are Ant's of Hostlian Caesar that scarce?

[Nerosmyfavorite68]

My regular buy is coming up and it's one of the rare times where I'm in the mood for AR Antoninianii.  Are Antoninianii of Hostilian Caesar that rare?  There's a really awful one for under $200, but most of the fixed-price options are $600+.

The sestertii seem to be more affordable.  I have a couple of those.

[Nerosmyfavorite68]

Well, I guess ol' Hostilian will have to wait.  I now have other replacements in mind, including Valerian, and I almost never buy a Valerian.  I'm in a pretty good mood, so maybe I'll even include an empress.

It's probably best to wait for a decent Hostilian deal to pop up.

You'd be surprised at how few Antoninianii I have, relatively speaking, over a thirty-year plus span of collecting.  Opportunity cost always seems to come up.

[shanxi]

 

You can also look for a Tet from Antioch, usually nice and affordable.

Roma Numismatics: 48 Euro + X (a few years ago):

Antiochia
Billon tetradrachm
Obv.: Γ OYAΛ OCTIΛIAN ME KYINTOC KECAB, bareheaded and draped bust right, S below
Rev.: ΔΗΜΑΡΧ ΕΞΟΥCIAC, eagle standing right on palm branch, holding wreath in beak, SC below
Billon, 13.16g, 26.1x28.1mm
Ref.: Prieur 651

 

 

 

 

and my Antoninian (Savoca, a few years ago, 155 Euro + X )

Hostilian
Antoninianus (AD 251)
Obv.: C VAL HOS MES QVINTVS N C, radiate and draped bust facing right
Rev.: MARS PROPVG, Mars advancing right, holding spear and shield
Ag, 2.86g, 25x20mm
Ref.: RIC 176a

Edited November 6, 2024 by shanxi

[Kali]

Hostilian (250 - 251 A.D.)

AR Antoninianus
O: C VALENS HOSTIL MES QVINTVS N C Bust radiate, draped right.
R: PRINCIPI IVV - ENTVTIS Hostilian standing l. holding standard and spear.
Rome Mint
4.16g
22mm
RIC-181d (S), C-34 (4 Fr.)

Ex. Jonathan Kern, ANA Show, 19 March 1998.
Ex. Harlan J Berk Buy or Bid Sale, #213, Lot 312

 

[Theodosius]

1 hour ago, shanxi said:

 

You can also look for a Tet from Antioch, usually nice and affordable.

Roma Numismatics: 48 Euro + X (a few years ago):

Antiochia
Billon tetradrachm
Obv.: Γ OYAΛ OCTIΛIAN ME KYINTOC KECAB, bareheaded and draped bust right, S below
Rev.: ΔΗΜΑΡΧ ΕΞΟΥCIAC, eagle standing right on palm branch, holding wreath in beak, SC below
Billon, 13.16g, 26.1x28.1mm
Ref.: Prieur 651

 

 

 

 

and my Antoninian (Savoca, a few years ago, 155 Euro + X )

Hostilian
Antoninianus (AD 251)
Obv.: C VAL HOS MES QVINTVS N C, radiate and draped bust facing right
Rev.: MARS PROPVG, Mars advancing right, holding spear and shield
Ag, 2.86g, 25x20mm
Ref.: RIC 176a

Both are nice coins!

John

[Ancient Coin Hunter]

That's one emperor I have yet to acquire. I have seen poor quality ants for $200-250 but usually over $500 for decent ones. They are in the same price range as Aemilianus, also on my list. The sestertii seem to be priced a bit more realistically for some reason. Those two are likely targets for this upcoming buying season. 

I just pulled the trigger on another Gallienus sestertius yesterday. These in good condition are not exactly common. Will share when it arrives.  It's 30mm 21.4 grams.

Edited November 6, 2024 by Ancient Coin Hunter

[rasiel]

Ranks 78 out of 190, a midranger ;- )

Rasiel

[Jims,Coins]

Silver Coin (AR Antoninianus) minted at Rome for HOSTILIAN, as Caesar, during the reign of TRAJAN DECIUS, in 251 A.D. Obv. C.VALENS.HOSTIL.MES.QVINTVS.N.C.: Rad. and dr. bust r. Rev. PRINCIPI.IVVENTVTIS.: HOSTILIAN in military dress, stg. l., holding standard and reversed spear. RCS #2759. RSCIV #34. RICIV #182. DVM #13/2. RCSVIII #9561.

[Finn235]

Just be patient - they aren't *that* rare. I'd recommend setting up an automated alert on Biddr if you haven't already.

