An odd Gordian III portrait

[Tejas]

I love portraits that are in some way special, be it by being particularly expressive, elegant or simply odd.  I just found a Gordian III portrait that falls within the third category. The seller even speculated whether this coin was a barbaric imitations of some kind, which I don't think it is. 

The lower picture is the rather poor sellers' picture. However, the seller also provided a video, from which I took the upper picture below, which is why the obverse is a bit distorted. Here is the video of the coin.

 

While the portraits of Gordian varied widely, I have never quite seen one as strange as this one. 

Show us your strange Gordian or any other coin that shows a special portrait.

 

 

[Prieure de Sion]

Ah you bought the coin 😄 

The picture is from Künker - unfortunately Künker doesn't take such good pictures. I'm quite happy about that, the pictures from Künker are not really good (which certainly makes the prices a bit more pleasant) - but the coins are much better in real life.

I'm not sure if it's a coinage from Antioch or somewhere in the East or even barbarian. Either way, it is an exceptional portrait. Congratulations on this Gordianus. I'm sure you'll like it even more when you have it in your hand.

By the way, I have written you an email - as I do not know how best to import the coin into your country. We can also talk here via PN.

[Prieure de Sion]

I sold this Gordianus 2 days ago - a barbarian imitation. Here I also find the portrait very interesting. The young Gordianus looks like a cheeky rogue here 😄 

 

Marcus Antonius Gordianus III; Reign: Gordianus III, Roman Imperial; Mint: contemporary imitation; Date: after 241 AD; Nominal: Antoninianus; Material: Silver; Diameter: 22mm; Weight: 4.89g; Reference: Cf. Cohen 41; Reference: Michaux 369; Reference: RIC IV Gordian III 83 for prototype; Provenance: Leu Numismatics Winterthur, Switzerland; Obverse: Bust of Gordian III, radiate, draped, cuirassed, right; Inscription: IMP CORDIANVS PIVS PEL AVC; Translation: Imperator Gordianus Pius Felix Augustus; Reverse: Sol, nude except for cloak around shoulders, standing front, head left, raising right hand and holding globe in left hand; Inscription: AETERNITATI AVG; Translation: Aeternitati Augusti; Translation: [Dedicated to] the immortal Augustus

[Tejas]

Hi Jörg,

yes, now I realize that this is a "typical" Künker picture 🙂

The video was really helpful, though, which is why I extracted the picture from the video (before realizing that I could just post the video itself). 

As for the attribution. I'm curious to hear more opinions on that. However, I think it is neither Antioch nor an imitation. I think it is just a very odd portrait from Rome. But again, I hope others will offer their opinions on that.

PS I replied to your PN

 

 

Edited October 5, 2023 by Tejas

[Prieure de Sion]

Just now, Tejas said:

yes, now I realize that this is a "typical" Künker picture 🙂

Yes indeed - but better the other way round than the other way round - good picture, bad coin in hand 😄 

1 minute ago, Tejas said:

The video was really helpful, though, which is why I extracted the picture from the video (before realizing that I could just post the video itself. 

That's why I always try to publish a video as well. You can edit and swing pictures. An unadulterated video is the best for the prospective buyer. He sees what he gets. 

  

 

2 minutes ago, Tejas said:

As for the attribution. I'm curious to hear more opinions on that. However, I think it is neither Antioch nor an imitation. I think it is just a very odd portrait from Rome. But again, I hope others will offer their opinions on that.

Sure, back to the topic. Yes, I would be very interested in that too - I'm not an absolute Gordianus crack. I would also be interested in other opinions on this really very interesting portrait. 

[Steppenfool]

I thought it was Antioch mint when I looked at it. My reasoning is the Antioch mint minted coins in preparation for Gordian's Persian campaign, hence he often has a bit more facial hair to look manlier, and they straighten out his button nose a bit for the same reason. Yours might have been one of the first attempts from the Imperial mint at Antioch? Compare mine below.

 

Edited October 5, 2023 by Steppenfool

[Ocatarinetabellatchitchix]

For those who are interested, there was an excellent article about Gordy 3  modern Bulgarian(?) fakes written a few years ago. Here are two very dangerous examples:

 

 

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1yJAR7hmsZuGS_BaQmxAhE0qFSdCBMI10/view?pli=1

[Marsyas Mike]

Great-looking portrait, @Tejas.  This post inspired me to look through mine and I found one that looks a lot like yours - not a die-match, but the rendition of the portrait seems very similar - perhaps the same artist?  He's got a bit of a sneer - as @Steppenfool suggests, making him look like a tough guy to take on the Persians! 

Gordian III  Antoninianus (243-244 A.D.) Antioch Mint IMP GORDIANVS PIVS FEL AVG, radiate, cuirassed and draped bust right. / FORTVNA REDVX, Fortuna seated left holding rudder and cornucopia, no wheel below throne (Rome). RIC 210; RSC 98a; RCV 8613 (3.11 grams / 22 mm) eBay April 2019

[Tejas]

Interesting, so it may be Antioch after all. And yes, it could well be the same die engraver at work as on your coin @Marsyas Mike.

Here are three of my coins showing very elegant young portrait of Gordianus. 

 

Edited October 5, 2023 by Tejas

[Marsyas Mike]

10 minutes ago, Tejas said:

Interesting, so it may be Antioch after all. And yes, it could well be the same die engraver at work as on your coin @Marsyas Mike.

