Gordian III Antoninianus IOVI CONSERVATORI

You guys are bad influences. All this love for Gordian just reminded me more about how much I wanted one, and well, I just bought one. Allow me to show you and then provide some background history about this coin and the images on it.

Seller's Picture:


The image on the reverse features Jupiter, also known as Jove (hence the Iovi insciption) holding a thunderbolt in his right hand, and a scepter in his left ( the scepter is only partially there probably due to the die being close to the end of its life) and nude except for a cape draped over his shoulders, with the Emperor featured as a small figure standing next to Jove.

This rendering of Jupiter made it's way into Roman coinage rather late. The first recorded instance of IOVI CONSERVATORI appearing on Roman coinage was during the reign of Domitian, when it appeared on a sestertius. We see it again briefly on a sestercius of Commodus as Caesar. However, it wasn't until the reign of Septimius Severus that we see this rendition of Jupiter finally on a silver coin. Septimius Severus used the image as way to thank Jupiter Optimus Maximus (the head God of the Roman Pantheon) for preserving him and assisting him during his bloody and violent path to the imperial purple.

Why did Gordian III chose to depict the same image in his double denarius? Well, it certainly wasn't as thanks to Jupiter for preserving him or assisting him in a bloody struggle for the throne, that much we can say for sure. However, as a very young and vulnerable Emperor living in a violent era where Emperors died violent deaths following very short reigns, it would seem to me that this was an optimistic prayer and message. That message could have been that Jupiter favored and watched over this young Emperor and would keep him safe against any real or perceived dangers (and judging by his violent death at the hands of his troops a few years after this coin was minted, the danger was very real indeed.)

 

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Septimius has several denarii with Jupiter but I believe the IOVI PRAE ORBIS of Emesa below is the first of his. I am not aware of a IOM type for him but Pescennius Niger used it on an aureus that last sold over half a million $.



This is my Marcus Aurelius with Jupiter but he is not labeled.

 

Nice coin with an interesting reverse

 

I was referring to the general history of Jupiter with the inscription IOVI CONSERVATORI in Roman coinage, and how it came to be. Please note it was not always depicted as the Emperor next to Jupiter. In the coinage of some emperors when IOVI CONSERVATORI was used the depiction was the same as in the Gordian III antoninianus, but other times Jupiter was standing by himself, and sometimes he was sitting down. In some instances he is holding a victory.

Either way, S Severus was the first to put IOVI CONSERVATORI on a silver coin according to the Dictionary of Roman Coins, page 219, and Domitian was the first to use it, when he put it in a sestercius. I know Commodus also used it in a sestercius, but I'm not aware of it becoming popular until after Gordian III.

 

That was quick! I like how how you roll ... it is a very nice example, too. Here is the other GIII Jupiter type, an IOVI STATORI, and on this coin I particularly like his lightly-whiskered portrait.

 

Yeah, that's a nice one. I eventually plan on getting one of those too, and one of the FIDES MILITVM with Roma holding a military standard on the reverse. Since Gordian is so plentiful and cheap, I should be able to get all 3 for a combined $200 or less. Maybe a little more if I decide I want all in XF, but not much more. What can I say, Gordian III is a real bargain.

 

nice coin sallent!

who's the little guy on the reverse? i wonder if it's the emperor, and later that made him more "zeus sized" with the passing off the globe type reverse.

 

The little guy is Gordian III.

 

Love the posts!!!

Well, I purchased one with the 'little guy' a few weeks ago too LOL

And an As with Jovi Statori:

 

Yours is a great example of IOVI CONSERVATORI. I love it. Its great to see someone else enjoying the same type too.

I would have wished mine had the full scepter like yours, but these things happened sometimes with ancient dies being used until they were worn and shot to bits. However, there is enough detail in the reverse for me to be happy with the coin, and on the obverse the portrait is very well executed and richly detailed, so I'm happy.

 

I love your example (and all the other posts as well). I have more coins than I can shake a stick at that I wish had clearer devices etc......(but why you'd want to 'shake a stick' at them I'll never know)......Ah c'mon, the Marx Brothers??? Hint, they were not communists

Seriously, I still wonder about the inclusion of Elagabalus as the 'little guy'. The limitations of space on a denarius or antoninianus are obvious, but why so proportionally smaller than IOVI. It almost seems as if he is 'skulking' away and may have even been an after-thought or later modified on the die???

 

... maybe it's just me? ...

