Roman Coins in Reverse - a Chronological Gallery

[lrbguy]

Whatever I had from the second Triumvirate, which may have been a few legionary denarii of Marc Antony at best, I sold off a couple of decades ago when I consigned most of my Roman Republican silver to CNG. So for that I had to take a pass on the last period.  But for the beginning of Empire from 27 BC to 14 AD I can show the following:

 

23    BCE

Denarius   Augustus   CREBM 1, 289    1.31g

Bare head of Augustus facing right  
before: IMP CAESAR (upward)  behind: AVGVSTV (downward)

 

Denarius   Augustus   CREBM 1, 291    1.12g

Bare head of Augustus facing left  
before: IMP CAESAR (downward)  behind: AVGVST (upward)

Same reverse on both:

P.CARISI-VS.LEG.-PRO.PR (down-trans-up)  Dual-portal city gate, three battlements, walls and enclosure inscribed "EMERITA"

Augustus founded a town honoring the "Emeriti," i.e. retired military who had been honorably settled by Augustus in what corresponds to modern Merida, Spain.  In time this city became one of the largest in ancient Hispania, and the capital of the Roman province of Lusitania.  It is today one of the largest and most extensive archaeological sites in modern Spain.
The Latin word "emeritus" continues to be applied today internationally to retired professionals in a variety of disciplines.

 

 

8    BCE

Denarius   Augustus   BMCRE 500   1.11g

Laureate bare head of Augustus to r,  behind: AVGVST[VS] (downward);  before: DIVI F (upward)

Gaius (aka Caius) Caesar on horseback galloping to r.
above (off flan) C. CAES   In exergue: AVGVS F

Gaius Vipsanius Agrippa, commonly known at the time as Gaius Caesar or Caius Caesar, was born to Marcus Vipsanius Agrippa and Julia, only daughter of Augustus.  He and his brother Lucius were adopted by their maternal grandfather, the Roman Emperor, who designated him and his brother, Lucius, to be co-heirs.  Unfortunately, although destined to succeed Augustus to the imperial throne, somewhat later (c. 4 BC) both brothers died of disease  (a year apart) while their grandfather was still alive.

 

2    BCE

Caius and Lucius as Caesars standing facing with shields low between them, and above between spears, the lituus (r) and simpulum (l) emblems of priesthood.

I'm sure this wreck doesn't need much of an introduction, but since no one else has shown it, I decided to insert it here, FWIW.  It honors the above two sons of Julia, daughter of Augustus by his first wife, and who had been named by Augustus as his successors,

 

14    AD

If it is not deemed inappropriate I intend to show coins of the Imperial wives wherever possible, but selected for their reverses.

CILICIA. Augusta. Julia Augusta (Livia), 14-29.

Hemi-assarion  (Bronze, 17 mm, 3.10 g, )  SNG von Aulock 5531-2

Bust of Livia facing r.

Capricorn with globe between his legs; in the field to left, and above, star of eight rays.
The inscription ΑΥΓΟΥΣΤΑ/ΝΩΝ reads as "Augustan" i.e. "of the house of Augustus"

 

Livia Drusilla (30 January 59 BC – AD 29) was Roman empress from 27 BC to AD 14 as the wife of emperor Augustus. She was known as Julia Augusta after her formal adoption into the Julian family in AD 14. Livia had been married to Tiberius Claudius Nero, her cousin of patrician status who fought against Octavian on the side of Mark Antony.  By him she bore two children, Tiberius and Drusus, but in 39 BC about when she became pregnant with her second son, she met Octavian, who was smitten by her despite the fact that at the time he was married to Scribonia.  Octavian divorced Scribonia on 30 October 39 BC, the very day that she gave birth to his daughter Julia the Elder.  

When Livia was six months pregnant, Tiberius Claudius Nero was persuaded (perhaps by Octavian) to divorce her.  Augustus and Livia married on 17 January (40 BC), waiving the traditional waiting period, and Tiberius Claudius Nero was present at the wedding, giving her in marriage "just as a father would."   Livia and Augustus remained married for the next 51 years, despite the fact that they had no children apart from a single miscarriage.
When the Senate granted Octavian the title Augustus in 27 BC, making him the first Roman emperor, Livia likewise became the first Roman empress.  In 11 BC Tiberius married Augustus' daughter Julia (see above), and was ultimately adopted as Augustus' heir in AD 4.

