Well we all have a really good Antoninianus in our collections. So lets show em. Here is mine its Claudius Gothicus 268 - 270. He was perhaps the best of the "Military Emperors." He defeated the Goths and the Allumannti during his short reign. His army was vastly out numbered by the Goths, but he destroyed them. The Goths had the last laugh, the survivors carried bubonic plauge with them and this is what killed the Emperor. My coin has Juno on the reverse with peacock. 90%+ of the silver is still on the coin. RIC 212. A rare occasion that I will take the time to properly ID one of my ancients. :foot-mouth: Any way its my best one. Lets see yours too. :yes:
I've always really liked this one Gordian III ant: Gordian III AD 238-244 AR Antoninianus Rome mint RIC 86, RSC 121, Sear5 8617 O: IMP GORDIANVS PIVS FEL AVG, Radiate bust right, draped and cuirassed R: LAETITIA AVG N, Laetitia standing right with wreath & anchor
Elagabalus, Caracalla, Gordian III, Philip I Cool coin Ripley I like the ones with peacocks, I have an Antoninianus of Salonina with that type of Juno reverse, and I have the Faustina Sr. Denarius with nothing but a peacock standing on a sceptre 'CONSECRATIO' reverse, I really like the one with just the peacock by itself reverse, and hope to get a higher grade one than what I have. Ripley I think you have seen my nicest Antoninianii.... the different Elagabalus and Caracalla ones in my thread: Here is the thread: The Elag with the Roma seated holding Victory reverse with the titles 'PM TR P COS PP' showing that it was struck his first year, 218 AD is my favorite of them all I think.... but I also really like my Caracalla ones. Here is a link to the thread to see my favorite Antoninianii of Elagabalus and Caracalla: http://www.cointalk.com/showthread.php?t=163849&p=1133568#post1133568 as far as some of my favorites of different emperors, well here is my all-time fave of Gordian III, it has an interesting portrait that almost looks like Balbinus kinda.... but certainly doesn't look the way Gordian III did in most his portraits., sadly he has a little ear nick. The reverse is just amazing on it as well.... I had trouble with the pics since I didn't want to take it out of the 2x2. The pic is big so you have to click it twice to see fullsize in it's own window. And my second favorite Gordian III is this VICTORIA AETERNA rev, partly because of how large and nice the flan is, and how amazingly well centered it is.... it weighs 5.10 grams, and the first one, the VICTORIA AUG Antoninianus weighs 5.49 Grams. I also really like this third picture, of the next emperor, Philip I.... it was the first quality Silver Roman coin I bought ever. FELICITAS TEMP, with a weight of 4.51gr
I own many but I think these are my best 3. 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 Trajan Decius July (249 - 251 A.D.) Silver Antoninianus O: IMP C M Q TRAIANVS DECIVS AVG, radiate and cuirassed bust right. R: VICTORIA AVG, Victory advancing left, wreath in right, palm frond in left. SRCV III 9387, RIC IV 29c, RSC IV 113a 3.243g 22.3mm Otacilia Severa Silver antoninianus, SRCV III 9149, RIC IV 126, RSC IV 17, EF, weight 3.7 g, maximum diameter 23.9 mm, die axis 180o, Rome mint, 247 A.D. Obverse M OTACIL SEVERA AVG, diademed and draped bust right set on crescent. Reverse CONCORDIA AVGG, Concordia seated left, patera in right, cornucopia in left, altar at feet.
What do you mean by 'best'? You can pick the one you would buy if it came available. Best early: Caracalla/Pluto nice portrait Best buy: Philip I Victoria Carpica from a dealer that didn't know it was a rare one Personal Favorite: Trajan Decius overstruck on denarius of Geta One least people would appreciate: Tacitus marked XI during a short time he doubled the silver content in his coins (usually marked XXI) Prettiest: Diocletian - I love the red tones where the silver wore off How can you expect us to pick between our children? Each is best in its own way.
