Bottom coin Officina: ...
Silver - Antioch mint
Hostilian as Augustus coins are all fairly rare. They are issued by Trebonianus but RIC still lists them with the Hostilian coins under Trajan Decius. A few of the coins that RIC lists are a bit too hard to believe. I have listed them at the bottom of the page under the title "Questionable". In addition to the coins in my collection that are pictured, I have listed all other types that I have been able to confirm - about half of the coins are not listed in RIC and I think I have only scratched the surface for the number of varieties. More information about this issue at bottom of page.
| unlisted | C OVAL OSTIL MES COVINTVS AVG Bust radiate, draped, cuirassed r. |
Not listed for Hostilian as Augustus but RIC does list
this type as Caesar. One in the British Museum. Bottom coin Officina: ... |
|
|
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ADVENTVS AVG Gallus on horseback l., raising r. hand and holding sceptre. |
| 202a | C OVAL OSTIL MES COVINTVS AVG Bust radiate, draped, cuirassed r. | Officina: no mark |
 |
|
|---|---|---|---|---|
| AEQVITAS AVG Aequitas stg, l., holding scales and cornucopiae. |
|
202 var unlisted |
C OVAL OSTIL MES COVINTVS AVG Bust radiate, draped, cuirassed r. |
Officina: .
Another example from Fritz Rudolf Künker Münzenhandlung Auction 111 lot 6977 |
 |
 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| AEQVITAS AVG Aequitas stg, l., holding scales and cornucopiae. |
| 202b | C OVAL OSTIL MES COVINTVS AVG Bust radiate, draped, cuirassed r. | Officina ... |
 |
 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| AEQVITAS AVG Aequitas stg, l., holding scales and cornucopiae. |
| 202c | C OVAL OSTIL MES COVINTVS AVG Bust radiate, draped, cuirassed r. | Officina IV |
 |
 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| AEQVITAS AVG Aequitas stg, l., holding scales and cornucopiae. |
| unlisted | C OVAL OSTIL MES COVINTVS AVG Bust radiate, draped, cuirassed r. |
Officina: . . Reverse legend ending in AVGG. An example: at Hauck-Aufhaeuser Auction 19, lot 349, another in Paul Francis Jacquier List 32 lot 362, another in the British Museum. |
 |
 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| AEQVITAS AVGG Aequitas stg, l., holding scales and cornucopiae. |
| 203a | C OVAL OSTIL MES COVINTVS AVG Bust radiate, draped, cuirassed r. | Officina: no mark |
|
|
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PVDICITIA AVG Pudicitia, veiled, std. l., raising right hand, holding transverse sceptre |
| 203b | C OVAL OSTIL MES COVINTVS AVG Bust radiate, draped, cuirassed r. |
Officina: . An example in Paul Francis Jacquier List 33 lot 439 |
|
|
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PVDICITIA AVG Pudicitia, veiled, std. l., raising right hand, holding transverse sceptre |
| 203c | C OVAL OSTIL MES COVINTVS AVG Bust radiate, draped, cuirassed r. | Officina: .. |
|
|
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PVDICITIA AVG Pudicitia, veiled, std. l., raising right hand, holding transverse sceptre |
| 203d | C OVAL OSTIL MES COVINTVS AVG Bust radiate, draped, cuirassed r. | Officina: ... |
 |
 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PVDICITIA AVG Pudicitia, veiled, std. l., raising right hand, holding transverse sceptre |
| 203 var | C OVAL OSTIL MES COVINTVS AVG Bust radiate, draped, cuirassed r. |
Officina: IV One example in BM |
|
|
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PVDICITIA AVG Pudicitia, veiled, std. l., raising right hand, holding transverse sceptre |
| 203e | C OVAL OSTIL MES COVINTVS AVG Bust radiate, draped, cuirassed r. | Officina: IV |
 |
 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PVDICITIA AVG Pudicitia, veiled, std. l., raising right hand, holding transverse sceptre |
|
203var unlisted |
C OVL OSTIL MES COVINTVS AVG Bust radiate, draped, cuirassed r. |
Officina: IIV misspelled obverse legend |
 |
 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PVDICITIA AVG Pudicitia, veiled, std. l., raising right hand, holding transverse sceptre |
| 204a | C OVAL OSTIL MES COVINTVS AVG Bust radiate, draped, cuirassed r. | Officina: no mark |