 

Edited July 20, 2023 by lrbguy
emphasis added

[Ancient Coin Hunter]

Here's an Augustus As from the B.C.E. portion of his reign, and early enough that a moneyer's name was included on the reverse (Calpurnius Piso) along with SC.

Caesar Augustus, 27 B.C. - A.D. 14

AE As, 10.5 grams, 27mm, 7h; Rome mint; Cn Piso Cn, F, moneyer, 15 B.C.

Obverse: CAESAR AVGVSTVS TRIBVNIC POTEST; Bare head right.

Reverse: CN PISO CN F IIIVIR A A A FF around large S C Reference: RIC I 382, p. 70. 

[idesofmarch01]

Tiberius time... and it's very difficult to find any reverses of Tiberius that are, well, not boring.

My only coin that qualifies for this time period is pretty quirky, though:

TIBERIUS
AE Dupondius (16.87 g.)  Rome 16 - 22 A.D.  RIC 38
TI CAESAR DIVI AVG F AVGVST IMP VIII  Laureate head left.  Rev. CLEMENTIAE S C  Small facing bust, laureate, draped (Tiberius?) within laurel wreath on round shield w/circle of petals, outer circle of palmettos 

I can't imagine what the Romans would have thought about this coin's reverse.

[Qcumbor]

1 hour ago, idesofmarch01 said:

it's very difficult to find any reverses of Tiberius that are, well, not boring.

Sure, but at least they can be of fine style !

 

Q

[Octavius]

 For Tiberius I feel like i'm stretching the phrase "interesting reverse".

Here are two asses  one with globe and rudder and the other with caduceus.

 

I'm including the banal reverse of SC, not so much because of the "excitement" factor , but because it was important in demonstrating senatorial influence.

And lastly, the "tribute Penny", possibly the most well known of Tiberius' coinage. It has been suggested that it is his mother, Livia, seated on the reverse.

[lrbguy]

TIBERIUS

Denarius       18x19.5mm        3.76g

Laureate head of Tiberius facing right  
before: CAESAR DIVI (upward)  behind: AVG F AVGVSTVS (downward)

PONTIF MAXIM reverse:
Livia (as Pax) seated right on chair, holding scepter in right hand, olive branch in left; plain chair legs.

before: PONTIF (UPWARD)
behind: MAXIM (downward)

 

I suspect we will see quite a few "Tribute Penny" denarii.  To keep things interesting and afford a bit more opportunity, may I suggest that we see how many of the subtypes of the reverse design we can assemble here.  Below I have listed the distinctive characteristics of 6 subtypes as I gleaned them from CNG listings a while back.  Subtypes do exist.

My example above is from Group 1 (not 2 as I had said earlier. Plain legs on chair.)

Octavius above shows us Group 4

And Qcumbor is too low to be certain, but what is visible appears to be Group 4 also.

 

Group 1
PONTIF MAXIM,
Livia (as Pax) seated right on chair, holding scepter in right hand, olive branch in left; plain chair legs.

Group 2
Livia (as Pax) seated right, holding spear and olive-branch; ornate chair legs, two lines below throne.

Group 3
Livia (as Pax) seated right, holding reversed spear and olive branch; ornate chair legs, no footstool, two lines below.

Group 4
Livia (as Pax) seated right on chair, holding scepter and olive branch; ornate chair legs, footstool, single line below.

Group 5
Livia (as Pax) seated right, holding vertical scepter in right hand and olive branch in left, feet on footstool; ornate chair legs, single line below.

Group 6
Livia (as Pax) seated right, holding vertical scepter in right hand and olive branch in left, feet on footstool; ornate chair legs, single line below.

Edited July 21, 2023 by lrbguy
added note, delete space, correct ID

[ambr0zie]

My only Imperial Tiberius (oh well, from Commagene, but present in RIC and considered an Imperial) is 

Tiberius 14-37, Commagene, Dupondius Æ, AD 19-21. 29 mm, 13,70 g
TI CAESAR DIVI AVGVSTI F AVGVSTVS, laureate head right / PONT MAXIM COS III IMP VII TR POT XXI, winged caduceus between two crossed cornucopias RPC 3869; RIC I Tiberius 90

 

Not too interesting or artistic, but at least 2 cornucopiae and a caduceus are not the most common reverse design.... 

[DonnaML]

Out of my several coins issued under Tiberius, I think the only one with an "interesting reverse" is my one Provincial, rather than my two Imperials with the typical Livia as Pax, or my Tiberius coins honoring Livia as Pietas and his son Drusus Minor.

