Trebonianus Gallus Silver Coins

Antioch Mint Third Issue

Gallus' third issue at Antioch has the exact same obverse inscription as the first and second issues, and RIC does distinguish between any of the three issues.  Nevertheless they are easy to differentiate: The first issue shows Gallus undraped and with a fine style portrait with officina marks only on the obverse, the second issue is the same but uses officina marks on both  sides of the coins, while the third issue coins show Gallus draped with a coarse style portrait.     I am starting to collect data on all the officina marks.  The officina data for Gallus Antioch coins in RIC isn't of much use because it mixes all the issues.

I have not tried to collect every combination of officina numbers but I do keep track of all of the coins that go on the market and will eventually publish a full listing of the combination and numbers of each.  As with anything about these coins and this historical period, please feel free to e-mail me if you have ideas to share or questionsI might be able to help you with:  rbeale@sonic.net

RIC Obverse/Reverse

Notes

Obverse Photo Reverse Photo
79 IMP CC VIB TREB GALLVS  PF AVG Bust radiate, draped, cuirassed  r. The last Antioch issue is much more common than the first, and its engraving is of inferior quality - both signs of an emergency requiring rapid army mobilization against Antioch's foes to the east.

./-

ADVENTVS AVG Gallus on horseback l., raising r. hand and holding sceptre.
80 IMP CC VIB TREB GALLVS  PF AVG Bust radiate, draped, cuirassed  r.

-/-

./.   3.3g

..../....

AEQVITAS AVG  Aequitas stg, l., holding scales and cornucopiae.
80 var

unlisted

IMP CC VIB TREB GALLVS  PF AVG Bust radiate, draped, cuirassed  r.  

Obverse error:  legend ending ...PAVG

-/-

./.

I have also seen this same error with a coin of officina VI/VI

AEQVITAS AVG  Aequitas stg, l., holding scales and cornucopiae.
80 IMP CC VIB TREB GALLVS  PF AVG Bust radiate, draped, cuirassed  r. Blundered reverse legend

.../...

?/VI   3.8g

VI/VI

AEQVTAS AVG  Aequitas stg, l., holding scales and cornucopiae.
? IMP CC VIB TREB GALLVS  PF AVG Bust radiate, draped, cuirassed  r. This at first seems to be a very odd error, but it is likely the result of on overstrike of AEQVITAS AVG on top of FELICITAS PUBL - the third arm gives it away.  What makes it so odd is that there is no way to tell if the ITAS comes from AEQVITAS or FELICITAS. 

.../...

AEQVTAS PVDG  Aequitas stg, l., holding scales and cornucopiae (with a third arm holding cadaceus)
81  RIC 81 (AEQVITAS AVGG) Doesn't exist for Gallus' 3rd Antioch Issue
82 IMP CC VIB TREB GALLVS  PF AVG Bust radiate, draped, cuirassed  r.

-/-

./-

./.   4.8g

../..

../VI

.../...   3.1g

IIV/IIV

IV/IV

FELICITAS PVBL  Felicitas stg. l., holding cadaceus and cornucopiae
unlisted IMP CC VIB TREB GALLVS  PF AVG Bust radiate, draped, cuirassed  r. Unlisted reverse legend

../..

-/- (?)  (Rupert Pflaum collection)

FELICITAS AVG Felicitas stg. l., holding cadaceus and cornucopiae
unlisted IMP CC VIB TREB GALLVS  PF AVG Bust radiate, draped, cuirassed  r. The legend says Felicitas, but the image is Juno.

../..

FELICITAS PVBL  Juno(?) seated l., holding corn ears and sceptre.
83 IMP CC VIB TREB GALLVS  PF AVG Bust radiate, draped, cuirassed  r. This appears to be the most common second issue type - I'll try to see how many different officina combinations I can find.

-/-

-/....

./.

../..   4.4g

.../...

IIV/IIV

.../VII  5.2g

IV/IV

IV/VI

..../....   4.0g

VI/VI

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

IVNO MARTIALIS  Juno seated l., holding corn ears and sceptre.
83 var IMP CC VIB TREB GALLVS  P AVG Bust radiate, draped, cuirassed  r. Obverse legend ends in "P AVG" in error.

VI/VI  3.5g

IVNO MARTIALIS  Juno seated l., holding corn ears and sceptre.
84 IMP CC VIB TREB GALLVS  PF AVG Bust radiate, draped, cuirassed  r. This design is only used during Gallus 2nd Antioch issue and almost never has an officina mark. 

-/-   4.4g

Very rare coin with officina ../..

