Hi everyone, I bought this silver/billon Antoninianus of the Emperor Gallienus, now usually with Roman coins, I tend not to buy the coins minted after AD253, but this one was quite inexpensive, and looked attractive to me, with decent looking metal. Now, my questions are.... The reverse is very badly worn, but I can read part of the legends, and I can tell that it is a trophy with a captive seated on either side of it. The only letters on the reverse I can make out are the first four, and it looks like it says 'GERM'. So I was hoping someone could tell me the rest of the legend on the reverse, and the significance of this issue, if possible. Also, does anyone know where this coin was minted? Can you tell by the portrait or anything? I know the reverse is in bad shape, but any help is much appreciated. Okay so I found out the reverse looks to be 'GERMANICUS MAX V' I believe.... but am not sure...
Yeah that seems right, I found this link. The letter before the 'V' at the end on the reverse doesnt look much like an 'X' to me from 'MAX' but it seems to be similar to the one you ID. Similar to this http://www.wildwinds.com/coins/sear/s2961.html#RIC_0018[j] which says it was minted in Lyons, I don't know if mine was minted there, or elsewhere. A bit heavily worn to tell, maybe one of the pros can see something I can't.... very worn but not bad for $5.50. I thought it might be a scarcer issue, to commemorate a campaign. Thanks for the help randy.
not bad for 3 bucks at all, my coin shop hasnt been stocking up on the lower priced romans lately very often, they usually have good prices for pretty decent quality bronzes when they get a bunch in... I looked and they do an ebay thing, I checked their account and they just had one thing for sale, some rolls of unopened 2009 or 2010 lincoln cents... nothing I'm interested in. I put the other newest Roman in my collection on the forum website, check it oot, which is about all I collect now, Romans that is, heh. But I love them, such history, such beauty. I guess that is what mine looks like underneath, bronze like yours eh? Well I hope I can find out a little bit more about this one... it seems the only ones I can find were minted in Lyon... that's cool... the only coin I have that isnt from Rome, Alexandria, or Syria is a Constantine II campgate from Trier. So it would be pretty cool to have one from Lyon.
randygeki, i enjoy your web site (My old coins) must I be a member to access the catolog of ( The Twelve Caesars ) ? thanks DE
I still can't get it to work to make a link/shortcut in my signature to my forum galleries of my old coins... double eagle, I think you can easily become a member of FORVM, and make your own galleries. I don't know about the 'twelve caesars' catalogue you speak of. Randy has some cool stuff. my old coins = http://www.forumancientcoins.com/gallery/index.php?cat=27233
Thanks I just have a gallery on the site http://www.forumancientcoins.com/ theres alot of otherpoeples galleries there too http://www.forumancientcoins.com/gallery/index.php You have to registered to buy coins or make a gallery and use the forum
I have some new Late Roman Bronzes too that I need to make a thread about when I get some photos. One is a Constantinoplis commemorative, very nice one too, great strike and detail on both sides, the mintmark area is cut off the planchet it seems... can barely see the tip top of one of the exergue letters... It is my favorite of my three new bronzes even so. The other two are of some of the Constantines... one has a right facing bust with the two soldiers 'gloria exercitus' reverse, I can't read the mintmark, it's there, but it's got some rust covering it. The other has an interesting left facing bust, and looks like he might be holding a sheild as well, and has a campgate reverse and PTR mintmark I believe... so trier. Both look VF or better details wise. Randy is there any way to clean up these type of bronzes?... I mean how to people clean those really corroded looking bronzes you see being sold in lots, or the ones that people dig out of the grount? I will make a thread for better IDs of the coins when I get some photos.
long soaks in olive oil or purified water with light brushing is what seems to be good, but I think if I ever give it a go again I will go with light mechanical cleaning. I'd post pics before you do anything and ask how to proceed from others more experienced than me.
Sounds good, thanks mate, I will try to get some photos up by the weekend's end. I can see that the two are beautiful coins underneath everything, they show great detail... the Constantinopolis one is pretty nice as it is. I made a post about cleaning my late bronzes with photos of them both here: http://www.cointalk.com/showthread.php?t=133496&p=1011167#post1011167 Also, anyone who can tell me more about the significance of the legend 'GERMANICUS MAX V' on the reverse of the Gallienus Antoninianus, I'd love to hear it.
The reverse refers to Gallienus being honored for victories against the Germans for the fifth time. I do not know the specific battle that was fifth and there is not a complete set of numbered victory coins to collect by number.
Right, I see... I saw there were similar ones with Victory above the two captives, but the reverse legend was different... so I take this to be the one with a trophy between the captives. I doubt I will be able to, but I will try to take some better photos when I get a chance.