Tiberius represents pretty much the last gasp of the Roman Provincial coinage in Western Europe.

Tiberius, AE As, 14-37 AD, Hispania Tarraconensis, Turiaso Mint [now Tarazona, Zaragoza, Aragon, Spain], M. Pont. Marsus and C. Mari. Vegetus, duoviri. Obv. Laureate head right, TI CAESAR AVG F IMP PONT M / Rev. Bull standing right, head facing, M PONT MARSO; MVN TVR in field above bull, C MARI VEGETO below, II VIR in right field [ligate letters underlined]. RPC [Roman Provincial Coinage] Vol. I 418 (1992); RPC I Online at https://rpc.ashmus.ox.ac.uk/coins/1/418; ACIP 3291a [Villaronga, L. & J. Benages, Ancient Coinage of the Iberian Peninsula: Greek / Punic / Iberian / Roman, Societat Catalana D 'Estudis Numismatics, Institut D 'Estudis Catalans (Barcelona, 2011)]; FAB 2450 [Alvarez-Burgos, F., La Moneda Hispanica desde sus origines hasta el Siglo V (Madrid, 2008)]; SNG Copenhagen 606 [Sylloge Nummorum Graecorum, Copenhagen, The Royal Collection of Coins and Medals, Danish National Museum, Part 43, Spain-Gaul (Copenhagen 1979), Parts 40-43 reprinted as one volume, 1994]. 28 mm., 11.98 g. Purchased from Tom Vossen, Netherlands, May 2021; ex Aureo & Calico, Auction 364, 21 April 2021, Lot 1202. *

* Turiaso was "a municipium of Hispania Tarraconensis, now Tarazona, situated on a small river that runs into the Ebro, to the south of Tudela." https://www.forumancientcoins.com/numiswiki/view.asp?key=Turiaso (quoting Stevenson's Dictionary of Roman Coins (1880)). See also https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/term/x51280 ("Located in the hinterland of NE Spain close to the Ebro river valley, c. 60km north of the ancient site of Bilbilis Augusta, the Iberian settlement named Turiasu later became an important Roman city called Turiaso. Under Visigothic rule it was called Tirasona and is now called Tarazona").

Tarazona is now in Aragon in the north of Spain. Under the Roman Empire, it was part of Hispania Tarraconensis, the largest of the three provinces in Roman Spain, along with Hispania Baetica and Lusitania. Under the Republic, before Augustus's reorganization in 27 BCE, Turiaso was part of Hispania Citerior (Nearer Iberia, i.e., closer to Rome, as compared to Hispania Ulterior).

For a discussion of Turiaso's coinage, see the section entitled "Regio Turiasonensis Turiaso," in Sir George Francis Hill, "Notes on the ancient coinage of Hispania citerior" (Numismatic Notes and Monographs, American Numismatic Society 1931) at http://numismatics.org/digitallibrary/ark:/53695/nnan86651. The article includes, among other things, a list of all the names of magistrates (duoviri) found on the coins of Augustus and Tiberius minted in Turiaso, and notes that "G. Marius Vegetus [named on my coin] appears both as aedile and as duumvir. Under Augustus, both asses and semisses were struck by duoviri, and the aediles do not seem to have issued coins. Under Tiberius, as usual, the duoviri strike the asses, the aediles the semisses; but who was responsible for the sestertii or dupondii does not appear."

As for the bull on the reverse, Kevin Butcher notes at p. 62 of Roman Provincial Coins, supra, that "A standing bull, probably connected with anniversaries commemorating the foundation of the various colonies, occurs at Caesaraugustus, Celsa, Calagurris, Cascantum, Ercavica, Graccurris, Turiaso, and Clunia." Oxen pulling a plow were certainly a common symbol of the foundation of colonies on Roman coins, so such an interpretation is not surprising, even though a plow is nowhere in sight! See Jones, John Melville, A Dictionary of Ancient Roman Coins (Seaby 1990) at pp. 121-122 (entry for “Founder”), explaining that the Romans “inherited a custom from the Etruscans of defining the boundaries of a new city by marking them with a plough,” so that certain coins showing plowing can be interpreted as a reference to the founding of colonies. 

There's certainly nothing special about the Pax reverses on my Tiberius denarius and as. I bought the denarius because I loved the portrait on the obverse, not for the reverse. 

