Roman Imperial Coins

Philip I. A.D. 244-249. Rome - A.D. 248. AR Antoninianus. Radiate bust right / 'SAECVLVM NOVVM' Hexastyle temple with seated Roma statue. Toned, About Extremely Fine & Scarce. Hadrian's temple of Roma in Rome.

Philip II. A.D. 247-249. Seleucis & Pieria, Antioch - A.D. 248. Billon Tetradrachm. Laureate bust right / Eagle standing with wings spread, holding wreath in beak; 'ANTIOXIA / SC' in exergue. About Extremely Fine.

Philip II. A.D. 247-249., Seleucis & Pieria, Antioch - A.D. 248. Billon Tetradrachm. Laureate bust right / Eagle standing left with wings spread, holding wreath in beak; 'ANTIOXIA / SC' in exergue. About Extremely Fine & Very Scarce.

Postumus was the governor of Germany in A.D. 260 when the emperor Valerian was captured in the East. With the Roman world in crisis the rebel Postumus was left in control of Britain, Gaul, Spain and parts of Germany, forming what was called the ‘Gallic Empire’. Like many emperors at the time Postumus was murdered by his own troops in A.D. 269. At the start of his reign Postumus minted coins that were about 20% silver, at least twice as much silver than the coins being made by Gallienus’ central government in Rome. Later in his reign as he ran out of resources he lowered the silver content to about 5%, the same as the rest of the empire. This is the 20% grade Very Fine meaning an ancient person has used it.

Postumus was the governor of Germany in A.D. 260 when the emperor Valerian was captured in the East. With the Roman world in crisis the rebel Postumus was left in control of Britain, Gaul, Spain and parts of Germany, forming what was called the ‘Gallic Empire’. Like many emperors at the time Postumus was murdered by his own troops in A.D. 269. At the start of his reign Postumus minted coins that were about 20% silver, at least twice as much silver than the coins being made by Gallienus’ central government in Rome. Later in his reign as he ran out of resources he lowered the silver content to about 5%, the same as the rest of the empire. This is the 5% silver grade Extremely Fine meaning they’ve had very limited use since they were struck.

Postumus was the governor of Germany in A.D. 260 when the emperor Valerian was captured in the East. With the Roman world in crisis barbarian raiding parties were crossing the borders but his defeat of one group, the Juthungians, led to him being proclaimed emperor by his troops. He then managed to push the others out of the western provinces and re-established the old Rhine frontier, making him very popular! Gallienus failed multiple times to defeat him so the rebel Postumus was left in control of Britain, Gaul, Iberia and parts of Germany, forming what was called the ‘Gallic Empire’. In A.D. 269, Laelianus, the governor of Germany, rebelled against him and was defeated at the siege of Mainz. Sadly, Postumus was then murdered by his own troops for refusing to allow them to plunder the city! Postumus minted coins that had at least twice as much silver in than the coins being made by Gallienus’ central government in Rome. We offer these Billon Silver Antoninianus of Postumus with various reverses in Extremely Fine condition, meaning very limited wear since they were struck. Due to the crisis at the time that striking can be a little weak so first to order will get the best! It has been a while since we have been able to get a group of these, we have priced them to please, but we cannot guarantee the price will not have to go up in the future…

Roman Republic. 100 B.C. - P. Servilius Rullus. Rome. AR Denarius. Helmeted bust of Minerva left, 'RVLLI' behind / Victory driving biga right holding palm, 'P.SERVILI.M.F' below. Toned, Very Fine & Scarce.

Roman Republic. 46 B.C. - Mn. Cordius Rufus. AR Denarius. Jugate heads of the Dioscuri right, stars above / Venus Verticordia standing left holding scales & sceptre, cupid on shoulder. Very Fine.

Roman Republic. 47 B.C. - A. Licinius Nerva. Rome. AR Denarius. 'FIDES' & 'NERV[A]' Laureate head of Fides right / 'III•VIR' & 'A•LICINIV' Horseman galloping right dragging Gallic warrior by hair. Good Very Fine & Scarce.

Roman Republic. Q. Sicinius & C. Coponius. 49 B.C., Military mint with Pompey. AR Denarius. Diademed head of Apollo right, 'III.VIR' behind, star below, 'Q.SICINIVS' before / Hercules club with lion skin between arrow & bow; 'PR.S.C' upwards left, 'C.COPONIVS' downwards right. Minor weakness, About Extremely Fine & Scarce.

Roman Republic. Spring 47- Spring 46 B.C. - Marcus Porcius Cato Uticensis. Utica. AR Denarius. '[M•CA]TO•PRO•PR' Draped bust of Roma right with hair tied with fillet / Victory seated right extending hand & holding palm frond. Roughness, Very Fine & Very Scarce. This coin was struck by Cato the Younger at the end of the Civil War with Caesar at the place Cato committed suicide.

In A.D. 208 Septimius Severus set off for Britannia to conquer the island but he would never see Rome again! The people and the landscape of Caledonia (Scotland) proved too much and Septimius Severus, exhausted by his efforts, fell ill and died in York in early A.D. 211. His dying words to his sons were ‘stay friends, be generous to the soldiers and no one else matters’. In his reign he had increased a soldiers pay from 375 to 500 silver Denari a year, a good wage in those days! This meant he created over 1000 different denarius reverse types. We offer you these silver Denari with the head of Septimius Severus on the obverse and various reverses from the Roman Emperor who died in York. Offered here in Fine grading.

