Roman Coins in Reverse - a Chronological Gallery

[Al Kowsky]

                                               RPC X, (unassigned; ID 60268) illustrated.

CILICIA-Corycus. Valerian I, AD 253-260. AE Octassarian: 23.48 gm, 34 mm, 5 h. Obverse: Valerian laureate, draped & cuirassed, seen from the front. Reverse: Dionysus wearing nebris, holding wine skin over panther; to left , large agnostic prize crown containing caduceus, palm branch, & aplustre, set on 3 legged table. SNG von Aulock 5686. CNG 112, lot 128, April 23, 2005. Ex Garth Drewry Collection. RPC X (unassigned ID 60449) illustrated.

[Octavius]

 Valerian with Apollo Propugnator reverse...

[ambr0zie]

I have only 1 Valerian I antoninianus 

Valerian I 255-256. Billon antoninianus. Samosata.
IMP C P LIC VALERIANVS P F AVG, bust of Valerian, radiate, draped, right / RESTITVT ORIENTIS, turreted woman (the Orient), draped, standing right, presenting wreath to emperor, standing left, holding spear in left hand.
RIC V Valerian 287; Göbl 1685e; RSC 189.

 

The reverse does not seem to have anything special (perhaps my sick imagination, because in this coin I see the Orient is in fact „Rich Uncle” Pennybags from Monopoly game). But it shows what Valerian/his propaganda thought about himself and his reign, that he restores the Orient. History shows this was not quite accurate. 

[DonnaML]

Given that this 2-day slot is supposed to cover Valerian from 253-260 AD, and the Gallienus slot is supposed to cover Gallienus's coins issued from 260-268 AD (i.e., the period of Gallienus's sole reign), do the coins of Gallienus issued during his joint reign with his father (i.e., up to 260) belong in this slot or in the Gallienus slot? For now, I will assume that it's the latter, and leave his joint reign issues for later. But I would appreciate a clarification!

By contrast to Gallienus (for whom I have more than 20 coins to choose from, including joint reign issues), I don't have much for Valerian alone. But here are two with reverses I find interesting:

Valerian I, Billon Antoninianus, AD 255-256 [Sear RCV III p. 269], Antioch Mint [or, “uncertain Syrian mint”; see id.], or Samosata Mint (Göbl) [city on the Euphrates, capital of Commagene, now submerged by Ataturk Dam, Samsat, Sanliurfa, Turkey]. Obv. Radiate, draped, and cuirassed bust right, IMP C P LIC VALERIANVS AVG / Rev. Two Victories affixing shield inscribed S•C to palm tree between them, VOTA ORBIS. RIC V.1 294, RSC IV 280 var. [no cuirass on RSC coin], Sear RCV III 9996 (ill. p. 269); Göbl MIR 1682e [R. Göbl et al., Moneta Imperii Romani, Band 35: Die Münzprägung des Kaiser Valerianus I / Gallienus / Saloninus / (253/268), etc. (Vienna, 2000)]. Purchased from Roma Numismatics Ltd., E-Sale 98, 16 Jun 2022, Lot 1411.  

Valerian I, Silvered Billon Antoninianus, 257 AD [Göbl: 253/254 AD], Mediolanum [Milan] Mint [RIC, RSC] or Viminacium Mint [Sear, Göbl] [Viminacium was the capital of Moesia Superior and was located in what is now Eastern Serbia near Kostolac.]. Obv. Radiate, draped bust right, IMP VALERIANVS P AVG/ Rev. Virtus standing left, chiton off right shoulder (leaving right breast bare), holding Victory with right hand and resting left hand on shield, with reversed spear propped against left arm, VIRTVS AVGG. RIC V-1 267 (Milan) (p. 58) obv. leg. var.* [RIC identifies reverse figure as a soldier; Wildwinds identifies reverse figure on RIC 267 as Virtus (see http://www.wildwinds.com/coins/ric/valerian_I/i.html)]; Cohen 258 obv. leg. var. [Cohen identifies figure as Virtus or Roma], RSC IV 258 (Milan) obv. leg. var. [identifying reverse figure as soldier]; Sear RCV III 9992 obv. leg.var. [identifying reverse figure as Virtus, but characterizing Virtus as male; ascribed to Viminacium Mint for unstated reasons] (ill.); Göbl 811d (same obv. leg.) [identifying reverse figure as Virtus; Viminacium mint] [R. Göbl et al., Moneta Imperii Romani, Band 35: Die Münzprägung des Kaiser Valerianus I / Gallienus / Saloninus / (253/268), Regalianus (260) und Macrianus / Quietus (260/262) (Vienna, 2000)]; Cunetio 770 (same obv. leg.) [identifying reverse figure as Virtus] [Besly, E. & R. Bland, The Cunetio Treasure: Roman Coinage of the Third Century AD (London, 1983)]; Adeilson Nogueira, Valeriano, Na Numismatica Romana (Brazil, 2018) at p. 11 (see https://tinyurl.com/qpb659c) [identifying reverse figure as Virtus]; Chalfont hoard 328 [R. Bland, ed., The Chalfont Hoard and Other Roman Coin Hoards, Coin Hoards from Roman Britain IX (London, 1992)]; Stevenage hoard 529 [A.M. Burnett & R.F. Bland, eds., Coin Hoards from Roman Britain: The Normanby Hoard and Other Roman Coin Hoards, CHRB VIII (London, 1988) at pp. 43-73]. 22.5 mm., 3.4 g.

* RIC, RSC, Cohen, and Sear all identify the obverse legend on this coin type as IMP P LIC VALERIANO AVG rather than IMP VALERIANVS P AVG; the coins appear to be otherwise identical to this one.  None of them lists a Valerian antoninianus with the IMP VALERIANVS P AVG obverse legend and a reverse with the VIRTVS AVG [RIC V-1 266] or VIRTVS AVGG [RIC V-1 267] legend, as well as the reverse figure -- however identified -- with spear and shield and holding Victory.
 

 

Edited September 21, 2023 by DonnaML

[DonnaML]

16 hours ago, lrbguy said:

SAMOSATA

RIC 295  (RIC attributes to the mint at Antioch)  //  Goebl: a mint at Samosata (Goebl 1682e Samosata)
silver

This type in silver is usually attributed to Samosata since the work of the late Robert Goebl in 2000.

Radiate bust draped to R
IMP C P LIC VALERIANVS P F AVG

2 Victories affixing shield inscribed S C to palm tree
VOTA ORBIS

 

Irbguy, is your VOTA ORBIS the same type as mine? The Göbl numbers seem to be the same, but the RIC numbers are different (294 vs. 295).

[ambr0zie]

I will try to help. The difference in RIC between 294 and 295 is the legend and the bust type, although here it is clear that the legend makes the difference. 

 

Legends:

so 294 - IMP C P LIC VALERIANVS AVG, radiate and draped

295 - IP C P LIC VALERIANUS P F AVG, radiate, draped and cuirassed 

 

and A is radiate and draped, and AC - radiate, draped and cuirassed (although from what I see both the busts on your coins are identical, but this might be me not seeing the details)

 

@lrbguy's coin - obverse legend ending in P F AVG - 295

@DonnaML's coin - obverse legend does not contain P F - 294. 

I do not have access to the Göbl  catalogue so cannot confirm if they are under the same number. 

But from what I see RIC attributes 295 to Rome due to the obverse legend type 2 (?!); OCRE to Antioch;  and 294 to various mints due to obverse legend type 2. 

