Clodius Albinus

In the few months I've been a member here, I haven't noticed any threads devoted to the coins of Clodius Albinus. So I thought I'd post my one example. Usually, I look for coins that not only have good portraits and reverse images, but also have complete, or almost complete, legends. For whatever reason, that combination seems rare for Clodius Albinus coins, unless one is willing to spend quite a bit more than I had in mind. (It's my understanding that one also has to be wary of counterfeits with Clodius Albinus.) So, after looking for quite some time, I decided that a decent portrait was more important to me than complete legends -- especially since one can still read the "ALBIN" portion of the legend, identifying the subject -- and bought this coin:

Clodius Albinus Caesar, AR Denarius 194 AD, Rome Mint. Obv. Bare head right, D CLOD SEPT ALBIN CAES / Rev. Minerva, helmeted, standing left, holding olive branch and spear, and resting hand upon shield to right, MINER PACIF COS II. RIC IV-1 7, RSC 48, Sear RCV II 6144, BMCRE 98. 17 mm., 2.72 g.

Seller's image (which looks like it was taken in black-and-white):



My own photos:





If anyone else would like to post their Clodius Albinus coins, I'd love to see them.

 

Log in or Sign up to hide this ad.

Nice addition. Yours has better titles while mine seems to have better silver.

Mine is below.


Clodius Albinus (193 - 195 A.D.)
AR Denarius
O: D CL SEPT ALBIN CAES, bare head right.
R: MINER PACIF COS II, Minerva standing front, head left, holding a spear and leaning on a shield.
Rome Mint
3.21g
19mm
RIC 7, RSC 48, RCV 6144, BMC 98

 

Very nice, @DonnaML !

Here is mine:


RI Clodius Albinus 193-197 CE AR Denarius ROMAE AETERNAE Roma seated

 

Here’s mine. Same as the two first and, like Donna, I went for the nice portrait.

 

Donna, That is an attractive example & excellent photos too ! That is a stunning portrait on svessien's coin too !

 

Nice examples. Alas, I do not own a Clodius Albinus coin.

 

Still on the bucket list of emperors I have yet to acquire along with fellows like Gordian I and II Donna. Some nice coins there.

 

Yup, that's seem to be the case indeed. Although your specimen is nice, and well struck. Nice addition!

His coins as augustus - more rare - are often in worse condition. Perhaps this has to do with the quality of the mints; coins as caesar struck under Septimius Severus in Rome (some in Alexandria), and as augustus in Lugdunum, part of his rebellion?

In any case, here's mine, off centre, flan too small, etc. Portrait is nice though:

 

Yours is a nice example, @DonnaML , with a pleasing portrait. Finding a decent example of ANY of his coins is challenging.

This one has a weakly struck reverse, but it's nonetheless serviceable.


Clodius Albinus as Caesar, AD 193-195.
Roman AR denarius, 3.12 g, 17.8 mm, 6 h.
Rome, AD 194.
Obv: D CLOD SEPT ALBIN CAES, bare head, right.
Rev: MINER PACIF COS II, Minerva standing left, holding olive branch and resting on shield, spear propped on left arm.
Refs: RIC 7; BMCRE 98-102; Cohen/RSC 48; RCV 6144; Hill 119; ERIC II 10.

 

Clodius Albinus Denarius

Obv:- D CLOD SEPT ALBIN CAES, Bare head right
Rev: FECILITAS COS II, Felicitas standing half left, caduceus in right and scepter in left
Minted in Alexandria. A.D. 194
RIC -. Same devices and legends as RIC 4 but with the disctinctive Alexadrian style.
Rare

 

Thank you. I take all my photos with my LG Android cellphone's camera -- it's just not worth it to me to spend money on any kind of fancier camera to take coin photos -- and getting the color right (without losing the detail in the coin) is always hit or miss for me. Seeing the coin in its tray, between Crispina and Septimius Severus, and beneath Marcus Aurelius, Faustina II, and Diva Faustina II, might give a better idea of what the coin actually looks like in "real life," and how well-struck the portrait is:



(I've never been able to get a good photo of that Marcus Aurelius: the shinier the coin, the more difficult I find it to photograph.)

 

This is one of my favorite time periods during the past Julio\Claudian Roman Imperial period.
Just wish I could get my grubby grubby
Grubbers on a pesky Pescinnius.
Anyway, here's my best Albinus:

 

Here's my Claudius Albinus - incomplete legends with a nice portrait and Minerva. Issued under Septimius in the name of his adversary C. Albinus at a time when both were at least willing to present the illusion that they were allied. This alliance did not last long and did not end well for Clodius Albinus.

