Claudius_Gothicus' Top 10 of 2021

It still feels like yesterday when, exactly one year ago, I uploaded my Top 10 list for 2020, and now that 2021 has flown by as well, I think it's time to post the updated version for this year. While my previous selection was not that bad, it wasn't very impressive in regards to rarity or quality and it also lacked focus; on the other hand, this year I was much more selective in my purchases and I tried to make sure to obtain coins that fit the themes of my collection and that are also in an acceptable state of preservation. I hope that you will find something to like either for its historical importance or for its quality; also, when I made them, I will link the relevant writeups in which I discussed those coins in more detail, in case somebody was interested in learning more about them. Without further ado, here it is:

10) A rare and interesting architectural type of Gallus - Writeup

Roman Empire, Trebonianus Gallus (251-253), Antoninianus, Antioch mint.
Obverse: IMP C C VIB TREB GALLVS P F AVG, radiate and cuirassed bust right, seen from behind, VII (?) below;
Reverse: SAECVLLVM NOVVM (sic), tetrastyle temple with seated figure in centre (Jupiter?), IV below;
RIC IV - (c.f. RIC IV 91);

This antoninianus might not be the most stunning coin of this lineup, but it's the second known example of a variety that I never thought I'd be able to obtain due to its rarity, and, as I've discussed in the appropriate T-Bone Tuesday, it stands out for two reason, the misspelled reverse legend with two L, as well as the fact that the temple on the reverse is tetrastyle rather than hexastyle, which is how it's listed in all the references. The fact that the building still hasn't been clearly identified, either, definitely adds to the coin's interest.

9) An excellent campgate with an important provenance - Writeup

Roman Empire, Constantine I (307-337), Nummus, Trier mint.
Obverse: CONSTAN-TINVS AVG, laureate head right;
Reverse: PROVIDEN-TIAE AVGG, campgate with two towers, six rows, no doors; star above, PTR(dot on crescent) in exergue;
RIC VII 475;

This is the only coin on this list that isn't an antoninianus, and while it is an extremely common type, it is not easy to find in such a nice state of preservation, and if you take into consideration the fact that it was quite cheap and that it came from the collection of Peter Weiß, one of the most famous experts of the coinage of the period, you can understand why it still made the top 10.

8) A stunning portrait of Quintillus

Roman Empire, Quintillus (270), Antoninianus, Rome mint.
Obverse: IMP C M AVR CL QVINTILLVS AVG, radiate, draped and cuirassed bust right, seen from the front;
Reverse: FORTVN-A REDVX, Fortuna standing left, holding rudder in right hand and cornucopia in left hand, Z in right field;
RIC V 20; RIC V Online 1165; La Venera 10118-10134; Normanby 1176; Cunetio 2342;

Finding coins of Quintillus with good portraits is not that hard, but they are almost always from Mediolanum, as the ones struck in Rome were made during the period in which the quality control was at its absolute worst; as a result, while this coin might have a horrible reverse and some wear, I still consider it to be a worthy acquisition due to the very artistic portrait, plus the fact that it came originally from the Niggeler collection and also that the dealer was kind enough to include a Christmas card with it, which was a very nice gesture.

7) An early issue of Tacitus from Rome

Roman Empire, Tacitus (275-276), Aurelianus, Rome mint.
Obverse: IMP C M CL TACITVS AVG, radiate, draped and cuirassed bust right, seen from the front;
Reverse: CLEM-ENTIA TEMP, Mars in military dress standing left, holding olive branch in right hand, spear and shield which rests on ground in left hand, Z in right field, XXI in exergue;
RIC V 83; RIC V Online 3505; La Venera 251-255; Gloucester 680;

While this coin is by far the most common one from Tacitus' early issue at Rome, not only is it in great condition, with a strong portrait and excellent details, but the historical implications that it carries are significant as well, and I will discuss them more thoroughly in an upcoming installment of Tacitus Thursday: basically, the fact that the emperor's portrait changes very dramatically in the later emissions from Rome and Ticinum, which also include ADVENTVS medallions, suggests that the few historical sources that talk about his reign might not be correct in saying that he came to Rome as an aged private citizen, and that instead he more likely was a younger victorious general coming down to Italy from the limes, which would cast doubts over the way that he has been presented, as one of the last defenders of senatorial autonomy against the power of the army. Tacitus' brief reign definitely deserves a revision that takes into account the new numismatic evidence as well.

