Gallienus / Lion

Gallienus Silvered Antoninianus
Antioch Mint 265 AD
Obverse: GALLIENVS AVG, radiate and cuirassed bust left.
Reverse: P M TR P XIII, lion standing left, bucranium (cow skull) between front legs
C VI P P and palm branch in exergue
References: RIC 602, Göbl 1622d; RSC 843 Scarce.
Size: 21mm; 3.39 grams

Here is a sole reign Gallienus type from Antioch I have wanted for a while and finally found oneJ. I was hoping to get one with a little better reverse and I wish the green on the cheek was not there. Overall there is very little wear and even though the silvering iscfaded I find it to be attractive. The left facing bust is also cool and it has legend with the year it was struck (TRP XIII; year13; 265AD Not sure what the C VI PP indicates and have read that there is no clear understanding what it means.

 

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Looks like a calico cat to me, but if you say it's a lion, OK!

Nice coin man. Really sharp portrait too. And the cat/lion (?) is nice too.

 

I think that's a very nice coin and would welcome in my collection. My understanding of this era is the mint quality was pretty poor. A real winner! One day I want to put together his zoo set.

 

Nice coin, don't have any left facers.


Gallienus (253 - 268 A.D.)
AR Antoninianus
O: IMP C P LIC GALLIENVS AVG, Radiate and cuirassed bust right.
R: IOVI CONSERVA, Jupiter standing left, head turned right, holding scepter in right and thunderbolt in left.
5.1g
24mm
RIC 143F (Rome) Sear 10237


Gallienus (253 - 268 A.D.)
AR Antoninianus
O: GALLIENVS P F AVG, radiate and cuirassed bust right.
R: DEO MARTI, Mars in temple.
Colonia Agrippinensis (Cologne) mint, 258-259 A.D.
21mm
3.45g
RIC 10

Reverse Die Clash


Gallienus (253 - 268 A.D.)
AR Antoninianus
O: IMP C P LIC GALLIENVS AVG : Radiate, draped, cuirassed bust right, seen from behind.
R: PIETATI AVGG : Pietas standing facing, head left, left arm leaning on column, vertical long scepter in right.
Antioch, 253-255 A.D.
3.95g
22mm
RIC V, Part I, 295; Göbl 1563d

Published on Wildwinds

 

Here's lunch for your lion:


Gallienus, AD 253-268
Billon Antoninianus, 2.84g, 12h; Rome mint,
Obv.: GALLIENVS AVG; Radiate, cuirassed bust right.
Rev.: DIANAE CONS AVG; Antelope walking left // XII

Here are my other coins from Gallienus:


Gallienus, AD 260-268
AE Antoninianus, 1.9g, 18x22mm, 6h; Milan mint, 265-266.
Obv.: IMP GALLIENVS AVG; Radiate, draped bust right.
Rev.: SALVS AVG; Asclepius, naked to waist, standing front, head turned left, right hand on hip, left hand resting on serpent-entwined staff // MP


Gallienus, AD 253-268
Billion, antoninianus, 21mm, 2.9g; 6h; Rome
Obv.: GALLIENVS AVG; radiate, cuirassed bust right
Rev.: PAX AVG; Pax standing left, holding branch in right hand, transverse scepter in left. T in field

 

Cool Ant!! And I really like that 'cat' reverse!

No 'animal' reverses remain for me or left-facing busts...

But, I'm surprised that there seems to zero information (or conjecture) about the C VI P P....but I suppose some things will always remain a mystery.

Anyway, here's an Ant and one with the mythical pegasus:

 

Lol, its actually a calico lion

Burp, yum

 

It's difficult to get the color to show as "in-hand". I've only got a couple cheapies of Gallienus zoo series coins. Here is my Pegasus.



TJC- Is the OP coin the color shown in your photo?

 

I assume you have read somewhere that some recent student is denying the traditional reading of Consul VI and Pater Patriae. Do you have a link to that discussion?

 

I have some lint, but their discussion seems quiet when I am around.

 

The obvious question is why is the lion so small? I'd also like to know the meaning of the branch underneath.

 

I like collecting Gallienus because of the hunt! Due to the poor quality control at the time, many of his issues are poorly struck and the flans are very ragged. So it takes some sleuthing. I look for strong reverse strikes and good style, as on this SECVRIT PERPET. Gallienus appears to have sported a neck beard at times.

 

Yes, but in hand the silvering is a bit more pronounced.

I have seen a discussion somewhere about this legend that I cannot find right now. I would love to have better references, but not sure where to look. A Numismatist article claims no one knows the meaning of the legend. I too thought consular year could be possible, but I have the consular year VI for Gallienus as 264 whereas the Tribunition year is marked as 265. Maybe Gallienus extended his consulship or the Tribunition year and the Consular year overlap?

I agree, I have been on a Gallienus hunt for a while and will be posting a more coins and asking a few questions. I would love to understand these 3rd century ancients much better than I do.

 

At one time I was collecting the Gallenius zoo series, but because of the poor quality of the coins, I have pretty much given up on them. Some of the coins here are pretty good considering.

 

No zoo animals for me, no Lion, no cats, no cool trophies... just regular ole reverses.

 

This is the sorrow of Gallienus. He has many types. Many are regularly well struck on round flans and available easily in acceptable condition. Other types were made in a place and time when almost no coins are even half decent looking. The Zoo Series fell in one of the bad places. If we all, as a group, showed our best Zoo coin, we probably would not have a nice set nearly complete. On the other hand, the lion (not part of the Zoo series) comes when that mint was doing good work. Finding one with poor legends will be harder than finding a nice one. It is the hobby as we know it.

Bing's group is, as he said, pretty good considering. I only have two, neither perfect by any means, I consider nice enough to show here. A complete set better than my two will take a little looking.

 

Kind of a zoo type for Gallienus:


Rx: AETERNITAS AVG; Wolf and Twins

 

my most recent...



Gallienus (253 - 268 A.D.) AR Antoninianus

O: GALLIENVS PF AVG, Radiate and cuirassed bust of Gallienus facing right. R: GERMANICVS MAX V, Two captives seated at foot of trophy. Lyons Mint 258-259 A.D. 22mm 3.64g RIC V-I, 17.
ex. Mat collection

my best zoo coin...

 

Just an opinion: The Zoo series should be limited to the Rome mint coins with an animal and legend referring to a god associated with that animal. The lion and wolf twins shown were from an series of Antioch with the branch in exergue. They are usually nice. I see CNG has sold many nice Zoo coins so perhaps there are more good ones than I realized.

 

I am loving all your cool Gallienus coins!

At Mat: love the obverse die breaks, die breaks and such are cool in my book.
At Jwt708: nice Gallienus portrait on the pax coin
At Mikey Zee and Collect 89: Pegasus's are always cool
At John Anthony: Cool coin and nice detail. Is that a lamination or die crack or other under Gallienus's ear?
At Bing: Great zoo series. I only have a pegasus and a centaur. My Gallienus focus has been the silver and silvered coins and the zoo series are almost always without silvering.
At Brian: Fantastic Wolf/Romulus/Remus coin. I just passed on one because of price but man I do think bout that coin.
At Doug: That griffin reverse is awesome.
At Chrsmat71: Nice doe looking left. Both obverse and reverse are very attractive.