Philip II and Officina Numbers at the Rome Mint

[Roman Collector]

Officina numbers were introduced at the Rome mint late in the reign of Philip I (the Arab). There were two series with officina marks issued in 248: one with Greek officina numbers (no animals) and the SAECVLARES AVGG ones with animals and Roman numerals. I don't actively collect these; rather, I acquire them if an opportunity arises and the price is right. I saw this one at @Victor Clark's V-Coins store and liked it.

There were six officinae at the Rome mint under Philip. Officinae 1, 2, 5, and 6 were devoted to striking coins for him. Officina 3 was dedicated to producing coins for his son, Philip II, and officina 4 to those of his wife, Otacilia. This coin therefore has a gamma in the field on the reverse, the Greek numeral 3.

Even though the reverse inscription reads VIRTVS AVGG, it doesn't depict Virtus. Virtus is a FEMALE deity, typically depicted with a bare breast and a parazonium. Rather, it depicts the god Mars, with whom the emperors are to be identified. Here virtus is used as an abstract noun meaning a variety of things related to machismo: manliness, manhood, strength, vigor, bravery, courage, excellence. The coin publicizes the manly bravery of the emperors -- the virtus augustorum!

Do you have any of Philip's coins with officina numbers? Let's see 'em!!

Philip II, AD 246-248.
Roman AR antoninianus, 3.72 g, 21.7 mm, 1 h.
Rome, 3rd officina, AD 248.
Obv: IMP PHILIPPVS AVG, radiate, draped, and cuirassed bust, right.
Rev: VIRTVS AVGG, Mars, helmeted, advancing right, holding spear in right hand and trophy in left hand; Γ in left field (subtype 1).
Refs: RIC 223; Cohen/RSC 88; RCV 9277; Hunter 25.

[Marsyas Mike]

Nice one, @Roman Collector - I had no idea that Γ was used as an Officina for Philip's issues...

Here's a couple of mine with the typical Roman numerals:  

Philip II   Antoninianus  (248 A.D.) 3rd Officina; 9th emission Rome Mint IMP PHILIPVS AVG, radiate, draped and cuirassed bust right / SAECVLARES AVGG, European elk (or goat?) walking left, III in exergue. RIC 224; RSC IV 72. (3.30 grams / 21 mm) eBay Mar. 2022

And his dad, with a mangy wolf (and hard to see officina number in the exergue): 

Philip I              Antoninianus (248 A.D.) Rome (2nd Offina) IMP PHILIPPVS AVG, radiate, draped and cuirassed bust right / SAECVLARES AVGG, she-wolf standing left, head turned back, suckling Romulus and Remus, II in exergue. RIC 15; RSC 178; Sear 8957. (3.73 grams / 23 x 19 mm) eBay April 2020 

 

 

 

[Al Kowsky]

The mint at Antioch, Syria also did extensive officina marking on the coins of Philip I & family. They are usually dot markings below the shoulder like the coin pictured below.

[DonnaML]

Here are my coins with officina numbers I - VI from Philip I and his family. Note that not every coin in the SAECVLARES AVGG series commemorating Rome's 1000th anniversary has an officina number; for example the coin with a cippus on the reverse (RIC IV-3 Philip I 24(c)) is part of the series but has no offficina number.

Officina I:

Philip I AR Antoninianus, 248 AD, Rome Mint, 1^st Officina. Obv. Radiate, draped, & cuirassed bust right, IMP PHILIPPVS AVG/ Rev. Lion walking right, SAECVLARES AVGG; I in exergue.  RIC IV-3 12, RSC IV 173, Sear RCV III 8956 (ill.). 23 mm., 3.41 g. (Games commemorating 1,000th anniversary of founding of Rome.)

Officina II:

Philip I AR Antoninianus, 248 AD, Rome Mint, 2nd Officina. Obv. Radiate, draped, & cuirassed bust right, IMP PHILIPPVS AVG/ Rev. She-wolf standing left, suckling twins Romulus and Remus, SAECVLARES AVGG; II in exergue.  RIC IV-3 15, RSC IV 178, Sear RCV III 8957 (ill.). 22.75 mm., 4.72 g.  (Games commemorating 1,000th anniversary of founding of Rome.)  Purchased from Marc Breitsprecher; ex Madroosi Collection (Joe Blazick).

Officina III:

Philip II, Caesar AR Antoninianus, 248 AD, Rome Mint, 3^rd Officina. Obv. Radiate, draped & cuirassed bust right, IMP PHILIPVS AVG/ Rev. Moose [North American term for northern European elk]* standing left, SAECVLARES AVGG, III in exergue. RIC IV-3 224, RSC IV 72, Sear RCV III 9275 (ill.). 22 mm., 4.33 g., 12 h. (Games commemorating 1,000th  anniversary of founding of Rome.)

* See Sear RCV III at p. 187: "The animal on the reverse has traditionally been identified as a goat, but cf. John Twente in 'The Celator,' Jan. 2002, p. 38. There seems little likelihood of the common goat having been featured as one of the exotic animals in the arena, whereas the northern European elk (North American moose) would have been a most suitable candidate." 

Officina IV:

Otacilia Severa (wife of Philip I) AR antoninianus AD 248, Rome mint, 4^th Officina. Obv. Draped bust right, wearing stephane, crescent behind shoulders, OTACIL SEVERA AVG/ Rev. Hippopotamus standing right, jaws open, SAECVLARES AVGG; IIII in exergue. RIC IV-3 116(b), RSC IV-3 63, Sear RCV III 9160 (ill.). 23 mm., 4.52 g. (Games commemorating 1,000th anniversary of founding of Rome.)