Clodius Albinus as Caesar, AD 193-195
AR Denarius, Rome mint, struck under Septimius Severus, AD 194-195
Obv: [D CL SEPT] ALBIN CAES, bare head right.
Rev: MINER PACIF COS II, Minerva, helmeted, draped, standing left, holding olive-branch in right hand and shield set on ground in left hand; spear rests against left arm
Ref: RIC IV 7

 

As usual I'm late to the party but here are my Albinus examples:
In 193, Albinus was not yet COS II. This portrait is from one die with an absolutely terrible eye. There are more normal ones.


This is a more normal coin from 194 or after with COS II dating.


The Alexandria mint denarii are obvious by style but were only first recognized about 25-30 years ago.

There are several dies for the Alexandria coins that vary on where the legend was split. Above the T from Sept moved over to the right before Albin. Below the split separates the two words in a normal manner.

This one moved the AL over to the left to join SEPT. The centering on my example requires you to trust me on that point. I got mine over 20 years ago when many big dealers did not know the type and asked no premium for such junky style and workmanship. Now more sellers recognize them.

This is a fourree core I found appealing with its legend reading Albinus but the face looks a lot like Septimius even though it has no laurel wreath which any copy from a Septimius coin should have. The reverse is copied from Commodus. There is just a small bit of silver left. I wonder who it ever fooled (other than me???). I bought it in 1988 from the estate of a friend who liked fourrees and had a nice group of 'different' ones.


There are good portraits of this handsome man on sestertii.


Last is my only coin as Augustus. It is Lugdunum mint and has the best reverse IMO GEN LVG COS II. Some would prefer one without the severe die clash that knocked a hunk out of the reverse die. I really like this coin.


What I lack that I would like is a Provincial of Albinus. I know one that is for sale but its current owner values it more highly than I do. I'm hoping for a half price sale.

 

It should be a whole lot easier to find a Clodius Albinus than a Gordian I or II. At any given time, there are probably between 50 and 100 Clodius Albinus coins for sale on VCoins, a lot of them in the $200 range. (Although admittedly, many aren't very appealing.) I almost never see a Gordian I or II there, and at auction I think it's unusual for one to go for less than $1,000; most sell for a great deal more. Unless I win the lottery someday, I won't even bother thinking of them as being on my bucket list! Whereas I do still have hopes of being able to buy an Otho and/or a Pupienus someday, to give a couple of examples.

 

Looks like he has mutton chops I don't have one either.

 

I have only one Albinus. Here he is:



Clodius Albinus (as Caesar). AR denarius, Rome, c. 194–5 CE; 18mm, 3.06g, 11h. BMCRE 95, RIC 7, RSC 48 (Cohen, 12 fr.). Obv: D CLOD SEPT – ALBIN CAES; bare head r. Rx: MINER – PA – CIF COS [II]; Minerva standing left, holding branch and shield on ground, spear rests against her l. arm. VF.

 

@DonnaML Nice coin. I think that the issue of his coins was limited by a short period in power but also I don’t think Severus would have given much priority to coinage for a man who would soon be replaced by Caracalla. I think of it as a situation similar to the one of Constantine I and Licinius I. Constantine certainly didn’t go out of his way to mint many different types for Licinius.
I also prefer to buy coins with full legends in general and particularly in denarii. My example barely meets that criteria but I saw this unsold lot and purchased it right away because I really hadn’t seen anything better for the price. A few spots and weak strike/wear combo but a decent coin nonetheless.




Clodius Albinus, Denarius, COS II
AR Denarius
Clodius Albinus
Caesar: 193 - 195AD
Augustus: 195 - 197AD
Issued: 194 - 195AD
20.0 x 16.5mm 2.80gr 0h
O: D CLOD SEPT ALBIN CAES; Bare head, right.
R: COS II; Aesculapius standing left, holding staff with snake coiled around it.
Rome Mint
RIC 2; Sear 6140; RSC 9; Aorta: 16: B1, O4, R5, T2, M3.
Timeline Auctions Auction 032017, Lot 3244

 

It really is difficult finding a decent Albinus with nice portrait, full legend, and sharply struck reverse ; not sure why since he was Septimius' Caesar and Septimius surely has a plethora of beautiful coins. Didn't they both have the same celators at the same mints? I'm not too sure about this period.

 

Clodius Albinus. As Caesar, 193-195 AD. AR Denarius (18mm; 3.41 gm; 5h). Rome mint. Struck under Septimius Severus, 194-195 AD. Obv: Bare head right. Rev: Minerva standing left, holding olive branch, spear, and shield set on ground. RIC IV 7; RSC 48. Toned.