Your coins are, anyway, not the same type as the legend is clearly different. 

Edited September 20, 2023 by ambr0zie

[John Conduitt]

Not a great reverse but it's Saturn, who I don't have on any other Roman Empire coin and only seems to be on 8 or 9 coins on Ocre - 7 of which are from 253-270 (Valerian and Gallienus).

Valerian I Antoninianus, 254-255

Viminacium. Billon, 22mm, 4.33g. Radiate draped Bust right; IMP C P LIC VALERIANVS AVG. Saturn standing right holding scythe; AETERNITATI AVGG (RIC V, 210). Purportedly from the Bristol (Somerset) II Hoard 1996.

[lrbguy]

(My apologies to Donna for not catching her question.  By the time I logged in ambrOzie had already taken care of it in fine style ☺️.  Sometimes the fine mint distinctions become part of the thrill of the hunt.  Today's examples are more along that line. 

Not sure why the grandkids got moved to the same slot as their grandmother while their mom got not mention at all, but I will post their coins today, albeit separately from those of Mariniana (grandma).  The coins for their mother (Salonina) I will list when I show those of her husband (Gallienus).

 

Valerian II

P Cornelius Licinius Valerianus ( 1st son of Gallienus and Salonina) was given the rank of Caesar at his fathers elevation to Augustus. He died two years later in 255 AD.

Lifetime issue  253-255

RIC 19             minted at  Rome

Radiate, draped bust to R  
P LIC VALERIANVS CAES 

Priestly sacrificial implements (wand, patera, vase, knife, simpulum)
PIETAS AVGG

 

Posthumous issues hereafter

 

RIC 9      minted at  Lugdunum

Radiate, draped bust to R  
DIVO VALERIANO CAES

 

(posthumous)
CONSACRATIO

The misspelling with an "A" is characteristic of this issue from Lugdunum

 

But here comes an interesting variant on that theme:

RIC 9         minted at  Lugdunum

Radiate, draped bust to R  
DIVO VALERIANO CAES

 

Eagle bearing Caesar aloft
CONS(W?)CRATIO

Here the essential character of the misspelling has a mangled cursive "a" quality

 

RIC 24         minted at  Rome

Radiate, bare bust to R
DIVO CAES VALERIANO

Funeral altar
CONSECRATIO

 

Saloninus

P Licinius Cornelius Saloninus Valerianus  (2nd son of Gallienus and Salonina) was elevated to the rank of Caesar upon the death of his brother, and in 259 was elevated to the rank of Augustus as co-regent with his father. Unfortunately the next year Postumus had assumed the throne, and having no use for the son of his predecessor, eliminated the young rival to the imperial throne.

The following three coins are all from the mint at Antioch and distinguished by the appearance of NOB(il) in the obverse legend. On the reverses they illustrate the use of officina marks as noted below.  ( Note: RIC mentions a mark consisting of only a wreath without a dot as the second type of mark, but does not mention a variety without mark at all. See examples below.)

RIC 36                 Antioch
 

Radiate, draped bust to R  
SALON VALERIANVS NOB CAES

Prince stg at L holding spear extends R hand to Spes approaching from R holding hem of skirt with L hand, extending flower in R hand.
*Nothing in field above center (officina ?)
SPES PVBLICA

 

RIC 36         Antioch
 

Radiate, draped bust to R  
SALON VALERIANVS NOB CAES

Prince stg at L holding spear extends R hand to Spes approaching from R holding hem of skirt with L hand, extending flower in R hand.
Six point star in field above center (officina 1?)
SPES PVBLICA

 

RIC 36         Antioch
 

Radiate, draped bust to R  
SALON VALERIANVS NOB CAES

Prince stg at L holding spear extends R hand to Spes approaching from R holding hem of skirt with L hand, extending flower in R hand.
Wreath around dot in field above center (officina 3?)

SPES PVBLICA

Edited September 21, 2023 by lrbguy
tighten text

[Qcumbor]

Mariniana with a peacock reverse 

Diva Mariniana, Antoninianus- Viminacum mint, AD 253-254
DIVAE MARINIANAE, veiled, diademed and draped bust right, above a crescent
CONSECRATIO, peacock walking right, its tail in splendor
4.0 gr
Ref : Cohen # 11, RCV # 10069, RIC # 5, Eauze Hoard #1429, 3 specimens
Thanks to Curtisclay for additionnnal informations

Q

[ambr0zie]

For the rulers in this time slot I only have coins from Valerian II and Saloninus. A Mariniana coin is on the list (I like collecting empresses) but I have the same personal issue like I have with Augustus denarius with Caius and Lucius, Tiberius tribute penny or Athens owl tetradrachms - these are iconic coins, easily found but ... I see them too often and I don't feel the need to own one. 

Saloninus - same type as the one presented by @lrbguy- RIC 36 but my notes state it's from Samosata mint. 

I am not a specialist in mints and I know for this period, various studies brought different results. 

 

Valerian II - again a type already presented by @lrbguy - RIC 19 but also in a worse condition

 

My deified Valerian II coin is, and you won't believe this, already presented by @lrbguy - RIC 9 from Lugdunum (and I am correcting this right now as my notes stated Cologne and this seems totally incorrect). On my coin the reverse legend is "correct" - CONSACRATIO. 

Edited September 21, 2023 by ambr0zie

[lrbguy]

The coins for Mariniana are some of my favorites, though I am not sure why.  But they are few in number and one figure for which I have nearly all of the silver issues (missing one major variety).  With your indulgence, the following cover the basics.

A review of the family (skip if you wish😞

Unlike many of the ephemeral emperors and rebels who bid for Imperial Power during the Crisis of the Third Century of the Roman Empire, Valerian was of a noble and traditional senatorial family. Details of his early life are elusive, except for his marriage to Egnatia Mariniana, who gave him two sons: later emperor Publius Licinius Egnatius Gallienus and Valerianus Minor. [so Wikipedia]

Valerian's wife was also born of nobility:
"The sister of the Hedii Lolliani, who were consules ordinarii in 209 and 211, married one of the Egnatii.  Their daughter, (Egnatia) Mariniana married the future emperor Publius Licinius Valerianus and gave birth to the future emperor Publius Licinius Egnatius Gallienus."
   -Inge Mennen, Power and Status in the Roman Empire 193-284 (Brill: Leiden, 2011) p.72

Several coins, all bearing the obverse legend DIVAE MARINIANAE, all from the mint at Rome, date back to the beginning of the joint reign of Valerian and Gallienus (253-258). Given the practice of deifying the wives who died before their husbands' assumption of the Principate, it is possible that Mariniana died before AD 253.  All of the coins listed in RIC bear only this obverse legend.  The bust of the empress rests on a crescent, facing right with one of two hair styles, i.e. veiled with or without diadem.

With but one very rare exception, two reverse types of the antoniniani for Mariniana share the CONSECRATIO reverse inscription.  The exception has a particularly rare reverse featuring Felicitas standing left holding a caduceus and cornucopia under the words FELICIT DEORVM. (not featured here) 

 

Egnatia Mariniana

Somewhat less commonly seen, but more diverse in its form, is the "grand peacock" CONSECRATIO type featuring a peacock standing in splendor, fan tail, looking either to right or left.  These occur with or without diadem on the obverse.  

RIC 3
DIVAE MARINIANAE
veiled bust r. on crescent, (no diadem)
CONSECRATIO
peacock stands in splendor facing right.