Here are three of my coins showing very elegant young portrait of Gordianus. 

 

Those are indeed elegant - some sources refer to this early type of Gordian III portrait as having the features of Balbinus.  See these auctions (CNG and Nachfolger):

Gordian III. AD 238-244. AR Antoninianus (4.63 g, 12h). 4th officina. 1st emission, AD 238-239. Radiate, draped, and cuirassed bust right / Providentia standing left, holding globe and transverse scepter. RIC IV 4; RSC 302. Good VF. Portrait with features of Balbinus.  https://www.acsearch.info/search.html?id=318641

Römisches Kaiserreich
GORDIANUS III. Antoninian. Belorbeerte, drapierte und gepanzerte Büste r. Rs: Pax steht l. mit Olivenzweig und Zepter. C. 173. R.I.C. 3. 4,86g. vz
Eine Prägung der 1. Serie mit dem Portrait, das auch schon von ihm als Caesar unter Balbinus und Pupienus bekannt ist. Später herrschte dann das häufigere Portrait mit längerer Nase vor.  Estimate: 150 EUR  https://www.acsearch.info/search.html?id=784481

I had Google translate the German "Später herrschte dann das häufigere Portrait mit längerer Nase vor.":  "Later, the more common portrait with a longer nose prevailed."

Here are a couple of mine - the young "Balbinus-esque" portrait on the left, the more typical longer-nosed portrait right: 

 

[seth77]

To me it looks like Bland 78, p. 245 a regular Antioch issue of 243-4

[Ancient Coin Hunter]

Very interesting OP portrait coin. 

I don't have anything that could match that as far as strangeness of the bust goes. 

It could be that he was older at the end of his reign and his looks had changed, or just the odd style of the guy in Antioch.

The Balbinus resemblance that @Marsyas Mike shows are clearly early in the reign where the bust of Gordianus was perhaps not delivered to the celators yet, so they just extrapolated to inscribe a youthful looking Balbinus. 

 

[PeteB]

This is apparently an idealized portrait...but cute:

[Orange Julius]

I love coins of Gordian III and just wish we knew more about his reign.

Here’s an early one with features of Balbinus. It’s one of my favorite portraits.

….and one where Gordian has been awake for 3 days. This is an odd portrait and the ugliest I have.

[Al Kowsky]

On 10/5/2023 at 7:57 AM, Ocatarinetabellatchitchix said:

For those who are interested, there was an excellent article about Gordy 3  modern Bulgarian(?) fakes written a few years ago. Here are two very dangerous examples:

 

 

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1yJAR7hmsZuGS_BaQmxAhE0qFSdCBMI10/view?pli=1

Although these coins look odd, I would never have suspected them of being fake 😲. Is it really feasible to counterfeit one of the most common Roman coin types from the 3rd century 🤔? Can these counterfeiters make enough money to pay for their utilities 😏?

[Al Kowsky]

10 hours ago, PeteB said:

This is apparently an idealized portrait...but cute:

Wow 😮! This coin looks like a 1st strike from new dies, FIDES is superbly engraved too ☺️.

[Tejas]

12 hours ago, PeteB said:

This is apparently an idealized portrait...but cute:

Maybe it is the picture and the reflection of the light, but this coin looks somewhat wrong to me. I don't what to spook you, but are you satisfied that the coin is genuine?

[LONGINUS]

 

Very interesting coin and great post, @Tejas!

 

Your Gordian III has a nose like Bob Hope.

It’s fun to look for celebrity lookalikes.

 

 

Here is my Julia Domna mini collection.

Quoting David Bowie’s “Blue Jean” lyrics,

“She’s got a turned up nose.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited October 6, 2023 by LONGINUS

[hotwheelsearl]

I call this one the "hot lips" variety.

[PeteB]

4 hours ago, Tejas said:

Maybe it is the picture and the reflection of the light, but this coin looks somewhat wrong to me. I don't what to spook you, but are you satisfied that the coin is genuine?

Absolutely satisfied!!!

[Qcumbor]

Of my Gordians the one from Antioch has the weirdest portrait 

Q

[LONGINUS]

I almost forgot about my youthful Caracalla with his “Ski-jump ” nose.

 

 

[Tejas]

I got this Gordian III Antoninian. The coin is nothing special, except that I have not seen many coins of Gordian III, where he sports a full beard.

 

 

Until now this was the "beardiest" Gordian III portrait that I had in my collection:

 

Edited December 4, 2023 by Tejas

[Al Kowsky]

My favorite portrait coin of Gordian shows him sporting a smile or smirk.

[Xeno]

Neither of the two coins of Gordian III I own have a particularly odd portrait, in fact they look about as normal as can be but they are still great. This antoninianus was one of the first ancient coins I ever bought acquired at a coin show probably circa 2014-2015. He looks quite normal in this one if perhaps a bit young.

Fun thing to note: this coin was bright white when I acquired it and over the years being stored in a cabinet and then later in a display case it acquired incredible toning. I now take more painstaking precautions to store my coins in a dry and cool environment, but luckily the result was gorgeous and a big improvement on the coin in my opinion.

 

 

Edit: Sorry the photos are so large for some reason.

Edited December 4, 2023 by Xeno