Tiberius AR Denarius, 18-35 AD, Lugdunum (Lyons) Mint, “Tribute Penny.” Obv. TI CAESAR DIVI AVG AVGVSTVS, Laureate head right/ Rev. PONTIF MAXIM, Livia [Tiberius’s mother], as Pax*, holding long sceptre & olive branch, seated right on throne with ornate legs, her feet resting on low footstool, single line below.  RIC I 30, RSC II 16a, Sear RCV I 1763, Giard Lyon, group 4, 150 [Jean Baptist Giard, Le Monnayage de l'atelier de Lyon (Wetteren, 1983)] [see https://www.forumancientcoins.com/numiswiki/view.asp?key=tribute penny].  19 mm., 3.82 g.  Purchased from Kirk Davis (ex Kirk Davis, Cat # 72, Fall 2018, Lot 80); ex Tom Cederlind Sale 86 (1989), Lot 305; ex JMB collection.

Tiberius, AE As, 15-16 AD, Rome Mint [bronze equivalent of “Tribute Penny” design]. Obv. Bare head right, TI CAESAR DIVI AVG F AVGVST[VS?] IMP VII / Rev. Draped female figure [Tiberius’s mother Livia, or Livia as Pax or Justitia]* seated right, head covered, with feet on stool, holding long sceptre with left hand and patera with extended right hand, PONTIF MAXIM TRIBVN POTEST XVII, S-C across fields. RIC I Tiberius 33 if AVGVST [listed as “R3”; see p. 96] or RIC 35 if AVGVSTVS [listed as R2]; BMCRE I Tiberius 65 [or 66 if AVGVSTVS]; cf. Sear RCV I 1769 (var. with Tiberius facing left). 28 mm., 10.9 g. Purchased from Felicitas.Perpetua Numismatics, UK, July 2021.

* [Fn applies to both denarius and as] See RIC I Tiberius, Introduction at p. 87: “As a type, the ‘Pontif. Maxim.’ design was far from informative. Modern scholars are not agreed upon its interpretation, some regarding the seated female figure as Livia in the guise of Pax, some as Pax-Justitia, some simply as the priestess Livia, revered as the wife of the first imperial pontifex maximus and the stepmother of the second. Its significance in the ancient world can hardly have been much more immediate than it is to the modern, and it was probably viewed as a type suggesting (in association with the legend) nothing more definite than sanctity.”

@Irbguy, as I note in my description, my denarius reverse is supposed to be in Giard Group 4. See this chart for examples:

 

Here is the Tiberius dupondius showing Livia as Pietas, which I recently bought from @Julius Germanicus. The reverse just shows an S C, but I'll post the three photos of the coin anyway, without the description.

I won't bother posting my Drusus Minor as, which also has an S C reverse.

Edited July 21, 2023 by DonnaML

[Octavius]

 I'll post Drusus if for no other reason than I've always had a soft spot for him (as well as Britannicus) in history...

 

 

[CPK]

Yes, Tiberius's coinage wasn't quite as varied as some. Here is a worn as depicting the altar of the cult of Roma and Augustus at Lugdunum:

[akeady]

Here are a couple of Tiberius types which haven't appeared already.

In spite of being almost worn flat, this is attributable to Tiberius RIC 48 - sestertius with Tiberius seated left on throne on obverse and a large S C on the reverse with legend around.   NCAPR counterstamp.   24.77g, 22-23 AD.

Here's half of an Emerita coin with the usual city gate entrance.   Alvarez-Burgos 830, RPC 42:

ATB,
Aidan.

Edited July 22, 2023 by akeady

[Limes]

17 hours ago, idesofmarch01 said:

Tiberius time... and it's very difficult to find any reverses of Tiberius that are, well, not boring.

 

It all comes down to a matter of taste of course, and yes, Tiberius did not issue a huge amount of designs. And I can image that having to go through all those 'tribute penny issues' all the time in auctions, make it appear as if those are his only issues and create the picture of all his issues being boring (unless one is interested in the little variants that lead to the division in groups. I am not.)

But, in my opinon, if one looks beyond the huge mass of tribute pennies, there are some very, very interesting issues, although they are scarcer and difficult to obtain. 