 

RIC 3
DIVAE MARINIANAE
veiled bust r. on crescent, (with diadem)
CONSECRATIO
peacock stands in splendor facing right.

(The photo for this next example is the listing photo by its seller, inasmuch as it has been purchased but not yet delivered.  Not only did it fill a gap in this sequence of images, but it has an unusual feature to be explored. The U/V shaped mark in the right field requires some investigation. It is my only acquisition since early 2019.)

RIC 4 var

DIVAE MARINIANAE
veiled bust r. on crescent, (no diadem)
CONSECRATIO
peacock stands in splendor facing right.
V-shaped figure in right field

 

 

RIC 4

DIVAE MARINIANAE
veiled bust r. on crescent, with diadem
CONSECRATIO
peacock stands in splendor facing right.

 

Parallel to these there is also a somewhat rarer variant in which the bird is walking right. On all coins of this type the empress wears a diadem.

RIC 5

DIVAE MARINIANAE
veiled bust r. on crescent, with diadem
CONSECRATIO
peacock in splendor advances right.

 

The most commonly seen CONSECRATIO reverse features a depiction of the apotheosis of Mariniana (the elevation to divine status) in which the figure of the Empress rides the sacred bird of Juno, the peacock, in skyward flight. Usually the empress is seen riding on the left side of the bird which is flying to the right.

 

RIC 6a
DIVAE MARINIANAE
veiled bust r. on crescent, (no diadem)
CONSECRATIO
empress rides peacock ascending right, waving while facing left

RIC also notes that the opposite orientation also exists, but groups both types under a single number, i.e. RIC 6.  For regularly produced types, this is far and away less commonly seen than anything else shown in this post.

RIC 6b
DIVAE MARINIANAE
veiled bust r. on crescent, (no diadem)
CONSECRATIO
empress rides peacock ascending LEFT while facing right

 

 

RIC 6a-var
DIVAE MARINIANAE
veiled bust r. on crescent, (no diadem)
CONSE RATIO
empress rides peacock ascending right, waving while facing left

Of this anomaly CNG said in its auction description: "A die-sinking error in the reverse legend."

That about sums it up.

 

[lrbguy]

17 hours ago, ambr0zie said:

For the rulers in this time slot I only have coins from Valerian II and Saloninus. A Mariniana coin is on the list (I like collecting empresses) but I have the same personal issue like I have with Augustus denarius with Caius and Lucius, Tiberius tribute penny or Athens owl tetradrachms - these are iconic coins, easily found but ... I see them too often and I don't feel the need to own one. 

Saloninus - same type as the one presented by @lrbguy- RIC 36 but my notes state it's from Samosata mint. 

I'm pretty much at the same place as AmbrOzie on the mint attribution for these coins of Saloninus.  My attribution to Antioch was based entirely and uncritically on RIC without reference to Goebel, Wildwinds, or anyone else.  Until we get to the first Tetrarchy my devotion to the coins of the Imperial women is not shared by those of the rest of the Imperial family members.  

Case in point, for Salonina I have strong representation with approx 60 coins from seven mints associated with her, but for Gallienus, four mints in 8 coins total.  For me the question of showing reverse types comes down to knowing where to draw the line.  In the case of Otacilia Severa I tried waiting until everyone had posted what they would and then I came in to cover some of what had not been shown.  But the time it took to assess all that, and then rally with finished pics and writeup, cost me posting anything for Herrenia Etruscilla.  Even with extra days, time ran out.  A similar crunch came up earlier for the coins of Faustina I (with but one or two exceptions). I don't know what's going to happen when we get to the big three for me: Galeria Valeria, Fausta, and Helena.  Pick favorites?  I like to think this is a bit more than show and tell.

If anybody has some suggestions I am all ears.  This is supposed to be fun, and I don't what to "disgruntle" anyone.

[ambr0zie]

This means you have quite a large collection. I tend to be on a generalist side and if I have more than 2-3 coins/emperor this means I consider them extremely interesting (and affordable). And if the coins you presented in this thread are only the ones more interesting than the previously shown by others, your collection is really magnificent. 

My collection is probably below average, 419 coins (including 3 I impatiently wait). And I managed to reduce the number of coins I buy (this was my personal ambition). I will probably stop buying coins completely and this will be soon. 

As a spoiler, I have a grand total of 2 Salonina coins. Both imperial. First because I wanted a Salonina coin in my collection, second because I thought patina + reverse are very appealing. If I get another, it will probably be the VINO REGINA typo (I find these bloopers really interesting) or an interesting provincial. 

I think (and perhaps this is just me) that maximum coins shown per post should be 8-10. The only reason I say this is because a larger number would make the post long and some readers would just scroll without paying attention. And this would be a pity. 

[John Conduitt]

Finally, I have a C3 reverse worth posting. I have all these stick figures then suddenly a baby god riding a goat.

Valerian II Antoninianus, 255

Colonia Agrippinensis. Silver, 22mm, 2.60g. Radiate and draped bust to right; VALERIANVS CAES. Infant Jupiter seated on Amalthaean goat walking to right; IOVI CRESCENTI (RIC V.1, 3). From the Dorchester (Dorset) Hoard 1936 of over 22,000 coins deposited in 257 and found in several containers while rebuilding the Marks and Spencer store in South Street.

[DonnaML]

Diva Mariniana (deceased wife of Valerian I), Silvered Billon Antoninianus. 254-258 AD, Viminacium [Rome?] Mint. Obv. DIVAE MARINIANAE, Veiled and draped bust right on crescent/ Rev. CONSECRATIO, Peacock standing, head right, tail in splendor. RSC IV 4, RIC V-1 4, Sear RCV III 10068.  21.5 mm., 3.9 g. 

Valerian II Caesar (son of Gallienus), Billon Antoninianus,  257-258 AD, Cologne Mint. Obv. Radiate draped bust right, VALERIANVS CAES/ Rev. Infant Jupiter seated right on goat Amalthea walking right, looking left, with right hand raised, left hand holding goat's horn, IOVI CRESCENTI. RIC V-1 3, RSC IV 26, Sear RCV III 10731 (ill.).  22 mm., 3.70 g.  VF (Ex col. Frans Pouwel, Netherlands, collected since the ‘80’s.)

Saloninus Caesar (son of Gallienus), Billon Antoninianus, 258-260 AD, Cologne Mint. Obv. Radiate draped bust right, SALON VALERIANVS CAES/ Rev. sacrificial implements (lituus, jug, simpulum, and sprinkler), PIETAS AVG. RIC V-1 9, RSC IV 41, Sear RCV III 10767 (ill.).  20.5 mm., 3.13 g.

[Octavius]

 Two Antoniniani of Gallienus...

1. reverse of Virtus...

2. reverse of she wolf suckling Romulus and Remus; AETERNITAS...

[Octavius]

Sestertius of Gallienus with Virtus reverse...

[CPK]

A favorite coin. This type honors Legio IV Flavia Felix, a legion founded by Vespasian in A.D. 70. The legion was active in Moesia Superior as well as Dacia throughout the 2nd century. Later, the legion fought in support of Septimius Severus against Niger and Albinus.

Aside from the interesting history, this coin features a great lion, and I always appreciate a good animal coin!

