    I saw that one! Didn't see it until about a week after it ended, but I'm glad that it went to a good home where it will be appreciated for what it actually is!

    I bought a Pupienus and Balbinus together at a CNG auction a couple years ago- buying both at once hurt the wallet quite a but, but it was very important to me to have a good matching set
    Balbinus antoninianus concordia avgg.jpg
    Pupienus antoninianus caritas mvtva avgg.jpg
     
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  8. roman99

    roman99 Well-Known Member

    Those two are really nice, a Antoninianus of Pupienus is my next target.
     
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  9. DonnaML

    DonnaML Well-Known Member

    My one Balbinus -- a denarius -- together with a Pupienus denarius with the same reverse design.

    Balbinus AR Denarius, April-June 238 AD, Rome mint. Obv. Laureate, draped, and cuirassed bust right, IMP C D CAEL BALBINVS AVG / Rev. Bearded Genius of the Senate, togate, standing front, head left, holding olive branch in extended right hand, and short transverse scepter in left hand, PM TRP COS II PP. RIC IV-2 5, RSC III 20, Sear RCV III 8489 (ill.). 20 mm., 2.65 g. (Purchased from Kirk Davis April 2020; ex: Kirk Davis, Cat # 74, Fall 2019, Lot 83).*

    BALBINUS, AD 238. AR Denarius (2.65g). jpg version.jpg

    Pupienus, AR Denarius, April-June 238 AD, Rome Mint. Obv. Laureate, draped, and cuirassed bust right, IMP C M CLOD PVPIENVS AVG / Rev. Bearded Genius of the Senate, togate, standing front, head left, holding olive branch in extended right hand, and short transverse scepter in left hand, PM TRP COS II PP. RIC IV-2 5, RSC III 29 (ill.), Sear RCV III 8528 (ill.). 20 mm., 3.42 g. (Purchased from Herakles Numismatics, Dec. 2020.)*

    pupienus denarius jpg version.jpg

    *[Applicable to both the Balbinus and the Pupienus denarii.] The standing figure on the reverse of each coin was traditionally believed to be the respective Emperor himself, holding a parazonium (a short triangular sword typically found on coins depicting Virtus) in his left hand. That view is still reflected in OCRE (based on RIC) and at the British Museum website (based on BMCRE), as well as in the descriptions of all 14 coins of this type I found that have been sold since 2003, listed on acsearch. However, as Curtis L. Clay explained at https://www.cointalk.com/threads/balbinus-denarius.358987/#post-4410967, in discussing a Balbinus example, the reverse “shows not the emperor on the reverse, but the Genius of the Senate, so his attribute has to be a short scepter, not a sword! A pity that the [British Museum] website perpetuates this old error (Genius misdescribed as emperor). The correction was made by [Andreas] Alföldi in his Insignien und Tracht [der römischen Kaiser (Deutsches Archäologisches Institut, 1935)] . . ., followed by many others since then, including a recent article by R. Ziegler. On coins of Antoninus Pius, for example, the same togate figure is labeled GENIO SENATVS. His beard and bushy hairstyle on [the Balbinus] coin are exactly as required for the Genius, and exclude Balbinus. No surprise that the Genius of the Senate reappears on the coins of Balbinus and Pupienus, since they were senators themselves and were chosen to be emperors by the Senate.” Note that Sear equivocates, describing the reverse figure on both coins as either the Emperor or “the Genius of the Senate.” See Sear RCV III 8489 & 8528 (published in 2005).
     
  10. Alegandron

    Alegandron "ΤΩΙ ΚΡΑΤΙΣΤΩΙ..." ΜΕΓΑΣ ΑΛΕΞΑΝΔΡΟΣ, June 323 BCE

    Very nice, @roman99

    [​IMG]
    Balbinus, AD 238
    AR Denarius, 20mm, 3.7g, 12h; Rome, AD 238.
    Obv.: IMP C D CAEL BALBINVS AVG; Laureate, draped, cuirassed bust right.
    Rev.: VICTORIA AVGG; Victory standing front with wreath and palm.
    Reference: RIC 8
     
  11. gsimonel

    gsimonel Well-Known Member

    Both Balbinus and Pupienus were holes in my emperor collection for a long time. Then I received a denarius of Pupienus in a group lot of silver denarii. The Pupienus was identified in the auction listing notes, yet by selling off the other denarii in the lot, I was able to reduce the cost of the Pupienus to around $100, which made it affordable for me. After having a subsequent Balbinus hole for 6 months or so I finally bit the bullet and bought this sestertius of his.

    Balbinus.jpg
    Balbinus
    Augustus, A.D. 238
    Bronze Sestertius
    Rome mint, A.D. 238
    Obv: IMP CAES D CAEL BALBINVS AVG
    Rev: CONCORDIA AVGG - Concordia seated, facing left, holding patera and cornucopia. SC in exergue.
    RIC 22
    28mm, 19.8g.

    And the denarius:
    Pupienus.jpg
    Pupienus
    Augustus, A.D. 238
    Silver Denarius
    Rome mint, A.D. 238
    Obv: IMP C M CLOD PVPIENVS AVG
    Rev: P M TR P COS II P P - Felicitas, standing, facing left, holding caduceus and scepter.
    RIC 6
    19mm, 3.3g.
     
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