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Galba - for saving the citizens


Limes

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Hello everyone,

My latest addition is this lovely coin of Galba. I had been looking for a coin with a decent portrait for a while and when it comes to portraits of Galba, there's the choice to be made between the funky and cartoonish provincial portraits, or a Roman mint one with the stern, elderly, imperial portrait. But when I saw this one, I was attracted to the portrait immediately. Maybe I'll ad that funky one to the collection another day... 

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Anyway, the reverse is interesting as well. Here's a few words about it. After his recognition by the Senate of his imperial authority in July 68 AD, Galba struck coinage bearing the honory title 'SPQR OB S C' within an oak wreath (corona civica).  SPQR OB C S stands for awarding Galba with the corona civica by the Senate and the Roman people (SPQR) for saving the citizens (Ob Cives Servatos). Originally, the corona civica was given to a citizen who saved another citizen's life. The saved citizen was expected to testify of this.

Together with various other honours, the corona civica was given to Augustus by the Senate, for returning standards from Parthia and captured soldiers. Literally for saving citizens. But after the reign of Augustus, the title was given anyway. Although Tiberius refused the title, it was quickly picked up by Caligula, and Claudius after him. I have two more coins with the 'corona civica' reverse, of Caligula and Claudius. You may find them below. Allegedly, Claudius was given the title and crown for saving the citizens from Caligula. Now that I can understand...! 

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Please show your Galba's, and/or coins with the corona civica! Thanks for reading! 

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Great portrait on it.

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Galba (68 - 69 A.D.)

Egypt, Alexandria
Billon Tetradrachm
O: ΛOYK ΛIB ΣOYΛΠ ΓAΛBA KAIΣ ΣEB AV, laureate head right, LA (date) before, LA = 68 A.D.
R: ΡΩ-MH, helmeted, draped bust of Roma right, holding spear and shield.
23mm
13.6g
Milne 317, RPC 5330; Köln 223; Dattari (Savio) 314; K&G 17.6.

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46 minutes ago, Limes said:

Please show your Galba's, and/or coins with the corona civica! Thanks for reading! 

Oh, I like your Tiberius very much. I would also like to take this coin 🙂 

 

46 minutes ago, Limes said:

Please show your Galba's, and/or coins with the corona civica! Thanks for reading! 

I only have one coin with this lapel type. I had already posted it here in the forum the day before yesterday. But it fits in here again.

 

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Gaius Caesar Augustus Germanicus Caligula, Sestertius of the Roman Imperial Period 37/38 AD, Material: AE Bronze, Diameter: 36mm, Weight: 27.46g, Mint: Rome, Reference: RIC I (second edition) Gaius/Caligula 37, Obverse: Head of Caligula, laureate, left. The Inscription reads: C CAESAR AVG GERMANICVS PON M TR POT for Caius Caesar Augustus Germanicus, Pontifex Maximus, Tribunicia Potestate (Gaius Caesar, Augustus, conqueror of the Germans, high priest, holder of tribunician power), Reverse: Legend in four lines in oak-wreath. The Inscription reads: S P Q R P P OB CIVES SERVATOS for Senatus Populusque Romanus Patri Patriae, Ob Cives Servatos (The senate and the Roman people to the father of the nation, the saviour of the citizens).

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My version of @Limes's beautiful coin. One of my own favorites.

Galba AR Denarius, Aug-Oct 68 AD Rome Mint. Obv. Bare head right, IMP SER GALBA AVG / Rev. S P Q R/ O • B/ C S [OB CS = OB CIVES SERVATOS (For Saving the Citizens)] in three lines within oak wreath. RIC I 167, RSC II 287, Sear RCV I 2109 (ill.). 18.33 mm., 3.29 g.

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My only other Galba -- which I would have guessed is supposed to be Nerva if I didn't know better!

Galba Billon Tetradrachm, Year 1 (AD 68), Alexandria, Egypt Mint. Obv. Laureate head right, ΛΟΥΚ ΛΙΒ ΣΟΥΛΠ ΓΑΛΒΑ ΚΑΙΣ ΣΕΒ ΑΥΤ (beginning at 7:00); LA (Year 1) in lower right field / Rev. Bust of Roma right, wearing crested helmet and cuirass, with spear held obliquely in front of chest and shield held behind left shoulder; ΡΩ-ΜΗ [ROMA] (beginning at 9:00). 25 mm., 13.43 g., 1 h. Emmett 174.1, RPC [Roman Provincial Coinage] Vol. I 5330 (1992); RPC I Online at https://rpc.ashmus.ox.ac.uk/coins/1/5330; Milne 319 at p. 9 (Legend A3, ending in “AYT”); K & G 17.6; BMC 16 Alexandria 197 (at p. 24); SNG France 4, Alexandrie I 631-632. Purchased at CNG [Classical Numismatic Group, LLC] E-Auction 512, 23 March 2022, Lot 433.

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Faustus Cornelius Sulla, son of the famed dictator Sulla, here honors his wife who was the daughter of Pompey the Great. Like Hercules, Pompey extended his conquests across the world. The three small wreaths refer to the triumphal wreathes granted Pompey for his victories on three continents, while the large wreath is the golden wreath (corona civica) worn at public functions by Pompey and granted to him in 63 BC9deQfC4M6PTqNbj5qW3m8sFLTA2kz7.jpg.124b8922fc4f0c02ec49d0309011b182.jpg

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Here a denarius and a dupondius,

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IMP SER GALBA AVG

head bare r.

SPQR  OB  CS

3 lines in oak – wreath

A.D. 68 – 69 ,  3.19 gr ,  18.22 mm

RIC I 167 ,  denarius

 

 

no beauty

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IMP SER GALBA AVG TR P

head bare r.

SPQR OB CIV SER

3 lines in oak – wreath

A.D.68 – 69 ,   12.23 gr ,  28.20 mm

RIC I 290 ,  Dupondius

Edited by mc9
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Roman Egypt, Alexandria. Galba, AD 68-69. Billon Tetradrachm (26mm, 13.11g, 11h). Dated RY 2. Struck August AD 68-15 January AD 69. Obv: Laureate head r.; in r. field, LB. Rev: ΕΛΕΥΘΕΡΙΑ; Eleutheria leaning on column, with wreath and sceptre, l.; in l. field, star. Ref: RPC 5337 Dattari 309. Nice old cabinet tone, Very Fine. Reverse double struck. From a private British collection, with tags. Ex Mike Vosper, Jan 2005. Ex Naville Numis, Live Auction 72 (27 Mar 2022), Lot 252. image.jpeg.09d0f9b227b13eb3d20ba964bccf303a.jpeg

Eleutheria - the personification of "Liberty"

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Thanks everyone for the replies and sharing your coins, I really appreciate it and enjoy looking at them! I'll toss in my two other coins of Galba, because.. why not? 🙂

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I really like the reverse of his one, Galba on his horse fanatically rallying the troops (or, according to some description, merely saluting them)! I haven't seen this type a lot. 

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6 hours ago, Mucius Scaevola said:

Nice ones in here!

I only have one Galba, it's not my target normally.

 

Sestertius 26,22g or sth like this 🙃

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great coin, strong portrait! Be sure to weigh it 😉

By the way, I saw a typo in my description. Since I'm not an English speaker, it's easy for me to make those mistakes. I fixed it though, who can spot it? 😄

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