Septimius Severus was born in Leptis Magna, Northern Africa. He rose through the senatorial ranks quickly and in the chaos of A.D. 193 he deftly managed his rivals to be sole ruler within five years. He then campaigned for the majority of his reign and in A.D. 208 Septimius Severus set off for Britannia!

Septimius Severus was Roman Emperor from AD 193-211. In AD 208 he travelled to Britain to strengthen Hadrian’s Wall and went on to invade Scotland that same year but his plans were cut short when he became ill and died in York in AD 211. We have a few silver denarius in Very Fine Condition minted during his reign. There are different types but all have his portrait on the obverse, and usually a standing or seated figure on the reverse. PHOTOGRAPH IS REPRESENTATIVE OF COIN SUPPLIED.

Septimius Severus. A.D. 193-211., Laodicea ad Mare - A.D. 198. AR Denarius. Laureate head right / 'SALVTI AVGG' Salus enthroned left feeding snake from patera. Reflective Good Very Fine & Scarce.

Septimius Severus. A.D. 193-211., Rome - A.D. 209. AR Denarius. Laureate head right / 'P M TR P XVII COS III P P' Salus enthroned left feeding snake from patera. Good Very Fine.

Severina, wife of Aurelian., Rome - A.D. 275. Billon Denarius. Diad. & draped bust R. / 'VENVS FELIX' Venus stg. L hdg. cupid & sceptre. Good Very Fine with minor silvering & Very Scarce. One of the last Denarius.

Severus Alexander, AD 222-235, AR Denarius. Obverse: Laureate and draped bust of Alexander facing to right. Reverse: P M TR P VI COS II P P, Mars walking right with spear and trophy. [RIC 61, RSC 305] Near Mint with much lustre.

Born around A.D.208 in Phoenicia, Severus Alexander was the cousin of the unpredictable Emperor Elagabalus. He was adopted as heir in A.D. 221 at the age of thirteen and seamlessly took over in A.D. 222. The new emperor was young and weak, his mother, Julia Mamaea, and his grandmother, Julia Maesa, ruled the empire early on. Later, Severus Alexander assumed more power and was a reasonably successful ruler. He was popular with the people as he helped with debts and had many building projects. He also fought a difficult and partially successful campaign against the Persians from A.D. 231-234. But while campaigning against the German tribes on the Rhine in A.D. 235 his mother tried to pay the enemy to leave! The army saw this as dishonourable and chose a new emperor Maximinus, a Thracian. Alexander and his mother were murdered by their own troops in A.D. 235 at their camp near Mainz in Germany. We offer Silver Denarius of Severus Alexander in a Good Very Fine condition with various reverses. Don’t miss out on the last of the Severan Dynasty.

Severus Alexander. A.D. 222-235. Alexandria, Roman Egypt - A.D. 228. Billon Tetradrachm. Laureate bust right / Helmeted bust of Athena Parthenos right. Good Very Fine & Scarce. This has particularly refined detail for Egyptian coins, pleasing bust of Athena.

Severus Alexander. A.D. 222-235., Rome - A.D. 228. AR Denarius. Laur. bust R. / 'P M TR P VI COS II P P' Mars adv. R. hdg. trophy & spear. Flan chip, Lustrous Good Extremely Fine & Scarce thus.

Trajan Decius. A.D. 249-251. Seleucis & Pieria, Antioch. Billon Tetradrachm. Radiate bust right / Eagle standing with wings spread on branch with wreath in beak. Good Very Fine & Scarce.

Trajan has one of the best legacies, ancient or modern, of any Roman emperor! When later emperors were sworn in it was wished they be ‘luckier than Augustus and better than Trajan’. He literally set the bar for what the Romans saw as a good ruler. Today he is one of the ‘Five Good Emperors’. Trajan was born in A.D. 53 in Italica, Spain, his father had been a consul and governor of Syria. Trajan rose quickly and because he was so popular, importantly with the army, he was adopted in A.D. 97 by the reigning emperor Nerva. Following the death of Nerva the next year, Trajan became emperor. His 19-year reign saw three major conflicts which led to the territory of the Roman Empire being increased to its greatest size. Within the Empire Trajan was a great builder, to name a few projects: the Forum Traiani, Trajan’s Market, an amphitheatre for sea battles, and a new harbour at Ostia. He also established a number of Colonies for retired soldiers and in Italy set up a charity to help orphans and poor children called the Alimentia, shown on one of his rare coins. His most famous and lasting monument is perhaps Trajan’s Column which can still be seen in Rome. When he died he was buried beneath it with Hadrian becoming emperor. We are not often able to offer Trajan’s coins in groups, especially his silver Denarius! They are becoming increasingly hard to find, as he is such a popular emperor, but with much searching, we are able to offer them to you here in Good Fine grade with various reverses.

Trajan. A.D. 98-117. Rome - A.D. 113. AR Denarius. Laureate bust right / 'S P Q R OPTIMO PRINCIPI' Annona standing holding corn ears & cornucopiae, child at feet left; 'ALIM ITAL' in exergue. Slight obverse pitting, Very Fine & Scarce type. The 'Alimenta Italiae' charity lasted 150 years & used the interest from landowner loans to feed orphan children.

Trajan. A.D. 98-117., Rome - A.D. 109. AR Denarius. Laureate bust right / 'COS V P P S P Q R OPTIMO PRINC' Arabia standing left holding branch & cinnamon sticks; camel at feet left. Very Fine & Scarce.