This was my first one, bought on ebay for $50 or thereabouts (sold it a few years ago)

My upgrade, $150ish a couple years ago

 

Coins as Augustus are more tricky - he was Caesar for a year-ish, and Augustus for only a few months. I bought this one about 5 years ago for ~$150. Eastern mints seem to be more common - I guess it took a while for them to learn that he had died.

[Nerosmyfavorite68]

I think I have two sestertii and one or two Viminacium sestertii.  I had no idea that he was as expensive as Aemelian in Antoninianii, although Aemilian had  shorter reign.

Welp, opportunity cost arises again.  I was going to do an all Ant buy, perhaps for the first time ever, but a decent example of a scarcer coin showed up, and one or two had to go.  I can always get a Philip next time.

[Julius Germanicus]

I used to have a Sestertius of Hostilian as Augustus:

IMP CAE C VAL HOS MES QVINTVS AVG - Laureate, draped and cuirassed bust of Hostilian right
SECVRITAS AVGG S C - Securitas standing facing, looking right, her legs crossed, placing right hand on head and resting left arm on column.
14,69 gr / 28,37 mm
Sestertius, Rome June-August 251
RIC (Decius) 225; Hunter p. 254, 3 and plate 81; Cohen 60; Sear 9593; Banti 15 (7 specimens)

 

[DonnaML]

15 hours ago, Nerosmyfavorite68 said:

My regular buy is coming up and it's one of the rare times where I'm in the mood for AR Antoninianii.  Are Antoninianii of Hostilian Caesar that rare?  There's a really awful one for under $200, but most of the fixed-price options are $600+.

The sestertii seem to be more affordable.  I have a couple of those.

I paid Lucernae about $300 for this quite nice example, back in 2020. I'm surprised to hear that fixed-price examples have gone up that much in four years.

Hostilian Caesar (son of Trajan Decius), AR Antoninianus, 251 AD, Rome Mint. Obv. Radiate, draped, and cuirassed bust right, C VALENS HOSTIL MES QVINTVS N C / Rev. Mars running right, holding spear in right hand and shield in left, MARTI PROPVGNATORI (Mars the Defender). RIC IV-3 177b, RSC IV 15, Sear RCV III 9556 (ill.). 22 mm., 3.65 g.

[mc9]

Here is my coin from Hostilianus.

obv : C VALENS HOSTIL MES QVINTVS N C ; Radiate, draped, and cuirassed bust right

rev : MARTI PROPVGNATORI ; Mars running right, holding shield in left and spear in right hand

Rome ; RIC IVc 177b ; 20,97 mm ; 3,46 gr

 

 

[PeteB]

A sestertius:

Hostilian. As Caesar, 250-251 AD. Æ Sestertius. (29mm; 19.28 gm; 6h). Rome mint, 4th officina. 5th emission of Trajan Decius, 251 AD. Obv: Bareheaded and draped bust right. Rev: Apollo seated. l. holding branch and resting elbow on lyre. RIC IV 215a

[Qcumbor]

I don't think they're "that" hard to come by.

My two examples : antoninianus and tetradrachm (illustrating RPC online)

Hostilian, Antoninianus - Rome mint, 251 CE. Issued as Caesar with Trajan Decius
C VALENS HOSTIL MES QUINTVS N C, radiate and draped bust right
MARTI PROPUGNATORI, Mars advancing right, holding spear and shield
2.74 gr
Ref : RCV # 9556, Cohen # 15, RIC # 177b

 

Hostilien, Cesar (250-251) - Tetradrachme de billon de l'atelier d'Antioche, 251 - 2° officine 

Γ OYAΛ OCTIΛIAN MЄ KYINTOC KЄCAP  Buste drapé à droite vu par l'avant. Deux points sous le buste
ΔHMAPX ЄΞOYCIAC Aigle à droite, les ailes déployées, tenant une couronne dans son bec et une palme dans ses serres. A l'exergue SC
26 mm, 11,34 g, 
Ref : Prieur #648, McAlee #1159b, RPC IX 1718#3 (cet exemplaire)
Provenance : Ira & Larry Goldberg auction #128/2403, Ex CNG Sale #227, Lot 383 (February 10, 2010)

Q

[Roman Collector]

I have only one specimen of Hostilian. It's ex-Baldwin of St. James, 2019.

 Hostilian as Caesar, AD 250-251.
Roman AR antoninianus, 4.32 g, 20.5 mm, 5 h.
Rome mint, 5th officina. 5th emission, early AD 251.
Obv: C VALENS HOSTIL MES QVINTVS N C, radiate, draped, and cuirassed bust right, seen from behind.
Rev: PRINCIPI IVVENTVTIS, Hostilian standing slightly left, holding signum and reversed spear.
RIC 181d; RSC 34; RCV 9561; Hunter 4.