[DonnaML]

First, my three "legionary series" coins of Gallienus, issued either during his joint reign with his father, or early in his sole reign:

1. Gallienus (son of Valerian I), Billon Antoninianus, 260-261 AD [Sear], 260 AD [Reinhardt], 258 AD [RIC], Mediolanum [Milan] Mint, 2nd emission (Göbl and Reinhardt), Legionary Issue. Obv. Radiate and cuirassed bust right, two ribbons behind, GALLIENVS AVG / Rev. Capricorn springing right, LEG I ADI VI P VI F ( = Legio I Adiutrix [“Rescuer”], VI Pia, VI Fidelis [see fn.]). RIC V-1 315j [joint reign], RSC IV 447 (ill. p. 77), Sear RCV III 10252, Göbl MIR [Moneta Imperii Romani] Band 36, No. 982r [ill. with other legionary series coins at http://www258.pair.com/denarius/cgi-bin/erfind.pl?sstring=legio+milan (Ed Flinn’s site Coinage of Gallienus and Family), and at Reinhardt p. 180, no. 5 (Frank Reinhardt, José de Sousa, & Heidemarie Bieker, Gallienvs Antoninianii, The Antoninianii Collection of Gallienus by Frank Reinhardt (Eng. trans. 2022), available at https://www.academia.edu/77282280/GALLIENUS_ANTONINIANII_English_version_PDF )]. 22 mm., 2.8 g, 12 h.  Purchased from Leu Numismatik AG, Winterthur, Switzerland, Web Auction 21, 19 Jul 2022, Lot 4869; ex Collection of Dipl.-Ing. [ = Engineering Master’s Degree] Adrian Lang, b. Germany 1956 [see https://leunumismatik.com/source/images/auction/36/pdf/b2acb9be-1e8d-4395-a863-6c5c7c37ed4b.pdf for biography]; ex Jesus Vico Auction 133, 15 Nov. 2012, Lot 2549.* 

2. Gallienus (son of Valerian I), Billon Antoninianus, 260-261 AD [Sear], 260 AD [Reinhardt], 258 AD [RIC], Mediolanum [Milan] Mint, 2nd emission (Göbl and Reinhardt), Legionary Issue. Obv. Radiate and cuirassed bust right, two ribbons behind, GALLIENVS AVG / Rev. Centaur with beard galloping right, raising his right hand in salute and holding club in left hand, LEG II PART VI P VI F ( = Legio II Parthica, VI Pia, VI Fidelis [see fn.]). RIC V-1 336j [joint reign], RSC IV 483, Sear RCV III 10262 (ill. p. 294), Göbl MIR [Moneta Imperii Romani] Band 36, No. 997r [ill. with other legionary series coins at http://www258.pair.com/denarius/cgi-bin/erfind.pl?sstring=legio+milan (Ed Flinn’s site Coinage of Gallienus and Family), and at Reinhardt p. 187, no. 6]. 22 mm., 2.8 g, 12 h.  Purchased from Leu Numismatik AG, Winterthur, Switzerland, Web Auction 21, 19 Jul 2022, Lot 4872; ex Collection of Dipl.-Ing. [ = Engineering Master’s Degree] Adrian Lang, b. Germany 1956 [see https://leunumismatik.com/source/images/auction/36/pdf/b2acb9be-1e8d-4395-a863-6c5c7c37ed4b.pdf for biography] .*

*[This footnote applies to both of these legionary series coins.] A capricorn and a centaur were the emblems, respectively, of Leg. I Adiutrix and Leg. II Parthica -- just as the animals or other figures shown on the reverses of the other coins of the Gallienus legionary series served as the emblems or badges of those legions. See Jones, John Melville, A Dictionary of Ancient Roman Coins (London, Seaby, 1999) at p. 166 [entry for Legio]); RIC V-1 at p. 34. See also the list of the legions and their emblems depicted in the Gallienus legionary series at http://www258.pair.com/denarius/cgi-bin/erfind.pl?sstring=legio+milan (Ed Flinn’s site). Note that if this theory is correct, then several animals served as the emblem of more than one legion -- e.g., the bull for three legions [VII, VIII, and X]. 

Leg. I Adiutrix and Leg. II Parthica were primarily based, during the third century AD, at Brigetio in Pannonia (modern Szöny, northwest Hungary), and on the Alban mountain near Rome. (See the articles about these legions at https://www.livius.org/articles/legion/legio-i-adiutrix/ and https://www.livius.org/articles/legion/legio-ii-parthica/, a website on ancient history written and maintained by the Dutch historian Jona Lendering. For an index to articles about other legions, see https://www.livius.org/articles/legion .)

The general consensus is that the P and F stood for Pia Fidelis.
See Jones, A Dictionary of Ancient Roman Coins , supra at p. 166 [entry for Legio] (“the correct explanation seems to be that the legions were being commended for the virtues of piety and fidelity”). Note that “P F” can also stand for Pius Felix (see RIC V-1 at p. 32), but that term is usually associated with the emperor himself, and “faithfulness” seems a more appropriate appellation for the legions than “happiness.”  

There is also controversy about the year(s) of issue of the legionary series, relating to the meaning of the Roman numeral VI preceding both the P and the F in the reverse legend (as well as concerning the meaning, in various other examples of the legionary series, of the numerals V or VII instead of VI preceding P and F).  In RIC V-1 at p. 34 (published in 1927), the editor Harold Mattingly cited the work of Sir Charles Oman supporting the theory that the Roman numerals refer to the regnal years of Gallienus’s joint reign with his father in which the coins were issued -- i.e., years V-VII, or 157-159 AD -- despite the fact that “the obverse inscription is usually GALLIENVS AVG, a form of legend which does not generally appear until 260.”  According to Mattingly, Oman “conclusively points out that Gallienus would, at no date after 259, have celebrated the piety and loyalty of the Rhine legions [several of which, such as Leg VIII Augusta, are included in the legionary series], which had assisted the rebel Postumus to overthrow his authority in Gaul and to slay his son” (Saloninus). Jones agrees, stating in his Dictionary at p. 166 that “the numbers indicated the years of the emperor’s reign.”

However, the more modern authorities all seem to disagree with this interpretation, and place the legionary series near the beginning of Gallienus’s sole reign. See Sear RCV III at p. 293, where David Sear states in a note to No. 10252 (the Legio I Adiutrix capricorn coin above) that the legionary series of Gallienus “was issued early in his sole reign [i.e., after Valerian I’s capture by the Persians in 260] at Milan [Mediolanum], the base of the recently established field army commanded by Aureolus. The units honoured were the Praetorian Cohort and the seventeen legions which had furnished detachments for the field army. The numerals ‘VI’ and ‘VII’ appearing in the reverse legends [VI for my examples] may refer to the victories achieved by Aureolus over the usurpers Ingenuus and Regalian.”  See also Zach Beasley’s article on this subject at http://beastcoins.com/RomanImperial/V-I/Gallienus/Gallienus.htm  (“In 260, following the defeats of the revolts, Gallienus produced Antoniniani at Milan, honoring his different legions.  Each legion or cohort is featured through the legionary badge on the reverse, along with the victory number and P F for Pia Fidelis.  One coin type was issued for each of the three battles in which the unit participated.  Victory V was against the Alemanni, VI was against Ingenuus and VII was against Regalianus”).  Neither Sear nor Beasley provides any source for the theory that the three Roman numerals can be tied to specific victories.  Nor do they address Mattingly’s argument (derived from Charles Oman) that Gallienus would not have honored and praised the Rhine legions after the usurpation of Postumus in the summer of 260. (But see the footnote to my Leg. VIII Augusta legionary series bull coin below for a citation to Jona Lendering’s article asserting that despite that legion’s traditional location in Argentoratum [Strasbourg] in Germania Superior, that legion actually supported Gallienus rather than Postumus.) 