6) An unpublished and attractive Claudius II - Writeup

Roman Empire, Claudius II (268-270), Antoninianus, Antioch mint.
Obverse: IMP C CLAVDIVS AVG, radiate head right, with drapery to front and rear;
Reverse: CONC-OR AVG, Proserpina standing right, holding long-handled torch in right hand, facing Ceres standing left, holding corn-ears in right hand and long-handled torch in left hand;
RIC V - (c.f. RIC V 200); RIC V Online - (c.f. RIC V Online 1072);

Here's the first Claudius II from the list and, as you can probably guess, there will be a few more later on! It's always thrilling to discover a new variety in your field of expertise, and it's particularly satisfying when it's from an already rare series and it also comes with a very pleasant full silvering with golden toning and a very impressive Eastern-style portrait.

5) A consular bust of Gallienus

Roman Empire, Gallienus (253-268), Antoninianus, Mediolanum mint.
Obverse: GALLIENVS P F AVG, radiate bust left, wearing trabea, holding scipio in right hand;
Reverse: PA-X AVG, Pax running left, holding olive branch in right hand and transverse sceptre in left hand, S in left field;
RIC V - ; MIR 1225m; Toffanin 207/7;

I've always liked Gallienus' consulars busts, which were struck only at Mediolanum, due to the quality of their engraving and their historical importance, since it was the first appearance of this bust type on coins intended for general circulation. However, in the rare occasions in which they come up for sale, they tend to go for very high amounts, so I had to settle for this example; it's certainly not perfect, but it's quite nice and it also happens to be the second known example of this variety with the short obverse legend without IMP.

4) A splendid and historically important Aurelian from his final issue

Roman Empire, Aurelian (270-275), Aurelianus, Rome mint.
Obverse: IMP AVRELIANVS AVG, radiate and cuirassed bust right, seen from the front;
Reverse: ORI-ENS AVG, Sol walking right, holding olive branch in right hand and bow in left hand, left foot resting on a captive in oriental dress kneeling on the ground to the right, right hand raised, Γ in left field, XXIR in exergue;
RIC V 64; RIC V Online 1817; La Venera 1167-1203; Maravielle 96;

This coin was struck at Rome in 275 as part of Aurelian's final issue before his assassination, which was intended to commemorate Sol's vital role in helping the emperor defeat Rome's enemies and restore the empire. It might be very common, but it's certainly historically important as well, and it's also quite hard to find in such nice condition, with sharp details and pristine silvering. It's also worth mentioning that it ended up costing me far less than what it was originally sold for by Rauch in 2012, which is a nice bonus.

3) An extremely rare first issue Claudius II from Rome

Roman Empire, Claudius II (268-270), Antoninianus, Rome mint.
Obverse: IMP C M AVR CLAVDIVS P F AVG, radiate, draped and cuirassed bust right, seen from behind;
Reverse: ADVENTVS AVG, emperor on horseback riding left, raising right arm and holding transverse sceptre in left hand;
RIC V - (c.f. RIC V 13); RIC V Online 100;

This coin is my most recent acquisition, and as a result the only coin on the list that I haven't actually received yet. Due to its extreme rarity, with only one listed in RIC V Online, I had very little hope of ever managing to get one, especially since that example, from the Johannessen collection, had been sold by CNG for a very high amount, which is why I was both happy and surprised to obtain this one for a relatively reasonable price. It might not be very pretty, as basically all the coins from Rome of this period are, but the antoniniani of Claudius II from his first emission, with the long obverse legend with his complete nomenclature, are incredibly rare and worth obtaining no matter the state of preservation.

