I wish I had @TIF's graphics skills for the title of this thread. It calls for a comic. Anyways, Salonina has never been a big draw to me, but when I was skimming on ebay as I usually do, I decided to click on this coin for kicks and when I read the description, I noticed the weight, I figured it was just a typo but in the auction "notes" it even mentioned how heavy it was for her. After a few days, I ended up winning the auction with little effort or cost. It took a while to get here since it was an international purchase. When it did arrived I was glad I made the purchase. It is the correct weight as it was listed. I continue to have a soft spot for overweight coins & it's so hard to not make it a new side collection within ancients. This is the sellers photo, it's magnified & in hand, the pit on the reverse isn't severe to the naked eye. It's still a happy addition. Salonina (254 - 268 A.D.) Billon Antoninianus O:CORN SALONINA AVG, diademed and draped bust right, crescent behind. R: CONCORDIA AVGG, emperor and empress standing confronted, clasping hands. Syrian mint, 258 - 260 A.D 5.61g 20mm Göbl MIR 1691p (Samosata), SRCV III 10630 (uncertain Syrian mint), RIC V-1 63 (Antioch), RSC IV 31 Heavy for Type!
Here is a Constantine II coin which has a thick flan and at 5.8g is about double the normal weight of circa 3 grams for this issue. It looks like it was struck on two flans. Constantine II A.D. 320 19mm 5.8g D N CONSTANTINO IVN NOB C; laureate, draped and cuirassed bust right. VICTORIAE LAET PRINC PERP; two Victories stg., facing one another, together holding wreath inscribed VOT PR on altar. in ex. P two captives L RIC VII Lyons 90
Thick flan I guess. Nice score. Here's a large Gordie... Gordian III, A.D. 238-244 AR Antoninianus, 24mm, 4.9 grams Rome mint, A.D. 241-243 Obverse: IMP GORDIANVS PIVS FEL AVG; Radiate, draped, and cuirassed bust right Reverse: PM TRP III COS II PP; Apollo seated left, holding laurel branch and leaning on lyre Reference: RIC IV 114
That's a great coin, Victor. Lucky! That's nothing, my Gordy III is much bigger. Bought from @Victor_Clark actually. Gordian III (238 - 244 A.D.) AR Antoninianus O: IMP GORDIANVS PIVS FEL AVG; radiate draped bust right. R: SECVRIT PERP; Securitas standing left with scepter, leaning on column. Rome Mint 25mm 6.2g RIC IV Rome 151 Very Heavy!
I have a Gallienus that weighs 5.84 grams - unlike the fat OP, mine appears to have only the faintest acquaintance with silver, if that: Diameter is within the normal range for these, but it is unusually thick: Gallienus Æ Antoninianus (c. 260-268 A.D.) Rome Mint GALLIENVS AVG, radiate head right / SECVRIT ORBIS, Securitas, seated left, holding sceptre, right hand raised to head. Officina letter VI in exergue. RIC (S), Rome 278; Göbl 555g. (5.84 grams / 22 mm)
All I can say about these heavy examples is that they approximate the weight that an antoninianus should have had if it was ostensibly worth 2 denarii. Sadly, the mints usually struck them at about 1.5 the weight of a denarius.
My only Gallienus is this ridiculously small and light ant. Diam: 19mm Weight: 1.95 grams How anybody could accept this at a nominal value of 2 denarii is beyond me.
That be PHAT, @Mat ! SALONINA RI Empress Salonina wife of Gallienus 254-268 CE AE Antoninianus 3.61g 20mm Rome mint 267-268 CE crescent Deer / Stag Walking delta RIC 15
I see no reason that it was not struck on a stack of two flans with the force fusing the pair. I have a Valerian which I believe was struck together but separated after striking. There is a faint and soft outline of the portrait on the blank reverse. Finding the other half would be less likely than winning the lottery for a billion$.
A nice and unusually heavy example. My "eastern" antoniniani from the reign of Gallienus both weigh only about 4g. Gallienus, Roman Empire, BI antoninianus, 260–268 AD, Asian mint (Samosata or Antioch?). Obv: GALLIENVS P F AVG; bust of Gallienus, cuirassed, radiate, r. Rev: VIRTVS AVGVSTI; Hercules, standing r,, holding club in right hand and lion-skin in left hand (type of the Farnese Hercules). 21.5mm, 4.01g. Ref: RIC V Gallienus 672. Salonina, Roman Empire, BI antoninianus, 255–256 AD, Asian mint (Samosata or Antioch?). Obv: SALONINA AVG; bust of Salonina, diademed, draped, on crescent, r. Rev: ROMAE AETERNAE; Gallienus, standing r., receiving Victory from Roma, seated l., holding spear in l. hand. 21mm, 3.83g. Ref: RIC V Salonina 67. Ex Auktionen & Münzhandel Dr. Christoph Stadler (Bremen); ex Münzbörse Stadtwaage (Bremen).
The answer is "Fiat Money". We do exactly the same every day, most notably in countries were the currency unit is still named after weights. Hence, in the UK we accept tiny brass coins, which parade as "1 pound (of sterling silver)". The discrepancy is much bigger than with the lightweight Antoninian above.