 

Great coins everyone! I don't think there's any mystery concerning the relative sizes of the god and the emperor. The god is portrayed as larger-than-life, which is what you'd expect, especially when it comes to Jupiter.

 

I was thinking the same thing...that or Steve is right.

 

Bad news everyone...I got the coin and it is different from the picture above. Unlike the picture above that makes it seem like the little Emperor is faint and almost all of the scepter is missing, the actual coin has a well defined little guy and the scepter is almost fully intact. It is almost as sharp on the reverse as @Mikey Zee Gordian IOVI CONSERVATORI antoninianus. The front is also sharper too.

This is the second time I buy from Civitas Gallery based on a very attractive picture of a coin, only to find out that the coin is even much better when I get it. Seriously Civitas Gallery, invest on a better digital camera. I know you are capable of taking killer pictures of your coins, but imagine how much more you would sell if you captured even more detail and people could see the coins are even better than they already look.

So yeah, in conclusion, I'm complaining that the coins I've gotten from them are even better than the gorgeous images on their website because they refuse to invest on a more high end or modern digital camera. First world problems, am I right?

 

Eh...you had me going there for a second. After the first sentence I thought, "Well send that piece of crap back and give them a piece of your mind...oh, wait..."

 

Sorry, rereading my post I can see how I could have given that impression. Anyway, Civitas Gallery, FORVM, and you are now my first three dealers of choice when looking for anything. I can't say I've been disappointed with either the selections, the quick shipping, or the customer service yet.

Between the three of you, that's about 90% of my collection.

 

Hey thanks! But sometimes you just can't capture a coin in a pic, no matter how hard you try. Don't be too tough on dealers for that. Coins are always better in hand, no matter how good the pics because, well...they're yours now and they're in your hand. After a while you learn what to expect from a coin from a particular seller's pic - everybody has their own style.

 

Think about it. Which is better for business - customers who get a coin that is almost a good looking as the picture OR customers who white back and tell their friends how all your coins are even better looking than the images? Most of my coins look better 'in hand' than in my photos perhaps because the pictures are several times larger than the coins and make the most of every fault including some no one will ever notice without magnification. I have made 20x30" prints of really nice coins but like all large photos, they look best when viewed from a respectful distance depending on the subject.

 

Nice coin Sallent (and others), glad to know you're even happier with it in hand than from seller's pictures. As Doug wrote it's better that way

Here are my Iovi Conservatori depictions for Macrinus, Sev.Alexander, Valerian and Diocletian on different denominations, then some other variations of the big boy.

Of course the little figurine is the emperor : who would dare pretending to be bigger than Jupiter ? Even the emperor wouldn't


Macrinus, Denarius struck in Rome in AD 217
IMP C M OPEL SEV MACRINVS AVG, Laureate bust of Macrinus right
IOVI CONSERVATORI, Jupiter standing holding thunderbolt and sceptre, protecting a small figure of Macrinus
2.76 gr
Ref : Cohen #37, RCV #7337



Severus Alexander, Sestertius struck in Rome in AD 231
IMP SEV ALEXANDER AVG, Laureate bust of Severus Alexander righ, with light drapery on left shoulder
IOVI CONSERVATORI, Jupiter standing left, holding thunderbolt and sceptre, with a small figure of the emperor at his feet, SC in field
14.75 gr



Valerian, As Rome mint, AD 255-258
IMP C P LIC VALERIANVS P F AVG, laureate, draped and cuirassed bust right
IOVI CONSERVATORI, Jupiter standing left, holding thunderbolt and scepter. S - C in field
10.0 gr
Ref : RCV # 10032, Cohen # 96

the following one not in my collection anymore

Diocletian, Antoninianus Ticinium mint, 6th officina
IMP C C VAL DIOCLETIANVS P F AVG, Radiate and cuirassed bust right
IOVI CONSERVAT, Jupiter standing left holding thunderbolt and sceptre. VIXXIT ? at exergue
3.45 gr
Ref : Cohen # 201, RIC # 222



Diocletian, Follis Alexandria mint, 2nd officina, c. AD 304-305
IMP C DIOCLETIANVS P F AVG, Laureate bust of Diocletianus right
IOVI CONS CAES, Jupiter standing left, holding victory and spear. B in right field S | P in lower field, ALE at exergue
11.21 gr
Ref : Cohen # 173, RCV # 12805 (180), RIC VI # 41

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