The historian Jona Lendering offers a different interpretation. At https://www.livius.org/articles/legion/legio-ii-parthica/, in the article on Legio II Parthica, named on my “centaur with club” coin (as well as in other articles about other legions), the author implicitly rejects both the view that the Roman numerals V, VI, and VII represent regnal years, and the view that they refer to specific victories, asserting instead that legends such as “VI Pia VI Fidelis” simply honor a given legion for having been faithful and loyal on the specified number of occasions: “it is certain that in the conflict between the emperor Gallienus and his rival Postumus (260-268), the Second Parthian legion supported the first-mentioned, for which it was rewarded with surnames like Pia V Fidelis V (‘five times faithful and loyal’), Pia VI Fidelis VI, and finally Pia VII Fidelis VII.”

In short, even assuming that the modern authorities are correct that the legionary series was issued after the commencement of Gallienus’s sole reign, there is no generally-agreed answer to the questions of precisely what the V, VI, or VII on these coins signify – i.e., whether they refer to specific victories (numbered in an unknown fashion), or simply to the number of times a given legion proved itself to be faithful and loyal. 

3. Gallienus (son of Valerian I), Billon Antoninianus, 260-261 AD [Sear], 260 AD [Reinhardt], 258 AD [RIC], Mediolanum [Milan] Mint, 2nd emission (Göbl and Reinhardt), Legionary Issue. Obv. Radiate and cuirassed bust right, two ribbons behind, GALLIENVS AVG / Rev. Bull advancing right, bellowing with head raised and mouth open, LEG VIII AVG [Augusta] VI P [Pia] VI F [Fidelis].  RIC V-1 353j [joint reign] (p. 95), RSC IV 522, Sear RCV III 10268, Göbl MIR [Moneta Imperii Romani] Band 36, No. 1009h [ill. with other legionary series coins at http://www258.pair.com/denarius/cgi-bin/erfind.pl?sstring=legio+milan (Ed Flinn’s site Coinage of Gallienus and Family); bust type not. ill in Reinhardt]. 2.18 mm., 2.49 g.*

*See the footnote above to the capricorn and centaur legionary series coins, incorporated herein. A bull was the emblem of Leg. VIII Augusta, based at Argentoratum in Germania Superior (modern Strasbourg, France), on the Rhine. See the article on this legion at Jona Lendering’s site, at https://www.livius.org/articles/legion/legio-viii-augusta/. However, as Mattingly points out (RIC V-1 at p. 34), Germania Superior was controlled by Postumus beginning in 260; he uses that fact to argue (as quoted in the footnote above) that the legionary series must have been issued earlier, during Gallienus’s joint reign with his father, because the Rhine legions supported Postumus, and, therefore, Gallienus would never have honored them after the establishment of the Gallic Empire. But see Jona Lendering’s article on Leg. VIII Augusta, asserting that “in the conflict between the emperors Gallienus (of Italy) and Postumus (of Gaul), the legion seems to have supported the former, and it received honorific titles like V, VI, VII Pia fidelis (five times, six times, and seven times faithful and loyal).” The obvious implication -- if one accepts the modern view that the legionary series coins were issued after Gallienus’s sole reign began in 260 -- is that during the existence of the Gallic Empire, Leg. VIII Augusta’s base must have been moved elsewhere, outside Germania Superior, or Gallienus would not have honored it with the titles it was given on the legionary series coins.  

Next, my two Antioch Lion coins of Gallienus. 

Gallienus, Billon Antoninianus, 264-265 AD, Antioch Mint, 12th emission (Göbl MIR and Reinhardt). Obv. Radiate, draped & cuirassed bust right, two ribbons behind, seen from behind, GALLIENVS AVG / Rev. Lion, radiate, advancing left, holding thunderbolt in his jaws, P M TR P XII; in exergue, C VI PP [CVI = COS VI]. RIC 601 var. (obv. bust left); RSC IV 842 var. (obv. bust left; palm branch in rev. exergue); Göbl MIR [Moneta Imperii Romani] Band 36, No. 1620i (not ill. at Ed Flinn’s site; this bust type not ill. in Reinhardt). Purchased from Leu Numismatik AG, Winterthur, Switzerland, Web Auction 21, 19 Jul 2022, Lot 4893; ex Collection of Dipl.-Ing. [ = Engineering Master’s Degree] Adrian Lang, b. Germany 1956 [see https://leunumismatik.com/source/images/auction/36/pdf/b2acb9be-1e8d-4395-a863-6c5c7c37ed4b.pdf for biography]. [Leu describes this variety of the type as “Very rare,” with three examples recorded in Göbl MIR; acsearch.com lists seven examples including this coin.]*

*See Woods, David, "From Caracalla to Carausius: The Radiate Lion with Thunderbolt in its Jaws," British Numismatic Journal 88 (British Numismatic Society 2018) at pp. 189-194, explaining that this type was “first used by the emperor Caracalla (211−17) in 215 and last used by the British usurper Carausius (286−93) and his continental contemporaries Diocletian (284−305) and Maximian (286−305).” According to the author, “the radiate lion with a thunderbolt in its jaws was a symbol of [imperial] courage. The fact that the emperor during whose reign this type was first used [Caracalla] was strongly interested in Alexander the Great encourages the belief that traditions concerning Alexander the Great may have influenced the design of this symbol. The match between the main elements of two ominous dreams experienced by the parents of Alexander before his birth and the main elements of this symbol, a lion and a thunderbolt, suggest a connection between the two. [See article for details on these dreams.] The fact that these dreams were understood as omens of how courageous Alexander would be confirms this connection.” Id. p. 193. The purpose of the crown on the lion’s head “may have been to denote royal or imperial status” (id. p. 191), reinforcing the reference to imperial courage.

Gallienus, Billon Antoninianus, 264-265 AD, Antioch Mint, 11th emission (Göbl MIR and Reinhardt).*  Obv. Radiate head left, two ribbons behind, GALLIENVS AVG / Rev. Lion walking left (not radiate), bucranium [bull’s head] in front of paws, P M TR P XIII; in exergue, C VI PP [CVI = COS VI], palm branch left below. RIC V-1 602 var. obv. [bust draped & cuirassed] & rev. [lion radiate]; RSC IV 847 var. rev. [lion radiate]; Sear RCV III 10327 var. rev. [lion radiate]; Göbl MIR [Moneta Imperii Romani] Band 36, No. 1622a [ill. at Ed Flinn’s site Coinage of Gallienus and Family, at http://www258.pair.com/denarius/coinage.htm, and at Reinhardt p. 340, no. 5 (Frank Reinhardt, José de Sousa, & Heidemarie Bieker, Gallienvs Antoninianii, The Antoninianii Collection of Gallienus by Frank Reinhardt (Eng. trans. 2022), available at https://www.academia.edu/77282280/GALLIENUS_ANTONINIANII_English_version_PDF )]. 21 mm., 4.05 g., 12 h.**

*See Euston, Charles, Gallienus to Antioch ? A new PROFECTIO type of antoninianus from the mint at Antioch, A.D. 264, in Bulletin du cercle d’études numismatiques [BCEN] 52/2 (2015), at p. 2: “Göbl’s 11th emission begins with another lion reverse; lion (not radiate), left with a bull’s head between its paws (MIR 1622). This reverse is also dated, but to Gallienus’ 13th tribunician power (TRP XIII). Interestingly, this type straddles both the 12th and the 11th emissions as it exists both with and without the palm frond as exergual marker. This mark in the exergue is, in fact, the primary indicator of the 11th emission.”

