I've been wrong about ancient coins in the past, and I'm certain I'll be wrong about ancient coins in the future. So surely it's possible that I'm wrong about ancient coins in the present. To my eye, the two sets of pictures appear as if they're different coins from the same dies, struck the same way. On the first coin, the relief of the devices and legends on its obverse, as well as the sharpness of the strike, looks so different from the second picture that it's hard for me to understand how two different pictures of the same coin could look so different due only to lighting conditions. This coin of Galba is so widely forged that if it's indeed the same coin in your two sets of pictures, then authentication might best be done by an expert.
The first pics have the natural light of the sun extremely low from left to right. That makes the letters and features appear sharper then they are because of shadows. The second set of photos has frontal direct lighting making the features more flat.
Here is one like yours, Josh - not found (had to buy this one). The DIVA AVGVSTA denarius of Galba is a relatively common type. However, busts come in various styles, facing either left or right. Galba AD 68-69. Rome, Denarius AR Obv: IMP SER GALBA CAESAR AVG P M. Laureate head right. Rev: DIVA AVGVSTA. Livia standing left, holding patera and long sceptre. RIC 189.
Galba's portraits vary so much in style that you have to wonder what the guy actually looked like. At least two distinct Rome styles, and a fair number of Spanish and Gallic busts. This is quite unlike the coinage of his contemporaries - Nero, Vespasian, Titus whose busts tend to be more uniform in style. This is one of the things that I like so much about his coinage - quite a lot to chose from..
IF the second set of pictures accurately reflect this coin, and IF it's the same coin, then I agree that it's worth at most $200 - $500. Still a valuable coin if genuine.
