Roman Barbarian & Migration Coinage

[Al Kowsky]

I hope to see a new category on this website for barbarian & migration coinage because it's very interesting & historically important. This topic ranges from the  Roman Republican period through the Byzantine era. I'll post the few examples in my collection & hope to see examples from other members ☺️.

This is the oldest example in my collection. It has traveled through a number of auction houses & ended up in my collection.

 

This is a very controversial coin. It was originally auctioned by Numismatic Fine Arts (NFA) 35 years ago as an Ostrogothic coin. It was later auctioned by CNG with the same attribution. It was auctioned again by CNG, casting doubts on the NFA attribution. That attribution has been dismissed today by experts in the field. So who minted this coin 😏? Most experts today believe it's an unusual product from the Constantinople Mint. There is still much to be learned in this field 😉.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[ValiantKnight]

In the name of Honorius, Visigoths in Gaul
AR siliqua
Obv: D N HONORI-VS P F AVG, pearl-diademed, draped bust right
Rev: VICTOR-IA ACGG, Roma seated left on cuirass, holding Victory on globe and spear
Mint: Narbonne (or another mint in Gaul)   
Mintmark: PSRV
Date: 415/418 to 423 AD
Ref: RIC X 3703 var.

1.1 grams, 11 mm wide

 

Sisebut, Visigothic Kingdom
AV tremissis
Obv: + SISEBVTVS REX, bust facing
Rev: + TOLETO PIVS, bust facing
Mint: Toledo
Date: 612-621 AD
Ref: Miles 183a

Odoacer, Kingdom of Italy
AE nummus
Obv: OD[O-VAC], bare-headed, draped, cuirassed bust right
Rev: Odoacer's monogram (letters ODOVA) within wreath
Mint: Ravenna
Date: 476-493 AD
Ref: RIC X 3502



Rome under Theodoric, Ostrogothic Kingdom
AE follis
Obv: IMVIC-TA ROMA, Roma helmeted, facing right
Rev: She-wolf standing left, suckling Romulus and Remus, XL (40) above, dot V dot in ex
Mint: Rome (struck 498-526 AD)
Ref: BMC 24



Thrasamund, Vandal Kingdom
AE nummus
Obv: D N RG TRSA, pearl-diademed, draped bust right
Rev: Victory advancing right, holding wreath, cross to right(?)
Mint: (North Africa, probably Carthage)
Date: 496-523 AD
Ref: MIB Vandals 16



Athalaric, Ostrogothic Kingdom
AE decanummium
Obv: INVICT-A ROMA, Roma helmeted, facing right
Rev: D N / ATHAL / ARICVS / REX, legend within wreath, X (10) below
Mint: Rome
Date: 526-534 AD
Ref: COI 86; MIB 78; MEC 1, 133-4



Theodahad, Ostrogothic Kingdom
AE decanummium
Obv: INVICT-A ROMA, Roma helmeted, facing right
Rev: D N / THEODA / HATHVS / REX within wreath, X below
Mint: Rome
Date: 534-536 AD
Ref: COI 90



Hilderic, Vandal Kingdom
AE nummus
Obv: HILD [REX], pearl-diademed, draped, cuirassed bust right
Rev: Cross potent within wreath, ring above
Mint: Carthage

Date: 523-530 AD)
Ref: BMC Vandals 9



Gelimer, Vandal Kingdom
AE Nummus
Obv: GEIL-AMIR, pearl-diademed, draped bust right
Rev: Monogram of Gelimer within wreath
Mint: Carthage

Date: 530-533 AD
Ref: MEC 1, 28-30; BMC Vandals 4-6

Theodahad, Ostrogothic Kingdom
AR half-siliqua
Obv: D N IVSTI-NIAN AC, diademed, draped, cuirassed bust right
Rev: Monogram THEODAHATVS within wreath
Mint: Ravenna
Date: 534-536 AD
Ref: Metlich 61; MIB 55b; Ranieri 287

Witiges, Ostrogothic Kingdom
AE decanummium
Obv: IN[VIC-TA ROMA], Roma helmeted, facing right
Rev: D N / VVIT / ICES / REX, legend within wreath, X below
Mint: Ravenna
Date: 536-540 AD
Ref: MIB 84/3, BMC 13

Baduila, Ostrogothic Kingdom
AE decanummium
Obv: D N BAD[V-ELA REX], helmeted, draped, bust facing
Rev: D N B / ADV / ELA / REX in four lines within wreath
Mint: Rome
Date: 550-552 AD
Ref: MIB 89a

Domitian, Roman Empire
(later revalued in the Ostrogothic Kingdom of Italy)
AE As / 42 nummi
Obv: CAESAR AVG F DOMITIAN COS II, laureate head left, countermark XLII (42) in left field
Rev: VICTORIA AVGVST, Victory advancing right, standing on prow, holding wreath and palm branch, S-C across fields
Mint: Rome
Date: 73-74 AD (struck); 498-526 AD (revalued)
Ref: RIC 677

 

As for a separate forum for Germanic kingdom coinage, I’m personally fine with posting them in the Medieval sub forum, or in the Roman Empire or Byzantine subforums if they depict a Roman/Byzantine emperor and/or if the history behind the coin ties it strongly to those empires.

[Al Kowsky]

Great selection 😊! I love the Odoacer tremissis & the revalued Nero bronze.