My Favorite Elagabalus Antoninianii Nice one's Randy, and everyone else! ikandiggit I really like that type of Gordian Antoninianus, the SAECULI FELICITAS from the Antioch mint, I have one myself, your reverse looks a bit nicer than mine. Also a very nice one of Postumus, great reverse detail.... I don't have any coins of him. Doug as you know, I just love your Caracalla Ant, that is the bust type I still don't have, beautiful reverse as well, great coin. I also am envious of your Philip I VICTORIA CARPICA Ant, sounds like you did well with that one if the dealer didn't know how rare it is. Lucky one! Mat That Otacilia Severa ant is still one of the nicest style examples I have seen, and I really like that Gallienus..... I mean a Gallienus over 5 grams, pretty cool, looks like good silver too. I have a Gallienus, with good silver that weighs 5.1 grams.... I thought yours weighed more... like 5.4 grams or so...... either way, both yours and mine are the heaviest Gallienus coins I have seen. I have quite a few Antoninianii, and have trouble narrowing down a 'best' one.... but when it comes to one of my favorite Emperors to collect Antoninianii from(Elagabalus), these two are my 'best' and my favorite.... I just love the beautifully done boyish portrait of this young Emperor. I like Elagabalus Antoninianii because I find the workmanship to be exsquisite on some, and I like that they are some of the earliest Antoninianii.... I also have several of Caracalla, the first to introduce the 'Antoninianus' as we call it today, after him. I also like the fact that during the reign of Elagabalus, the Antoninianii were still pretty heavy and fairly good silver, as well as being struck on large flans. So here are my 'best' Elagabalus Antoninianii.... the Roma seated reverse is my favorite, I just love the portrait...... the TEMPORUM FELICITAS is also quite a beautiful young portrait, and has some really pretty toning.
I love that TEMPORUM FELICITAS. Im not a huge tone fan but I appreciate nice toning when I see it and the light gold on it is very nice. Lots of good details too. Beautiful pickup all around. I like it better then the horned busts, go figure.
Later 3rd Century - Valerian et cetera Great ones Cuc. I of course love the DIVO CARO one... struck in such nice silver and quality that it resembles the DIVO series of Emperor Decius. I also really like the frontal busts of the two above.... This is a period I am not too familioar with the coinage of..... when it comes to coins minted after the death of Valerian and then Gallienus, I have little interest, but I do like the design of some, like yours Cucumbor. This first one is another beautiful portrait of Elagabalus from 218 - 222 AD. The next ones are of Valerian, the one ' RESTITUT GENER HUMANI' translates basically to 'RESTORER OF THE HUMAN RACE'. One of my favorite Valerian coins, a pretty cool and interesting reverse, I like it more than the 'Restorer of the Orient, or any of the other reverses like that of his. ------------------------------------------ ------------------------------------------ Emperor Valerian I (253 - 260 AD) AR Antoninianus obv: IMP C P LIC VALERIANUS AUG - Radiate bust right, draped and cuirassed. Seen from the front. rev: RESTITUT GENER HUMANI - (Restorer of the Human Race) - Valerian wearing radiate crown, walking right, holding globe and raising right hand. 4.20grams Moesia (Viminacium) mint, AD 254-255. Cohen 179 ***( I am not so sure about this being from the Vimiinacium mint, I don't know which mint it is from.) ------------------------------------------ ------------------------------------------ I think this next (third pic) is my favorite of Valerian, APOLINI PROPUG and it has Apollo drawing a bow, which looks like a crossbow in this example. I think it is from the Rome mint.... but this period in history they began using several mints for the Antoninianii, and I am not good with telling the difference with Valerian and family coins. ------------------------------------------ ------------------------------------------ Emperor Valerian I (253-260 AD) AR Antoninianus. Struck 253 AD. Rome Mint. obv: IMP C P LIC VALERIANVS AVG - Radiate, draped and cuirassed bust right. Seen from the front. rev: APOLINI PROPVG - Apollo standing right, drawing bow. Weight: 3.0 grams RIC 74, RSC 25a ------------------------------------------ ------------------------------------------ This last two photos (fourth and fifth pics) are of a coin of Empress Salonina. Again, unsure of mint. I love the reverse detail, aside from a slightly flat face on Juno, it's very well struck, the peacock looks quite well.... and aside from a couple small deposits, the obv is great too, lots of detail on the bust, and well centered, as well as looking like fairly good silver for the time period. ------ Ancient Roman Empire Empress Julia Cornelia Salonina, Wife of Roman Emperor Gallienus (253 - 268 A.D.) Silver Antoninianus - obv: SALONINA AUG - Diademed and draped bust right, seated on a crescent. rev: JUNO REGINA - Juno standing facing left holding a patera and sceptre. Peacock to left, star in left field. -------------------------------------------