 

• The issue with the small facing bust of Tiberius on the reverse, shown by @idesofmarch01. One word: cool! I mean, we don't see that type of design in Roman times a lot, right? Does it have something to do with this silver issue of Augustus?  
• Then there are two very interesting sestertii: one showing the temple of Concordia, and one commemorating the efforts of Tiberius in restoring various cities in Asia after an earthquake in 17 AD. Wish I had these issues... 
• Also, I think the designs on the two middle bronzes posted by @Octavius are interesting. And as a bonus, his coins do show a magnificent stylized portrait of Tiberius, which shows some good artistry.  
• And then there's the issue shown bij @CPKwith the altar on the reverse. Lovely reverse, very interesting in my opinion! 
• And finally, there's this scarcer denarius, posted below, with Tiberius in quadriga. A denarius, but not a tribute penny, is interesting in itself right? 😉

[Ancient Coin Hunter]

2 minutes ago, Limes said:

It all comes down to a matter of taste of course, and yes, Tiberius did not issue a huge amount of designs. And I can image that having to go through all those 'tribute penny issues' all the time in auctions, make it appear as if those are his only issues and create the picture of all his issues being boring (unless one is interested in the little variants that lead to the division in groups. I am not.)

But, in my opinon, if one looks beyond the huge mass of tribute pennies, there are some very, very interesting issues, although they are scarcer and difficult to obtain. 

 

• The issue with the small facing bust of Tiberius on the reverse, shown by @idesofmarch01. One word: cool! I mean, we don't see that type of design in Roman times a lot, right? Does it have something to do with this silver issue of Augustus?  
• Then there are two very interesting sestertii: one showing the temple of Concordia, and one commemorating the efforts of Tiberius in restoring various cities in Asia after an earthquake in 17 AD. Wish I had these issues... 
• Also, I think the designs on the two middle bronzes posted by @Octavius are interesting. And as a bonus, his coins do show a magnificent stylized portrait of Tiberius, which shows some good artistry.  
• And then there's the issue shown bij @CPKwith the altar on the reverse. Lovely reverse, very interesting in my opinion! 
• And finally, there's this scarcer denarius, posted below, with Tiberius in quadriga. A denarius, but not a tribute penny, is interesting in itself right? 😉

What an intriguing and quality piece of silver @Limes. One assumes that Tiberius for much of his reign was trying to get out of the shadow of Augustus and his mother Livia. And as you say the tribute pennies are sort of "boring" after a while. 

[Jims,Coins]

Silver Coin (AR Denarius) minted at Lugdunum during the reign of TIBERIUS between 14 - 37 A.D. Obv. TI.CAESAR.DIVI.AVG.F.AVGVSTVS. laurel. hd. r. Rev. PONTIF.MAXIM.: Livia std. r. r. holding inverted spear, l. branch, in a chair with ornate legs, and her feet rest on a small footstool. RCS #567. RSCII #16a. RIC #30 pg.95. DVM #8c pg.75. (Tribute penny of the Bible).

 

[wittwolff]

Quite common but it features an historic building on the reverse: The Altar of Rome and Augustus in Lugdunum

[Octavius]

 For Caius Caligula

Caligula honored many of his relatives , especially his parents, which must have made Tiberius' ashes roll in their urn.

He struck a series of three denarii with portraits of his mother(Agrippina), father (Germanicus), and great grandfather (Augustus) on the reverses.

Mother ,Agrippina the elder...

father, Germanicus...

 

great grandfather, Augustus...

 

several sestertii...

reverse with his three sisters...

reverse with OB CIVES SERVATOS... roughly translated this is commemorating the lives of the citizens whom he saved. Rather ironic since Caligula was not exactly known for his humanitarianism.

Adlocutio... Caligula paid off the Praetorians upon his accession...

his famous Vesta asses...

small quadrans with cap of Liberty reverse.

[Octavius]

 Caligula had several other coins struck to honor family members...

sestertius of his mother Agrippina the elder with carpentum reverse / mules...

dupondius for his father Germanicus...

 

As for his father germanicus...

Dupondius for great grandfather Augustus with Caius himself seated on curule chair on reverse. This is the only imperial coin I can think of off hand that has SC on the obverse...

 

As with Neptune on reverse...

[Qcumbor]

Nothing very nice for Caligula himself in my collection. I can contribute with one struck in honor of his father Germanicus, and one in honor of his grand father on his mother side, Agrippa.