**See Manders, Erika (2012), Coining Images of Power: Patterns in the Representation of Roman Emperors on Imperial Coinage, A.D. 193–284. Impact of Empire (Roman Empire, c. 200 B.C.–A.D. 476), at pp. 296-297 [portions available on Google Books], stating that “[f]our coin types [of Gallienus] [NB: in fact, there were more than four] bear a legend consisting of standard imperial titalature and show a lion with a bull’s head between his paws or a radiate lion (sometimes with a bull’s head between his paws). . . . These types might refer to the victories of Odaenathus [of Palmyra], Rome’s ally, gained over the Persians, probably in 262-263 and 267. This hypothesis is strengthened by the thirteenth Sybilline Oracle’s description of the Persians as ‘venom spitting beasts’ who have been destroyed by Odaenathus, the ‘sun-sent, dreadful, fearful lion, breathing much fire.’” Other authorities have expressed skepticism regarding this interpretation.  See, e.g., Woods, David, "From Caracalla to Carausius: The Radiate Lion with Thunderbolt in its Jaws," British Numismatic Journal 88 (British Numismatic Society 2018) at pp. 189-194 (arguing at p. 193 that the Manders interpretation is unconvincing for various reasons, that the radiate lion with thunderbolt symbolizes imperial courage [see footnote to Gallienus coin depicting radiate lion with thunderbolt in its mouth], and that for emperors who issued both types [Probus and Gallienus], the iconographical differences between the two types were probably of no significance).

Zoo Series coins, and coins of Salonina, to follow.

Edited September 24, 2023 by DonnaML

[DonnaML]

Now my Gallienus Zoo Series coins.

First, as a guide, here is a list I compiled several years ago of the 32 different types of reverses in the Zoo Series, together with the name of the deity in the reverse legend, and the number of the Officina or Officinae (given that some reverse types were issued by more than one Officina).  I have ignored minor variations in the obverse legend and bust (e.g., Gallienus facing left vs. right, bare head vs. draped & cuirassed; two ribbons behind head vs. one behind head & one across neck; legend with or without IMP in addition to GALLIENVS AVG; etc., etc.). 

I presently have 11 Gallienus "Zoo Series" types out of the the 32. The types I have  are marked with asterisks in the list:

Lioness walking left [Apollo, Officina 2]
*Centaur walking left holding globe [Apollo, Officinas 4, 7, & 8]
*Centaur walking right with bow and arrow [Apollo, Officinas 7 & 8]
Centaur galloping right, with bow and arrow held up to sky [Apollo, Officina 7]
*Gryphon walking left [Apollo, Officinas 4 & 8]
Gryphon walking right [Apollo, Officina 4]
Gryphon seated left [Apollo, Officina 4]
*Antelope left [Diana, Officinas 3 & 4]
Antelope right [Diana, Officina 3]
Doe left, head turned back to right [Diana, Officina 5]
*Doe right, head turned back to left [Diana, Officina 5]
Stag left [Diana, Officina 10]
Stag right [Diana, Officina 10]
Gazelle left [Diana, Officinas 11 & 12]
*Gazelle right [Diana, Officinas 11 & 12]
Lion left [Hercules, Officina 1]
Boar right [Hercules, Officina 5]
Goat left [Jove, Officina 6]
*Goat right [Jove, Officinas 4 & 6]
Panther left [Liber Pater, Officina 2]
Panther right, "rampant" (head facing upwards) [Liber, Officina 2]
*[Tigress left] [Liber Pater, Officina 2]
Criocampus [mythical beast with head and forelimbs of ram, and body and rear of fish] swimming right [Mercury, Officina 8]
Hippocamp [head and forelimbs of horse, body and rear of fish] swimming left [Neptune, Officina 9]
*Hippocamp swimming right [Neptune, Officina 9]
Capricorn [head and forelimbs of goat, body and rear of fish] swimming right [Neptune, Officina 6]
Pegasus left, rearing up on hind legs [Sol, Officina 1]
*Pegasus right, rearing up on hind legs [Sol, Officina 1]
Bull standing left [Sol, Officina 11]
*Bull standing right [Sol, Officina 11]
Antelope left [Salonina obverse, Juno, Officina 4]
Antelope right [Salonina obverse, Juno, Officina 4]

Here are my 11, in the order marked on the list:

Gallienus, Billon Antoninianus, 267-268 AD, Rome Mint, 8th Officina, 10th emission (Göbl and Reinhardt). Obv. Radiate head right, GALLIENVS AVG / Rev. Centaur walking left holding a globe in extended right hand and a reversed rudder in left hand, with right front leg lifted, APOLLINI CONS AVG; H [Eta = 8th Officina] in exergue.  RIC V-1 164, RSC IV 73 (ill.), Sear RCV III 10178, Wolkow 1a8, Göbl MIR  Band 36, No. 738b [ill. at http://www258.pair.com/denarius/coinage.htm (Ed Flinn's site) & in Reinhardt at p. 133, no. 2]. 20 mm., 3.42 g., 12 h. 

Gallienus, Billon Antoninianus, 267-268 AD, Rome Mint (7th Officina). Obv. Radiate head right, GALLIENVS AVG / Rev. Centaur walking right, holding bow with right hand and drawing arrow and bowstring with left hand, left front leg lifted, APOLLINI CONS AVG; Z [Zeta = 7th Officina] in exergue.  RIC V-1 163, RSC IV 72, Sear RCV III 10177, Wolkow 2a7 (ill. p. 41), Göbl MIR Band 36, No. 735b [ill. at http://www258.pair.com/denarius/coinage.htm (Ed Flinn's site) & in Reinhardt at p. 131, no. 4].  20 mm., 2.96 g. Purchased Jan. 2022 from Ingemar Wallin Utveckling AB, Uppsala, Sweden. 

Gallienus, Billon Antoninianus, 267-268 AD, Rome Mint, 4th Officina, 10th emission (Göbl and Reinhardt). Obv. Radiate head right, GALLIENVS AVG / Rev. Gryphon walking left, APOLLINI CONS AVG; Δ [Delta = 4th Officina] in exergue. RIC V-1 166, RSC IV 76, Sear RCV III 10180, Wolkow 4a4, Göbl MIR Band 36, No. 718b  [ill. at http://www258.pair.com/denarius/coinage.htm (Ed Flinn's site); not ill. in Reinhardt w/radiate head right & this obv. legend]. 20.5 mm., 3.29 g., 6 h. 

Gallienus, Billon Antoninianus, 267-268 AD, Rome Mint, 3rd Officina, 10th emission (Göbl and Reinhardt). Obv. Radiate head right, GALLIENVS AVG / Rev. Antelope walking left, DIANAE CONS AVG; Γ [Gamma = 3rd Officina] in exergue. RIC V-1 181 [p. 146, Obverse 8K], RSC IV 165, Sear RCV III 10200, Wolkow 7a3, Göbl MIR Band 36, No. 716b [ill. at http://www258.pair.com/denarius/coinage.htm (Ed Flinn's site) & in Reinhardt at p. 123, no. 1]. 20 mm., 3.59 g., 7 h.  

