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<p>[QUOTE=&quot;Orielensis, post: 8243879, member: 96898&quot;]A lot of ink has been spilled on this, but in the end it boils down to RIC being profoundly mistaken about the mint locations of the Gallic Empire. A 2014 study and catalaogue by Jerome Mairat, now curator of coins at the Ashmolean Museum in Oxford, shed some new light on the topic. Based on hoard evidence, the study of a large (!) number of specimens and the archeological discovery of a mint at Trier, the author was able to propose a new chronology and mint attributions for the coins of the Gallic Empire.</p><p><br /></p><p>Mairat argued that Postumus&#039; main mint was located at Trier and active from mid-260 to the end of his reign in mid-269 AD. Additional mints at Cologne and Milan were opened only later in 268 AD and produced comparatively few coins.</p><p><br /></p><p>Your coin, just as mine, is from the Trier mint. Although there is also an Aesculapius type from Milan (Mairat 518–520), it differs both stylistically from our coins and also doesn&#039;t show a globe at Aesculapius&#039; feet.</p><p><br /></p><p>Your Minerva coin also is from Trier. This reverse type and legend Minerva fautrix (&quot;Minerva the helper&quot;) are unique to Postumus. This can probably be explained by Minerva being a supporter of Hercules in Roman mythology. Hercules apparently was Postumus favorite deity, and several coin images of this emperor draw strong connections between Hercules and Postumus.</p><p><br /></p><p>Here is my example:</p><p>[ATTACH=full]1451534[/ATTACH]</p><p><font size="3">Postumus, Gallic Roman Empire, AR antoninianus, 262–263 AD, Trier mint. Obv: IMP C POSTVMVS P F AVG; bust of Postumus, radiate, draped, cuirassed, r. Rev: MINER FAVTR; Minerva running l., holding branch in r. hand and long transverse spear (points up) and shield in I. hand. 22mm, 3.08g. Mairat 235; RIC V Postumus 74.</font></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p>Note that you have the variety with a ship&#039;s prow at Serapis&#039; feet. My (unproven) theory is that Postumus coins often show deities popular with the soldiers serving in the Rhine fleet, arguably the most important military units under Postumus&#039; control. Epitaphs from Cologne and Trier show that many sailors from the eastern parts of the Roman Empire were stationed there. The depiction of Serapis and the ship&#039;s prow might have constituted a nod to these members of the fleet.</p><p><br /></p><p>My example is the less desirable variety without the prow:</p><p>[ATTACH=full]1451535[/ATTACH]</p><p><font size="3">Postumus, Gallic Roman Empire, AR antoninian, 266–267 AD, Trier mint. Obv:&nbsp; IMP C POSTVMVS P F AVG; bust of Postumus, radiate, draped, cuirassed, r. Rev: SERAPI COMITI; Serapis standing l., raising arm and holding sceptre. 20mm, 3.52g. Mairat 364, RIC V Postumus 329. </font></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p>Wow! That is probably the best-preserved Postumus bronze I have seen in a private collection.</p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p>I was one of the underbidders on that one in AMCC 3. Glad to know it went to a good home!</p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p>I guess that&#039;s the result of two flans sticking together and being struck at teh same time? If so, someone somewhere might have a reverse with a blank obverse to match your coin...</p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p>That&#039;s a nice example of a reverse type I&#039;m still looking for. According to Mairat, it was struck at Trier, 266–267 AD.[/QUOTE]</p><p><br /></p>

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