 

 

Q

[lrbguy]

 

CALIGULA

Caius Julius Caesar Germanicus (Caligula)  (37-38)
BMCRE 103; RSC 12; RIC 8
Silver Drachm of Ceasarea, Cappadocia          3.39g

Bare head of Caligula facing right
before: C CAESAR AVG (reading up);  behind: GERMANICVS  (reading down)

(obv and rev both read: right up, left down, outwardly)

simpulum and lituus
on right: IMPERATOR P[ON]  above and left: T.MAX AVG TR [PO]T

What is interesting to me about this coin is that it is a drachm from the mint at Ceasarea, but the inscriptions are entirely in Latin words and letters rather than Greek. Based on size, weight, and fineness of metal it is a product of a Roman mint that is effectively a denarius, though it is called a drachm.  As such it is a legitimate part of my set of 12 Ceasars in silver.

Of this reverse type at Caesarea, Mattingly gives the note, "The drachm of Caligula, with the priestly type, simpulum and lituus, indicating his rank as Pontifex Maximus, was probably struck in his first year, A.D. 37-8." To this he adds the additional note "TR POT is in favor of this; but it is occasionally used as a title only, not as a date."
As to the cultic objects depicted, a simpulum is essentially a ladle, associated with sacrificial libations.  The lituus, a short heavily curved wand, was discussed above under the coin of Julius Caesar.

 

 

 

 

Edited July 24, 2023 by lrbguy
added word

[kapphnwn]

Ae Sestertius of Caius Caligula 37-38 AD Obv Head left laureate Rv Inscription within oak wreath RIC 37  27.88 grms 33  mm Photo by W. Hansen

It is interesting how only the first letter of his name Caius can be seen but the name of his father Germanicus is very prominently displayed. 

[Roman Collector]

I see we're on Caligula. This isn't the most artistic reverse in the world, but it's interesting because it is often attributed to Caesonia, but it is not really her.

Caligula AD 37-41.
Roman provincial Æ 28 mm, 11.17 gm.
Carthago Nova, Spain, AD 37-38.
Obv: C. CAESAR AVG. GERMANIC. IMP. P.M. TR.P. COS., laureate head of Caligula, right.
Rev: CN. ATEL. FLAC. CN. POM. FLAC. II. VIR. Q.V.I.N.C., head of Salus right, SAL AVG across field.
Refs: SGI 419; Heiss 272, 35; Cohen 247, 1; RPC 1, 185; SNG Cop 503.

The coin's reverse depicts Salus and the attribution to Caesonia is fanciful. David Vagi (Coinage and History of the Roman Empire. Vol. 1, Coinworld, 1999, p.148) states:

"The bust of Salus (health) on aes struck at Cathago Nova ... by Caligula is often misattributed as a representation of Caesonia. In fact, it was struck before they were wed, and it more likely is an allusion to Antonia, whose health was failing as she neared the end of her life."

This is a REAL Caesonia, with her name on it and everything, from Wildwinds:


Caesonia, AE18 of Caesaraea Panias, Syria. Dated RY 5 of Agrippa I (AD 40-41). (KAIΣΩNIA ΓYNH ΣEBAΣTOY), Draped bust of Caesonia left, wearing hair in long plait / (ΔΡOYΣIΛΛA ΘYΓATΡI ΣEBAΣTOY), Drusilla standing facing, head right, holding Nike and branch, LE in left field. RPC 4977; Meshorer 117; SNG ANS -.

[Jims,Coins]

Copper coin (AE as) minted during the reign of CALIGULA between 37 - 38 A.D. Obv. C.CAESAR.AVG.GERMANICVS.PON.M.TR.POT. Bare head left. Rev. VESTA.S.C. S – C to l. and r. of Vesta, veiled and dr., std l., on ornamental throne, r. holding patera, l. long transverse sceptre. SEAR #616. RICI #38. Pg.111. DVM #9 pg.80. RSCII #1803.

 

[Limes]

I don't think this is my worst, most beaten up coin in my collection, but it comes close. The reasons I bought it: it wasn't expensive, and despite someone going at it with a sander machine, most elements of the reverse design, including that of the temple, are present. I still need to do some more research about it. 

For comparison, this is what a better one looks like (not mine obviously). And Pietas definitely went to the gym before she had her picture taken...! 

Edited July 24, 2023 by Limes

[idesofmarch01]

In contrast to his predecessor, Caligula's coins are a veritable cornucopia of non-god/goddess reverse types.  He is the only one of the 12 Caesars of whom I try to collect more than one type of his sestertii, since I find them so interesting, in some cases bizarrely so.