2) A unique ex-Mazzini Tacitus with an historically important reverse - Writeup

Roman Empire, Tacitus (275-276), Aurelianus, Serdica mint.
Obverse: IMP C M CL TACITVS AVG, radiate, draped and cuirassed bust right, seen from the front;
Reverse: VICTOR-IA PERPE-TVA AVG, Victory standing right, holding wreath in right hand and palm against left shoulder, facing Emperor in military dress standing left, right hand outstretched and holding long sceptre in left hand, star in field, KA(•)Γ(•) in exergue;
RIC V - (c.f. RIC V 201); RIC V Online 3955; Mazzini 167; BNC, pl. 96, 472;

The VICTORIA PERPETVA AVG is one of Tacitus' most elusive reverse types, having been used only for one emission by some of Serdica's officinae, and also one of the few new ones that were introduced during his reign. Due to its rarity and historical importance it is very sought after and tends to realize very high prices when it comes up for sale, which is why I was amazed when I managed to pick up this one for the starting price from an almost unknown auction house. As a plus, this coin is also the only known example of this variant from the third officina and it once resided in the famous Mazzini collection, being illustrated in Estiot's work as a result of its uniqueness.

1) My Claudius II "White Whale" - Writeup

Roman Empire, Claudius II (268-270), Antoninianus, Mediolanum mint.
Obverse: IMP CLAVDIVS P F AVG, radiate bust left, wearing trabea, holding Victory on globe in right hand and scipio in left hand;
Reverse: PA-X A-VG, Pax running left, holding olive branch in right hand and transverse sceptre in left hand, T in exergue;
RIC V - (c.f. RIC V 157); RIC V Online 46; Huvelin 1980, 10; Toffanin 311/4;

The consular antoniniani of Claudius II, also struck only at Mediolanum like those of Gallienus, are even rarer than those of his predecessor, with only ten known examples, paired with three different reverse types, and the few times they went up for sale they reached very high prices. After being too slow in buying a very damaged and quite expensive example of this same type, I thought that I had missed my only shot ever at getting a coin with this bust, so imagine my amazement when not only did this example in far better condition show up in a group lot of a major auction, but I also managed to win it for a very reasonable amount, so low that I managed to resell the other coins in the lot and actually make a profit. I don't think I'll have such a stroke of luck ever again, but one can hope!

That's all for now; overall, I would say that this was a pretty good year, and certainly better than the previous one, as I narrowed down my interests significantly and made sure to choose the right coins to prioritize during bidding, which has allowed me to obtain many nice and important examples. I hope that I will continue to manage my budget in an equally efficient way which will allow me to acquire an even better selection in 2022. Remember to vote for your favourite coins and let me know what you think about them!

Happy holidays to everyone and may 2022 be a good year for your collection as well!

 

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Nice haul of coins, I voted for the Gallus SAECVLVM NOVVM, Aurelian ORIENS type, and the Tacitus VICTORIA PERPETVA type. Happy Holidays to you as well (and anybody reading this thread).

 

The Gallus is very cool. I have a Saeculum Novum of Philip I but of course it's the hexastyle temple!

Another thing to add to the Campgate, is that it's from Trier. I believe the current scholarship is that the Campgates are actually City Gates, and one from Trier survives to this day.

 

A great group; I voted for the Constantine I campgate, the Aurelian/Sol, and the Claudius II Adventus.

 

What an impressive lineup of very special coins! Congratulations on the great year .

Hard to pick just three favorites but I'll go with the Claudius II Pax, Tacitus Victoria, the Claudius II Condordia, and the Claudius II Adventus. Oops, that's 4 .

 

Yesterday I watched for some short periods the Leu ''Live bidding'' window , I remember your coin. I like #1 ,#3 and the Quintillus portrait. Congrats !

 

Knowing you a bit more now, I'm amazed at how mature your way of collecting is, after only two years or so. After more than 40 years I still have to force myself to concentrate on goals I find difficult to limit...
And those rarities...OMG !

My votes are for the stunning # 5, 3 and 1, although they're all very covetable. Congrats on a great year

Q

 

Great selection....Love the Quintillus portrait!...and your #3 & #1 are nice finds / Interesting coins....Congrats

 

Great additions, my 3 favorites would be the consular Gallienus, that beautiful Quintillus and the architectural Gallus.

 

Great group! I always enjoy all the research you put into these. My favorite is the Quintillus…wonderful portrait, it’s really not easy to find many coins of his in such good shape (heck of a provenance too). I also voted for the T-Bone with the mysterious temple reverse, and the excellent Gothicus Adventus rarity. Congrats on a great year!

 

Great and very interesting coins. My favorites:
#10: the Trebonianus, very interesting
#4: The Aurelian from his final issue and in excellent condition
#3: a first Claudius II issue from Rome, wow! Nice

Congrats on a great 2021!

