A couple of hours ago during lunchbreak on this sunny day I took the bike to visit my very first ever floor auction and this is what I took home with me: IMP CAES D CAEL BALBINVS AVG - Laureate, draped and cuirassed bust of Balbinus right CONCORDIA AVGG S C - Concordia, in long dress, seated left on throne, holding double cornucopiae in her left and patera in her outstretched right hand Sestertius, Rome, 22 April - 29 July 238 30 mm / 18,53 gr RIC 22, BMCRE 18, Cohen 4, Sear 8494 Chosen by the Roman Senate against Maximinus Thrax in a unique feat after the failure of the Gordiani Africani, Decimus Caelius Calvinus Balbinus and his colleague Pupienus Maximus were doomed by their mutual antipathy and growing unpopularity with the Army and the city plebs, who wanted a successor with a pedigree, namely the young Caesar Gordian III. According to Edward Gibbon, "Balbinus was an admired orator, a poet of distinguished fame, and a wise magistrate, who had exercised with innocence and applause the civil jurisdiction in almost all the interior provinces of the empire. His birth was noble, his fortune affluent, his manners liberal and affable. In him, the love of pleasure was corrected by a sense of dignity, nor had the habits of ease deprived him of a capacity for business." Nevertheless, after a rule of just 99 days a band of disgruntled praetorian guards broke into the palace with a sponge and a rusty spanner, seized the hapless Emperors and dragged them through the streets of the city before murdering them after a rule of just 99 days. This coin is not perfect by any means (especially the smoothing on the obverse), but no bronzes of Balbinus are and this was not too expensive and should be genuine according to my die study. On the other hand, I like it´s high relief and brassy tone that are almost never found on bronzes of this reign, and last but not least the iconic (or ironic?) reverse that refers to the mutual affection and friendship of the emperors. In any case, I think this is a massive improvement over my old space filler Balbinus Sestertius: Feel free to share your thoughts and coins!
This is a great Emporium Hamburg win. I was tempted to place a bid during live bidding today.. I see- this went to a good hands. Congrats!!
Very nice, and quite a bit better than your 'consolation' example. I attended the Emporium sale as well (via internet), but you were lucky that my attention was diverted elsewhere. The coin I was going after sold for 2x my max bid. I should stop being so stingy.
WOW @Julius Germanicus ! VERY nice Balbinus Sestertius! CONGRATS! And congrats on your first floor auction! FUN! My Balbinus: RI Balbinus 238 CE AR Denarius 20mm 3.7g Rome Laureate draped cuirasses - Victory wreath palm RIC 8