GAIUS (CALIGULA) 37 - 41 A.D.
AE Sestertius (28.01 g.)   Rome c. 37 - 38 A.D.  RIC 32
C CAESAR AVG GERMANICVS PON M TR POT Laureate head l. Rev. ADLOCVT Gaius, bare headed and togate, standing l. on platform, r. hand extended to five soldiers with shields and parazonia, rearmost pair carrying an aquila; in exergue, COH.  Ex. Luc Girard

 

GAIUS (CALIGULA) 37 - 41 A.D.
AE Sestertius (28.65 g.) Rome 37 38 A.D. RIC 36
C·CAESAR·AVG·GERMANICVS P·M·TR·POT Pietas, veiled and draped, seated l., holding patera and resting l. arm on small facing figure; in exergue, PIETAS. Rev. DIVO – AVG / S – C Gaius, veiled and togate, sacrificing over garlanded altar; in the background hexastyle temple.

 

GAIUS (CALIGULA) 37 - 41 A.D.
AE Sestertius (28.56 g.)   Rome c. 37 - 38 A.D.  RIC 33
C CAESAR AVG GERMANICVS PON M TR POT Laureate bust l. Rev. AGRIPPINA – DRVSILLA – IVLIA Sisters standing: Agrippina as Securitas holds cornucopiae; Drusilla as Concordia holds patera and cornucopiae; Julia as Fortuna, holds rudder and cornucopiae. In exergue, S·C.  From the Gasvoda collection.

Of this last coin I can only wonder: What did Romans think about an emperor celebrating his sisters on the reverse of the empire's most commonly circulated denomination?  I do, however, love the engraver's obvious homage to the Three Graces in his posing of Caligula's sisters.  This is certainly one of the most iconic sestertii of the 12 Caesars.

Although not necessarily as interesting as his sestertii, I've always liked the following coin's reverse for the (undeservedly?) high opinion of his rule that Caligula exhibited with the purely epigraphic reverse:

GAIUS (CALIGULA)
AV Aureus (7.66 g.)  Lugdunum ca. 37 - 38 A.D.  RIC --
C CAESAR AVG GERM P M TR POT Laureate head r. Rev. S P Q R / P P / OB C S within oak wreath.
From the Biaggi collection.

Note that SPQR PP OBCS = Senatus Populusque Romanus, Pater Patriae, Ob Cives Servatos.
(The senate and the Roman people to the father of the nation, the savior of the citizens.)

[DonnaML]

By contrast to the astounding specimens posted above by @Octavius, @Qcumbor, @idesofmarch01, and others -- all of which would more than hold their own in any museum collection -- my three coins issued by Caligula are the definition of ordinary. The only one that I think has a vaguely interesting reverse is the Agrippa, showing Neptune holding a dolphin on his right forearm. (I am not sure if you're supposed to think the dolphin is tiny, or Neptune is gargantuan.)

Plus, Caligula didn't issue any Roman Alexandrian coins -- foreclosing my usual alternative to expensive Imperials!

Caligula, AE As, 37-38 AD, Rome Mint. Obv. Bare head left, C CAESAR AVG GERMANICVS PON M TR POT/ Rev. Vesta seated left, holding patera and scepter, VESTA above, S - C across field. RIC I 38, Sear RCV I 1803, Cohen 27, BMCRE 46.  30x28 mm., 10.32 g.

Germanicus (died 19 AD, father of Caligula [Gaius] & brother of Claudius), AE As, Memorial issue struck under Caligula, 40-41 AD, Rome Mint. Obv. Bare head left, GERMANICVS CAESAR TI AVG F DIVI AVG N / Rev. Legend  C CAESAR DIVI AVG PRON AVG P M TR P IIII P P around large S C in center. RIC I Caligula  [Gaius] 50, Sear RCV I 1822. BMCRE 74 (Caligula), Cohen 4. 28 mm., 11.99 g., 6 h.

Agrippa (d. 12 BCE), AE As, Memorial issue struck by Caligula, 37-41 AD, Rome Mint. Obv. Head of Agrippa left, wearing rostral crown, M AGRIPPA L - F COS III / Rev. Neptune standing left, holding trident in left hand; dolphin resting left on his right forearm; S - C on either side of Neptune. RIC I Caligula [Gaius] 58, Sear RCV I 1812, Cohen Agrippa 3. 31 mm., 11.0 g.