 

Nice selections!
My favorites are #1, 6 and 9. I simply like their designs.

 

Wonderfully curated selection! The ex Mazzini Tacitus and the "white whale" consular CII are especially enviable! Excellent scores. The CII with Proserpina and Ceres is another favorite as I like his duo deity issues.

 

What can I say, great buying you have a real talent for picking up coins that are either rare or have slight differences from mainstream, congrats you go from strength to strength with your collecting.

 

Fantastic additions to your numophylacium, @Claudius_Gothicus! Very interesting and scarce coins. I like the T-bone with the odd tetrastyle temple, the Gallienus with the consular bust of Mediolanum, and the "white whale" Claudius II with the consular bust that was in a group lot, of all places! SCORE!!!

I always enjoy your write-ups about your coins. May 2022 treat you well!

 

C.G., You scored some excellent coins this year . I voted for #8, 2, & 9 in that order. For comparison with your two Tacitus coins, pictured below is an example from the Cyzicus Mint I sold early this year.

 

Congrats on a great year.

Here is a fun little coin with what appears to be an Official Obverse of Claudius ii paired with a Reverse of Tetricus ( there is more to the coin than just that )

 

These are all excellent coins @Claudius_Gothicus ! I picked your T-Bone, Quintillus and Claudius II ADVENTVS as my favorites.

I’ll echo @Cucumbor ‘s thoughts above and say that I think the level of sophistication that you’ve achieved with your collecting style is impressive. I look forward to seeing what you add to your collection in 2022 and beyond.

 

Great selection!

I voted for Claudius II, Tacitus with the special reverse and Trebonianus Gallus.

 

Thank you very much to everybody who voted in the poll! I was pleasantly surprised that, more or less, almost all the coins received a good amount of votes each, because that means that I was successful in assembling a selection that contained coins that, despite their chronological and geographical proximity, were still appealing, for one reason or another, to a large group of users, which was my goal. I must admit I was surprised to see that the Gallus received so many votes, though - I was expecting the Aurelian and the Mazzini Tacitus to blow it out of the water.

It's an honour to hear that somebody with your level of artistic taste had a hard time choosing the top three !

I consider myself to have begun collecting "officially" in September of last year, as that is when I took part in my first mainstream auction, so, overall, I've been collecting seriously for only slightly more than a year. Delimitating the boundaries of my collecting area certainly wasn't easy, though, and even today I still wonder what new subcollections I could start, if I had the chance; in the end, though, budget constraints meant that, at least for now, I'll concentrate mainly on the antoniniani of the final years of the Crisis, with the earlier Antiochene issues and the Constantinian campgates as secondary interests, and so far, considering what this more focused approach has allowed me to acquire compared to last year, I'd say I've been more than happy with this arrangement.

Thanks! The Quintillus is definitely not perfect, but it's indeed quite challenging to find such finely engraved portraits of his from the Rome mint. If it was good enough for Niggeler then this coin is also certainly good enough for me!

I agree, I think his final emission from Antioch contains the most interesting of all of his reverse types, due to both the historical context as well as the variety of deities that are represented. It's unfortunate that they're so rare and usually in such poor condition, which is why I was so thrilled to obtain this one, besides its rarity.

Thanks! My numophylacium of Claudius II is indeed growing quite nicely (though it will never be able to match the vastity of your Faustina collection !), and while most of the coins I add are minor variations that almost nobody would care about, on those rare occasions in which a truly interesting rarity of his turns up I try my best to obtain it. I hope that eventually I'll have enough material to write a complete reference book on Claudius II, since as far as I know nobody has ever done it, not even Johannessen, and even if RIC V Online hadn't been abandoned, I believe a physical book will always be more impressive than an online database.

Thank you, I'm glad to hear that you appreciate my efforts to specialize in a certain field! I feel like it is the collecting method most suited for somebody like me, and, besides, one of the reasons why I'm attracted to the coinage of the final part of the Crisis is due to the fact that it reflects the troublesome situation of the period as well as the mystery that surrounds it, with many rare and enigmatic types as well as new varieties being discovered from time to time. I believe that it is a field that can be far more exciting that what can seem at first glance .