New Gallienus Sestertius

[Ancient Coin Hunter]

If you recall recently I acquired a VOTIS DECENNALIBVS sestertius of Gallienus from the joint reign with Valerian. Since one good turn deserves another (a phrase coined by either Seneca or the Satyricon author Petronius) I acquired another sestertius of his from overseas earlier this month which actually took longer to arrive because of the processing time though time in transit was fast.

I appear to be developing a sub collection of sestertii of Gallienus from the era when he struck them before the emphasis shifted to the silver washed, non AR antoniniani.

GALLIENVS (253-268 C.E.) sestertius from the joint reign ending in 260. Rome mint.

31mm, 21.2 grams

Obverse: IMP C P LIC GALLIENVS AVG with laureate, draped and cuirassed bust right

Reverse: VIRTVS AVGG S C Soldier (or Virtus) standing left in military attire holding spear in left hand and shield on ground in right

Reference: RIC 248. Cohen 1295. Sear5 10495.

The coin has a nice hefty feel in hand. I am also intrigued by the variance in profile busts of this emperor as this sestertius features a neckbeard whereas last week's coin did not, though that one was struck in 253 a few years before this coin. 

Acquired from London Ancient Coins, November 5th 2024, shipping time from the UK of exactly 7 days.

Please share your sestertii or other coins of Gallienus, Valerian, or whatever strikes your fancy.

 

Edited November 22 by Ancient Coin Hunter

[Nerosmyfavorite68]

I'm very glad that this very nice piece survived the floppy mailer, and that you experienced an unusually good turnaround time.  In fact, I remember that piece, as I sometimes search for Gallienus sestertii.

I've always been more than satisfied with the quality of LAC's stock.  They're really excellent about having patinated and toned coins, as well as having a fantastic selection of awesome republican coins.

Gallienic sestertii are something which I've always been interested in, although looking at my list, it appears that I don't have many post-2008 acquisitions good enough to post.

The pretty nice Gallienus reduced sestertius which I have recently got posted, so I'll post a genre which I rarely collect, an AE antoninianus of Gallienus.  While it's not patinated and the reverse leaves something to be desired, the great portrait drew me in.

Gallienus - 253-268 - AE Antoninianus - Siscia - 20mm, 3.0g. RIC 580 (R1) PROVI AVG 

[Gumrum]

Gallienus is one of my favourite emperors and so, I set out on a bit of a quest to source as attractive an example as I could for one of history's most unfairly depicted rulers!

Antoninianus of Emperor Gallienus, from the mint of Lugdunum, c. 258-259 CE, RIC V Gallienus (joint reign) 18f
Obv: Bust of Gallienus, radiate, cuirassed, right | GALLIENVS P F AVG Gallienus Pius Felix Augustus. [Gallienus, the pious and happy emperor]
Rev: Trophy between two captives | GERMANICVS MAX V Germanicus Maximus Quintum. [Great conqueror of the Germans for the fifth time]

I also came across a nice example of his even more unfortunate father, I particularly like the strike and centering of this particular example of an antoninianius of Valerian


Antoninianus of Emperor Valerian, from the mint of Rome, c. 256-257 CE, RIC V Valerian 117A
Obv: Bust of Valerian, radiate, draped, right | IMP C P LIC VALERIANVS P F AVG Imperator Caesar Publius Licinius Valerianus Pius Felix Augustus [Supreme commander (Imperator), Caesar Publius Licinius Valerian, the pious, the fortunate, emperor]
Rev: Valerian, in military attire, standing left, raising kneeling woman with right hand and holding spear in left | RESTITVTOR ORBIS [Restorer of the World]

My next target will be a nice example of Saloninus as Caesar, which I expect to be far more challenging to find that the coins I shared above... Still, I've certainly seen a few nice examples of his coins...!

[Ocatarinetabellatchitchix]

The last Gallienus I acquired ; can’t explain why I bought it. You know when you just say to yourself: I like it…

Gallienus, August 253 - September 268 A.D., antoninianus, Göbl MIR 1647b (13 spec.), RIC V-1 623F, Cohen V 1250. Antioch.

Edited November 21 by Ocatarinetabellatchitchix
Typo

[Julius Germanicus]

IMP C P LIC GALLIENVS AVG - Laureate and cuirassed bust of Gallienus right

VICTORIA AVGG S C - Victory standing left, holding wreath in uplifted right hand and palm-branch at her side in left

Sestertius, Rome 253 AD (first emission of Valerian and Gallienus)

30,14 mm / 21,2 g RIC 243; Cohen 1140; Göbl (MIR 36) pl. 84, 30dd; Sear (RCTV III) 10490

[Julius Germanicus]

16 hours ago, Ancient Coin Hunter said:

If you recall recently I acquired a VOTIS DECENNALIBVS sestertius of Gallienus from the joint reign with Valerian. Since one good turn deserves another (a phrase coined by either Seneca or the Satyricon author Petronius) I acquired another sestertius of his from overseas earlier this month which actually took longer to arrive because of the processing time though time in transit was fast.

I appear to be developing a sub collection of sestertii of Gallienus from the era when he struck them before the emphasis shifted to the silver washed, non AR antoniniani.

GALLIENVS (253-268 C.E.) sestertius from the joint reign ending in 260. Rome mint.

31mm, 21.2 grams

Obverse: IMP C P LIC GALLIENVS AVG with laureate, draped and cuirassed bust right

Reverse: VIRTVS AVGG S C Soldier standing left in military attire holding spear in left hand and shield on ground in right

Reference: RIC 248. Cohen 1295. Sear5 10495.

The coin has a nice hefty feel in hand. I am also intrigued by the variance in profile busts of this emperor as this sestertius features a neckbeard whereas last week's coin did not, though that one was struck in 253 a few years before this coin. 