MARTEM PROPVGNATOREM Mars advancing r., holding spear and shield.
84 IMP CC VIB TREB GALLVS  PF AVG Bust radiate, draped, cuirassed  r. Accidentally spelled PRORVGNATOREM.  Not in RIC but noted by Metcalf who analyzed a hoard that consisted almost entirely of Antioch MARTEM PRORVGNATOREM antoninianii.   -/-

Many thanks to Tibor Fenyvesi in Hungary who showed me another error for this type - his coin has the reverse legend MARTEM PROGNATOREM

-/-   4.0g

MARTEM PRORVGNATOREM Mars advancing r., holding spear and shield.
85 IMP CC VIB TREB GALLVS  PF AVG Bust radiate, draped, cuirassed  r.  -/-   (Rupert Pflaum collection)

VII/VII

..../-

MARTI PACIFERO  Mars advancing l., holding branch and spear.
86 IMP CC VIB TREB GALLVS  PF AVG Bust radiate, draped, cuirassed  r.  

There are several known spelling errors for this reverse:  PAX AVGVG, and PAX AVG AVG

./.

..../-

26.5mm  ..../....

VI/VI

PAX AVGVS  Pax stg. l., holding branch and transverse sceptre.
86 var

unlisted

IMP CC VIB TRIO GALLVS  PF AVG Bust radiate, draped, cuirassed  r. unlisted and very unusual obverse legend    ..../....
IMP CC VIB TRIO GALLVS  PF AVG Bust radiate, draped, cuirassed  r.
RIC 87 and 88 don't exist for Gallus' second Antioch issue.
89 IMP CC VIB TREB GALLVS  PF AVG Bust radiate, draped, cuirassed  r.

..../....

ROMAE AETERNAE AVG  Roma std. l., holding Victory and spear, shield at her side.
89 var

unlisted

IMP CC VIB TREB GALLVS  PF AVG Bust radiate, draped, cuirassed  r. Blundered reverse legend: ATERNAE.

-/..

../..

ROMAE ATERNAE AVG  Roma std. l., holding Victory and spear, shield at her side.
90 IMP CC VIB TREB GALLVS  PF AVG Bust radiate, draped, cuirassed  r.

 ../..

..../....

SAECVLM NOVVM Hexastyle temple with figure in center.
91 IMP CC VIB TREB GALLVS  PF AVG Bust radiate, draped, cuirassed  r.

.../...

SAECVLLM NOVVM Hexastyle temple with figure in center.
91 IMP CC VIB TREB GALLVS  PF AVG Bust radiate, draped, cuirassed  r. Misspelled reverse legend

iiv/iiv

SACVLLM NOVVM Hexastyle temple with figure in center.
92 IMP CC VIB TREB GALLVS  PF AVG Bust radiate, draped, cuirassed  r.  ./.
VBERITAS AVG  Uberitas stg. l., holding purse and cornucopiae
92 var

unlisted

IMP CC VIB TREB GALLVS  PF AVG Bust radiate, draped, cuirassed  r. The 'B' is missing so the reverse now says 'VERITAS', meaning 'truth'.  The same error occurs fairly frequently (at least five dies) on the Antioch antoninianii of Trajan Decius, but this is the only Gallus coin I have seen.  I found it in a dealer "you pick' tray.

-/-

VERITAS AVG  Uberitas stg. l., holding purse and cornucopiae
93 IMP CC VIB TREB GALLVS  PF AVG Bust radiate, draped, cuirassed  r. -/-

../..

vi/vi

 

VICTORIA AVG  Victory running l., holding wreath and palm.
93 var

unlisted

IMP CC VIB TREB GALLVS  PF AVG Bust radiate, draped, cuirassed  r. Misspelled reverse legend.  Unlisted in RIC but published by W. Metcalf in Museum Notes 22 based on a single example found in the "Antioch Hoard'.

 

IVCTORIA AVG  Victory running l., holding wreath and palm.
94 IMP CC VIB TREB GALLVS  PF AVG Bust radiate, draped, cuirassed  r.

./.

VICTORIA AVG Victory stg. r. standing on globe, holding wreath and palm.
95 This type doesn't exist for Gallus' third Antioch issue
96 IMP CC VIB TREB GALLVS  PF AVG Bust radiate, draped, cuirassed  r. By far the rarest Antioch type of all issues.  I had originally thought it was reported in error  because of the odd 'AVGG' reverse legend and that there were none in the Dorchester, Cuntetio, or Eauze hoards.  The only reference was the Gibraltar Hoard which listed a single coin and no picture so I suspected it was either barbaric, or a misattributed coin of Gallus from the Branch mint which is fairly common and has the same reverse and obverse legend except fot the 'PF'.  This coin has typical Antioch metal and style so I believe it is official.  The Gibraltar Hoard is discussed in 1962 Numismatic Chronicle paper by Gallwey, "A hoard of third-century antoniniani from Southern Spain" (Thanks to 'Mauseus' on the FORVM Discussion Board for this information).

.../-

VIRTVS AVGG  Virtus stg. R. holding spear and leaning on shield

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