Gallienus, Billon Antoninianus, 267-268 AD, Rome Mint, 5th Officina, 10th emission (Göbl & Reinhardt). Obv. Radiate head right, GALLIENVS AVG / Rev. Doe walking right, head turned back looking left, DIANAE CONS AVG; Є [Epsilon = 5th Officina] in exergue. RIC V-1 177, RSC IV 154, Wolkow 10a5, Sear RCV III 10199 (same reverse & obverse portrait; different obv. legend), Göbl MIR Band 36, No. 728b [ill. at http://www258.pair.com/denarius/coinage.htm (Ed Flinn's site); not ill. in Reinhardt w/radiate head right & this obv. legend]. 21 mm., 2.72 g., 6 h. 

Gallienus, Billon Antoninianus, 267-268 AD, Rome Mint, 11th Officina, 10th emission (Göbl & Reinhardt). Obv. Radiate head right, GALLIENVS AVG /Rev. Gazelle* walking right, DIANAE CONS AVG; XI in exergue. RIC V-1181, RSC IV 157, Wolkow 14a11,, Cunetio 1401, Sear RCV III 10201, Göbl MIR Band 36, No. 747b [ill. at http://www258.pair.com/denarius/coinage.htm (Ed Flinn's site) & in Reinhardt at p. 139, no. 1]. 21 mm., 3.24 g., 6 h.

* See the following identifying animal as gazelle: Wolkow p. 64; http://www.fredericweber.com/GALLIEN/emission_du_bestiaire/page2.htm; Jim Phelps, The Coins of Gallienus ' "Zoo" Collection (http://www.forumancientcoins.com/numiswiki/view.asp?key=Gallienus%20Zoo); Ed Flinn's site. Incorrectly identified as a deer in Reinhardt. 

Gallienus, Billon Antoninianus, 267-268 AD, Rome Mint, 6th Officina, 10th emission (Göbl & Reinhardt). Obv. Radiate head right, GALLIENVS AVG /Rev. Goat standing right, looking directly right at horizon, IOVI CONS AVG; in exergue, ς (digamma/stigma, representing numeral “6”) [6th Officina]. RIC V.1 Gallienus 297 (sole reign); RSC IV Gallienus 344; Sear RCV II 10236; Wolkow 18a6 (ill. p. 75 & Pl. XXX) [Cédric Wolkow, Catalogue des monnaies romaines - Gallien - L'émission dite "Du Bestiaire" - atelier de Rome (BNumis, édition 2019)]; Göbl MIR [Moneta Imperii Romani] Band 36, No. 731b [ill. at http://www258.pair.com/denarius/coinage.htm & in Reinhardt at p. 128 [incorrectly identified as 2nd officina] (Frank Reinhardt, José de Sousa, & Heidemarie Bieker, Gallienvs Antoninianii, The Antoninianii Collection of Gallienus by Frank Reinhardt (Eng. trans. 2022), available at https://www.academia.edu/77282280/GALLIENUS_ANTONINIANII_English_version_PDF ]. 23 mm., 3.37 g., 12 hr. Purchased at Roma Numismatics Ltd. E-Sale 106, 16 Feb. 2023, Lot 1072.   

Gallienus, Billon Antoninianus, 267-268 AD, Rome Mint, 2nd Officina, 10th emission  (Göbl & Reinhardt). Obv. Radiate head right, GALLIENVS AVG /Rev. Tigress walking left, LIBERO P • CONS AVG; B in exergue. RIC V-1 230, RSC IV 586, Wolkow 19a2, Sear RCV III 10281, Göbl MIR  Band 36, No. 713b [ill. at http://www258.pair.com/denarius/coinage.htm (Ed Flinn's site) & in Reinhardt at p. 121, no. 1]. [Tigress variety of these catalogue numbers: see http://www.forumancientcoins.com/numiswiki/view.asp?key=Liber Pater; see also description of type as tigress at Ed Flinn’s website, at http://www258.pair.com/denarius/coinage.htm .] 19 mm, 2.83 g., 6 h. 

Gallienus, Billon Antoninianus, 267-268 AD, Rome Mint, 9th Officina, 10th emission (Göbl & Reinhardt). Obv. Radiate cuirassed bust right, GALLIENVS AVG / Rev. Hippocamp swimming right, NEP-TVNO CONS AVG; in exergue, N [= Nu, for 9th Officina). RIC V-1 245, RSC IV 668 (ill.), Wolkow 23i9, Bust Type B3, Ribbons Type 3 (see p. 87), Sear RCV III 10292, Göbl MIR  Band 36, No. 743b [ill. at http://www258.pair.com/denarius/coinage.htm (Ed Flinn's site) & in Reinhardt at p. 136, no. 5]. 19 mm.,  g.  Purchased from Akropolis Ancient Coins, May 2021. 

Gallienus, Billon Antoninianus, 267-268 AD, Rome Mint, 1st Officina, 10th emission (Göbl & Reinhardt). Obv. Radiate head right, GALLIENVS AVG /Rev. Pegasus springing right, about to take flight. SOLI CONS AVG; A offset to right in exergue. RIC V-1 283 (p. 155), RSC IV 979, Sear RCV III 10362, Wolkow 26a1, Göbl MIR Band 36, No. 712b [ill. at http://www258.pair.com/denarius/coinage.htm & in Reinhardt at p. 120, no. 1]. 21 mm., 3.12 g, 11 h.  

Gallienus, Billon Antoninianus, 267-268 AD, Rome Mint, 11th Officina, 10th emission (Göbl & Reinhardt). Obv. Radiate head right, GALLIENVS AVG /Rev. Bull standing right, head three-quarters right, SOLI CONS AVG [off flan: XI in exergue, for 11th Officina]. RIC V-1 285, RSC IV 983, Sear RCV III 10363, Wolkow 28a11 [Cédric Wolkow, Catalogue des monnaies romaines - Gallien - L'émission dite "Du Bestiaire" - atelier de Rome (BNumis, édition 2019)], Göbl MIR [Moneta Imperii Romani] Band 36, No. 749b [ill. at http://www258.pair.com/denarius/coinage.htm (Ed Flinn’s site Coinage of Gallienus and Family) & in Reinhardt at p. 140, no. 1 (Frank Reinhardt, José de Sousa, & Heidemarie Bieker, Gallienvs Antoninianii, The Antoninianii Collection of Gallienus by Frank Reinhardt (Eng. trans. 2022), available at https://www.academia.edu/77282280/GALLIENUS_ANTONINIANII_English_version_PDF )]. 21 mm., 3.12 g, 11 h. Purchased from Leu Numismatik AG, Winterthur, Switzerland, Web Auction 21, 19 Jul 2022, Lot 4907.