Acquired from London Ancient Coins, November 5th 2024, shipping time from the UK of exactly 7 days.

Please share your sestertii or other coins of Gallienus, Valerian, or whatever strikes your fancy.

Same type as the OP coin:

IMP C P LIC GALLIENVS AVG - Laureate bust right, wearing paludamentum and cuirass /

VIRTVS AVGG S C – Mars (?) standing frontal, head left, holding vertical spear reversed and shield resting on ground

Orichalcum Sestertius, Rome mint, September 253- early 254 AD

26,8 mm / 14,24 gr

RIC 248, Cohen 1295, MIR 36, 38bb, Sear 10495, Banti 82 (6 specimens) -same obverse die as NAC 22.09.2004, lot 1725, and Peus 01.11.2017, lot 458, and same reverse die as Münzzentrum Rheinland 06.09.2017, lot 386

[Qcumbor]

18 hours ago, Ancient Coin Hunter said:

 

Nice one.

I have something of interest for you : the same reverse type, but for his father Valerianus :

Valerian, Sestertius - Rome mint, 253-255 CE
IMP C P LIC VALERIANVS AVG, laureate, draped and cuirassed bust right
VIRTVS AVGG, Virtus or Mars standing left resting on shield and holding spear. S - C in field
18.7 gr
Ref : RCV # 10025v, Cohen # 269

Q

[Julius Germanicus]

10 minutes ago, Qcumbor said:

Nice one.

I have something of interest for you : the same reverse type, but for his father Valerianus :

Valerian, Sestertius - Rome mint, 253-255 CE
IMP C P LIC VALERIANVS AVG, laureate, draped and cuirassed bust right
VIRTVS AVGG, Virtus or Mars standing left resting on shield and holding spear. S - C in field
18.7 gr
Ref : RCV # 10025v, Cohen # 269

Q

Even more interesting: your Valerian and my Gallienus seem to share the same reverse die!

[Qcumbor]

33 minutes ago, Julius Germanicus said:

Even more interesting: your Valerian and my Gallienus seem to share the same reverse die!

Wow ! 

That's great !

Q

[Ancient Coin Hunter]

Very interesting examples all! Are we sure the reverse is Mars as opposed to a soldier? 

Edited November 22 by Ancient Coin Hunter

[Molag Bal]

I think it's actually Virtus on the reverse. 

[-monolith-]

I'm really "picky" about the quality of Roman Imperial Coins that I purchase so I only have a few Gallienus coins since most of them are really ragged. 

 

[CPK]

Just now, -monolith- said:

I'm really "picky" about the quality of Roman Imperial Coins that I purchase so I only have a few Gallienus coins since most of them are really ragged. 

 

I'm in the same boat - have been looking for an attractive Gallienus antoninianus, but they are very few and far between! Your first specimen is very special - I don't know if I've seen a nicer one.

[Qcumbor]

8 hours ago, -monolith- said:

I'm really "picky" about the quality of Roman Imperial Coins that I purchase so I only have a few Gallienus coins since most of them are really ragged. 

I agree, and even more so for Valerianus coinage. It's taken a lot of time before I found an antoninianus that I like

 

And I've been lucky enough to find this very rare middle bronze in quite a good shape (the glossy patina makes it difficult to take good pics of) :

Q

Edited November 24 by Qcumbor

[mc9]

Here are 3 coins from Gallienus :

antoninianus :

Obv :IMP C P LIC GALLIENUS P F AVG

Rev :IOVI CONSERVATORI

AD 255 – 256 ; RIC 5a nr 440 ; ASIA mint ; 23,01mm ; 3,20

 

Sestertius :

Obv :IMP C P LIC GALLIENUS P F AVG : Laureate,  and cuirassed bust right

Rev :VIRTUS AVGG / SC : soldier standing facing, head to left, holding spear and resting hand on grounded shield

AD 253 – 254 ; RIC 5a nr 148 ; ROME mint ; 30,52 mm ; 20,99 gr

 

As :

Obv :IMP C P LIC GALLIENUS P F AVG : Laureate,  and cuirassed bust right

Rev :VIRTUS AVGG / SC : soldier standing facing, head to left, holding spear and resting hand on grounded shield

AD 253 - 254 ; RIC 5a nr 286 ; ROME mint ; 23,36 mm ; 9,22 gr

 

 

 

[Julius Germanicus]

 

10 hours ago, CPK said:

I'm in the same boat - have been looking for an attractive Gallienus antoninianus, but they are very few and far between! Your first specimen is very special - I don't know if I've seen a nicer one.

I used to have this Viminacium mint Antoninianus of Gallienus with a rather nice portrait but sold it as I don't collect Ants:

IMP GALLIENUS P F AVG / SPES PVBLICA
Antoninianus, Viminacium, 254/255
22 mm/ 3,40 gr
RIC 404, Göbl 827 q

Edited November 24 by Julius Germanicus

[CPK]

3 hours ago, Julius Germanicus said:

 

I used to have this Viminacium mint Antoninianus of Gallienus with a rather nice portrait but sold it as I don't collect Ants:

IMP GALLIENUS P F AVG / SPES PVBLICA
Antoninianus, Viminacium, 254/255
22 mm/ 3,40 gr
RIC 404, Göbl 827 q

That's a terrific portrait! 🤩

[Ancient Coin Hunter]

I also have this GERMANICVS MAX V type, but with a martial portrait...with emperor hefting spear and shield.

[galeriusmaximinus]

Nice Gallieni. I believe that especially the sestertii have some interesting portraits.

I acquired one a decade ago just because I loved the portrait so much. See below.