Officina V:

Philip I AR Antoninianus, 248 AD, Rome Mint, 5^th Officina. Obv. Radiate, draped, & cuirassed bust right, IMP PHILIPPVS AVG/ Rev. Stag walking right, SAECVLARES AVGG; V in exergue.  RIC IV-3 19, RSC IV 182, Sear RCV III 8958.  22 mm., 4.32 g.  (Games commemorating 1,000^th  anniversary of founding of Rome.)

Officina VI:

Philip I AR Antoninianus, 248 AD, Rome Mint, 6^th Officina. Obv. Radiate, draped, & cuirassed bust right, IMP PHILIPPVS AVG / Rev. Antelope standing left, SAECVLARES AVGG; VI in exergue. RIC IV-3 21, RSC IV 189, Sear RCV III 8959.  22 mm., 3.54 g.  (Games commemorating 1,000th  anniversary of founding of Rome.)

Edited August 25, 2022 by DonnaML

[Victor_Clark]

16 minutes ago, DonnaML said:

* See Sear RCV III at p. 187: "The animal on the reverse has traditionally been identified as a goat, but cf. John Twente in 'The Celator,' Jan. 2002, p. 38. There seems little likelihood of the common goat having been featured as one of the exotic animals in the arena, whereas the northern European elk (North American moose) would have been a most suitable candidate." 

 

That idea doesn't hold a lot of traction, as antelope and deer (which are surely common) also appear on these coins. The infant Zeus was also suckled by the goat Amalthea.

[DonnaML]

19 minutes ago, Victor_Clark said:

 

That idea doesn't hold a lot of traction, as antelope and deer (which are surely common) also appear on these coins. The infant Zeus was also suckled by the goat Amalthea.

Yes, but antelope and deer are regularly hunted. There are of course wild goats, but it's basically a farm animal!  Besides, it looks kind of like a moose to me. If you search for Philip II and moose on acsearch, you'll see other examples that seem way too big and brawny to be a goat. Like this sestertius:

Edited August 25, 2022 by DonnaML

[DonnaML]

Another example from acsearch of an unlikely goat (in my opinion):

[Al Kowsky]

12 hours ago, DonnaML said:

Here are my coins with officina numbers I - VI from Philip I and his family. Note that not every coin in the SAECVLARES AVGG series commemorating Rome's 1000th anniversary has an officina number; for example the coin with a cippus on the reverse (RIC IV-3 Philip I 24(c)) is part of the series but has no offficina number.

Officina I:

Philip I AR Antoninianus, 248 AD, Rome Mint, 1^st Officina. Obv. Radiate, draped, & cuirassed bust right, IMP PHILIPPVS AVG/ Rev. Lion walking right, SAECVLARES AVGG; I in exergue.  RIC IV-3 12, RSC IV 173, Sear RCV III 8956 (ill.). 23 mm., 3.41 g. (Games commemorating 1,000th anniversary of founding of Rome.)

Officina II:

Philip I AR Antoninianus, 248 AD, Rome Mint, 2nd Officina. Obv. Radiate, draped, & cuirassed bust right, IMP PHILIPPVS AVG/ Rev. She-wolf standing left, suckling twins Romulus and Remus, SAECVLARES AVGG; II in exergue.  RIC IV-3 15, RSC IV 178, Sear RCV III 8957 (ill.). 22.75 mm., 4.72 g.  (Games commemorating 1,000th anniversary of founding of Rome.)  Purchased from Marc Breitsprecher; ex Madroosi Collection (Joe Blazick).

Officina III:

Philip II, Caesar AR Antoninianus, 248 AD, Rome Mint, 3^rd Officina. Obv. Radiate, draped & cuirassed bust right, IMP PHILIPVS AVG/ Rev. Moose [North American term for northern European elk]* standing left, SAECVLARES AVGG, III in exergue. RIC IV-3 224, RSC IV 72, Sear RCV III 9275 (ill.). 22 mm., 4.33 g., 12 h. (Games commemorating 1,000th  anniversary of founding of Rome.)

* See Sear RCV III at p. 187: "The animal on the reverse has traditionally been identified as a goat, but cf. John Twente in 'The Celator,' Jan. 2002, p. 38. There seems little likelihood of the common goat having been featured as one of the exotic animals in the arena, whereas the northern European elk (North American moose) would have been a most suitable candidate." 

Officina IV:

Otacilia Severa (wife of Philip I) AR antoninianus AD 248, Rome mint, 4^th Officina. Obv. Draped bust right, wearing stephane, crescent behind shoulders, OTACIL SEVERA AVG/ Rev. Hippopotamus standing right, jaws open, SAECVLARES AVGG; IIII in exergue. RIC IV-3 116(b), RSC IV-3 63, Sear RCV III 9160 (ill.). 23 mm., 4.52 g. (Games commemorating 1,000th anniversary of founding of Rome.)

Officina V:

Philip I AR Antoninianus, 248 AD, Rome Mint, 5^th Officina. Obv. Radiate, draped, & cuirassed bust right, IMP PHILIPPVS AVG/ Rev. Stag walking right, SAECVLARES AVGG; V in exergue.  RIC IV-3 19, RSC IV 182, Sear RCV III 8958.  22 mm., 4.32 g.  (Games commemorating 1,000^th  anniversary of founding of Rome.)

Officina VI:

Philip I AR Antoninianus, 248 AD, Rome Mint, 6^th Officina. Obv. Radiate, draped, & cuirassed bust right, IMP PHILIPPVS AVG / Rev. Antelope standing left, SAECVLARES AVGG; VI in exergue. RIC IV-3 21, RSC IV 189, Sear RCV III 8959.  22 mm., 3.54 g.  (Games commemorating 1,000th  anniversary of founding of Rome.)

I love that nasty looking hippo 😍.