The following references cited above, with links for those available online, are extremely useful for the Zoo Series: the little book by Cédric Wolkow, Catalogue des monnaies romaines - Gallien - L'émission dite "Du Bestiaire" - atelier de Rome (BNumis, édition 2019); Corpus and statistical study of the coins of Gallien Issuance of the bestiary by Cédric Wolkow & Frédéric Weber (http://www.fredericweber.com/GALLIEN/emission_du_bestiaire/index.htm ); and Jim Phelps, The Coins of Gallienus ' "Zoo" Collection (http://www.forumancientcoins.com/numiswiki/view.asp?key=Gallienus Zoo). See also the following websites and resources for the coins of Gallienus in general:  (1) Ed Flinn’s site Coinage of Gallienus and Family, at http://www258.pair.com/denarius/coinage.htm ; (2) https://bnumis.com/gallienus.net/index.html (Marcy K.'s site); and (3) Frank Reinhardt, José de Sousa, & Heidemarie Bieker, Gallienvs Antoninianii, The Antoninianii Collection of Gallienus by Frank Reinhardt (Eng. trans. 2022), available at https://www.academia.edu/77282280/GALLIENUS_ANTONINIANII_English_version_PDF .

Edited September 24, 2023 by DonnaML

[DonnaML]

Finally, my two Saloninas (the first issued during the joint reign period):

Salonina (wife of Gallienus), Billon Antoninianus, 257-258 AD, Cologne Mint. Obv. Diademed bust draped right, on crescent, SALONINA AVG / Rev. Vesta seated left on throne holding Palladium and transverse scepter, VESTA. RIC V-1 70, RSC IV 142, Sear RCV III 10664. 22 mm., 3.4 g.

Salonina (wife of Gallienus), Billon Tetradrachm, 266-267 AD (Year 14), Alexandria, Egypt mint.  Obv. Draped bust right, wearing stephane (Milne obv. type t4), KOPNHΛIA CAΛѠNЄINA CЄB / Rev. Tyche wearing long chiton and peplum, crowned with modius, reclining left on lectisternium* adorned with double garland, resting right hand on rudder, resting left elbow on arm of lectistermium and supporting head with left hand, LIΔ (Year 14) in left field, palm branch in exergue. 23.6 mm., 10.94 g. Emmett 3865.14 (R2), Milne 4140 at p. 99, K&G 91.47 (ill. p. 323), BMC 16 Alexandria 2266 at p. 294, Sear RCV III 10716, Dattari (Savio) 5342, Köln (Geissen) 2982.  Purchased from Marc R. Breitsprecher Oct. 2021. Ex Stack’s Coin Galleries Mail Bid Sale, Nov. 13, 1985, part of Lot 209 (with original coin tag). 

Original Coin Tag:

*Definition of lectisternium at https://www.forumancientcoins.com/numiswiki/view.asp?key=Lectisternium:

“Lectisternium, a species of sacrifice, at which, in times of great public calamity, the gods themselves were invited to a solemn feast. Their statues were taken from their pedestals, and they were laid on pulvinaria, or lecti, that is to say, on beds prepared purposely for their reception in the temples, with pillows under their heads, and in this posture they were each day of the festival served with a magnificent banquet, which the priests never failed to clear away in the evening. There were tables set out in all the different quarters of the city, to which everyone, without distinction, was admitted. . . .

The word lectisternium signifies the act of making or preparing beds. It is derived from lectus, a bed, and sternere, to raise, prepare, and spread. The word also designates sometimes the bed itself, on which is placed the statue of the divinity in honour of whom the above mentioned ceremony of the lectistern was celebrated.” (Emphasis added.)

[Qcumbor]

Difficult to choose a "best reverse" when it comes to Gallienus. I feel obliged to post at least two 😀

Q

[expat]

The obverse of this Gallienus is nothing worth commenting on, it is the reverse I acquired it for. Apollo in a pose that says "Look at me, I am perfection" with his lyre.

 

[ambr0zie]

As most of the collectors, I have a lot of Gallienus coins. What is attractive about his coins in my opinion - the reverses, quite original  as compared to the emperors before him in the 3rd century crisis and the emperors after him. 

Some coins with reverses I like:

This coin is not part of the Zoo series as some might think (I also did). It is from the legionary series. 

21 mm, 2,38 g.
Gallienus 253-268 AD. Billon antoninianus. Mediolanum.
GALLIENVS AVG, radiate and cuirassed bust of Gallienus on the right draped over the left shoulder, seen from three quarters forward / LEG IIII FL VI P VI F, lion leaping to the right. Reverse translation: “Legio quarta Flavia sextum pia, sextum fidelis” (Fourth legion Flavia pious and faithful for the sixth time).
RIC V-1, Milan 343 (Joint Reign).

 

A reverse with captives paired with an interesting obverse.

19,4 mm, 2,96 g.
Gallienus 253-268 AD. Billon antoninianus. Lugdunum. 257-258.
GALLIENVS PF AVG, radiated and armored bust of Gallienus on the left, seen from three quarters in front with shield and holding a haste on the left shoulder / GERMANICVS MAX V, arms trophy with a captive on each side. Reverse translation: “Germanicus Maximus quintum” (Winner of the Germans for the fifth time).
RIC V Gallienus (joint reign) 18.

From zoo series - centaur:

Stag:

Griffin (a better example shown by @Qcumbor :

Panther:

Pegasus:

Hippocamp:

 

Some non zoo coins I bought either because of reverses I found interesting or because I liked the serious amount of silvering 

Venus

A Victory

Luna Lucifera 

 

Mercury:

Securitas leaning on column (I like this pose and I wanted a reverse with it):

Clasping hands, a coin from the beginning of the reign and the portrait was not yet the standard Gallienus portrait 

I only have 2 Salonina coins. One is the common IVNO REGINA from Antioch - I will not post it as I am sure I will see better examples of it here; also I just found out there is an interesting variant  of it, with several reverse dies, with legend VINO REGINA. 

But a coin I like, because of the reverse type (also zoo series) and patina is 

20 mm, 3,00 g.
Cornelia Salonina. Augusta 254-268. Æ antoninianus. Rome.
COR SALONINA AVG, bust of Salonina, diademed, draped, right, on crescent / IVNONI CONS AVG, bBearded and antlered goat walking l., Δ (=officina 4) in exergue.
RIC V Salonina 16.

Edited September 24, 2023 by ambr0zie

[John Conduitt]

Galienus is definitely king of the third century reverse. It's a pity he didn't make his coins as well as he designed them.

Gallienus Sole Reign Antoninianus, 260-268

Rome. Bronze, 19mm, 2.33g. Radiate Head right; GALLIENVS AVG. Panther walking left; LIBERO (P CO)NS AVG; mintmark B (RIC V, 230). From the Beachy Head (Sussex) Hoard 1973, Portable Antiquities Scheme: IARCH-162415.

Gallienus 3rd Emission Antoninianus, 259

Samosata. Billon, 22mm, 2.62g. Radiate, draped and cuirassed bust to right, (dot beneath bust); IMP C P LIC GALLIENVS P F AVG. Emperor standing to right, holding spear, receiving wreath from Roma standing to left, holding spear and shield, wreath in field above; VIRTVS AVG (RIC V.1 (joint reign), 457 var; Göbl MIR 1704b). Purportedly from the Bristol (Somerset) Hoard 1997.

Gallienus (Sole Reign) Antoninianus, 268

Rome. Billon, 2.4g. Radiate head right; GALLIENVS AVG. Antelope walking left; DEANAE (instead of DIANAE) CONS AVG; Gamma in exergue (RIC V.1, 181). Purportedly from the Rockbourne (Hampshire) Hoard 1967.

Gallienus Antoninianus, 260-268

Rome. Billon, 21mm, 2.92g. Head of Gallienus, radiate, right; GALLIENVS AVG. Stag, walking right; DIANAE CONS AVG; (X in exergue) (RIC V, 179k). Purportedly from the Hollingbourne Hoard 1959.