 |
 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ROMAE AETERNAE AVG Roma std. l., holding Victory and spear, shield at her side. |
| unlisted | C OVAL OSTIL MES COVINTVS AVG Bust radiate, draped, cuirassed r. |
The reverse legend ending in AVG is not listed Officina: . Bottom coin ex-RMB collection |
  |
  |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ROMAE AETERNAE AVG Roma std. l., holding Victory and spear, shield at her side. |
| 204b | C OVAL OSTIL MES COVINTVS AVG Bust radiate, draped, cuirassed r. |
Officina: ... An example: Fritz Rudolf Künker Münzenhandlung Auction 94, lot 2018 |
|
|
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ROMAE AETERNAE AVG Roma std. l., holding Victory and spear, shield at her side. |
| unlisted | C OVAL OSTIL MES COVINTVS AVG Bust radiate, draped, cuirassed r. |
The reverse legend ending in AVG is not listed Officina: .. |
 |
 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ROMAE AETERNAE AVG Roma std. l., holding Victory and spear, shield at her side. |
|
unlisted |
C OVAL OSTIL MES COVINTVS AVG Bust radiate, draped, cuirassed r. |
The reverse legend ending in AVG is not listed Officina: iiv |
 |
 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ROMAE AETERNAE AVG Roma std. l., holding Victory and spear, shield at her side. |
| unlisted | C OVL OSTIL MES COVINTVS AVG Bust radiate, draped, cuirassed r. |
The reverse legend ending in AVG is not listed.
Obverse legend starting in C OVL ... Officina: no mark An example in Paul Francis Jacquier List 33 lot 350 |
|
|
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ROMAE AETERNAE AVG Roma std. l., holding Victory and spear, shield at her side. |
|
205a
|
C OVAL OSTIL MES COVINTVS AVG Bust radiate, draped, cuirassed r. |
Officina: none One example in BM |
|
|
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SAECVLVM NOVVM Hexastyle temple with figure (of Roma?) in center |
|
205b
|
C OVAL OSTIL MES COVINTVS AVG Bust radiate, draped, cuirassed r. | Officina: ... |
|
|
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SAECVLVM NOVVM Hexastyle temple with figure (of Roma?) in center |
|
205var unlisted
|
C OVAL OSTIL MES COVINTVS AVG Bust radiate, draped, cuirassed r. | Officina: .. which is unlisted |
 |
 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SAECVLVM NOVVM Hexastyle temple with figure (of Roma?) in center |
|
205var unlisted
|
C OVAL OSTIL MES COVINTVS AVG Bust radiate, draped, cuirassed r. |
Officina: iiv which is unlisted Here's another example: A real beauty from NAC 33 lot 563 and another from Fritz Rudolf Künker Auction 97, lot 1801 |
 |
 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SAECVLVM NOVVM Hexastyle temple with figure (of Roma?) in center |
|
205var unlisted
|
C OVAL OSTIL MES COVINTVS AVG Bust radiate, draped, cuirassed r. |
Officina: .... Here's a nice example: Gorny & Mosch Auction 138, lot 2327 |
 |
 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SAECVLVM NOVVM Hexastyle temple with figure (of Roma?) in center |
|
205var unlisted
|
C OVAL OSTI MES C QVINTVS AVG Bust radiate, draped, cuirassed r. |
Officina: .... As above bu C OVAL OSTI_ MES C QVINTVS |
 |
 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SAECVLVM NOVVM Hexastyle temple with figure (of Roma?) in center |
|
205var unlisted
|
C OVAL OSTIL MES COVINTVS AVG Bust radiate, draped, cuirassed r. |
Officina: .... Same as above but misspelled obverse legend "OSTI MES..." (Rupert Pflaum collection) |
 |
 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SAECVLVM NOVVM Hexastyle temple with figure (of Roma?) in center |
|
205var unlisted
|
C OVAL OSTIL MES COVINTVS AVG Bust radiate, draped, cuirassed r. |
Officina: iv An example in Paul Francis Jacquier List 33 lot 441 |
|
|
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SAECVLVM NOVVM Hexastyle temple with figure (of Roma?) in center |
|
207var unlisted |
C OVAL OSTIL MES COVINTVS AVG Bust radiate, draped, cuirassed r. |
Officina: . cgb.fr Monnaies 34, Lot 702 (2008) |
|
|
|---|---|---|---|---|
| VBERITAS AVG Uberitas stg. l., holding purse and cornucopiae |
|
207var unlisted |
C OVAL OSTIL MES COVINTVS AVG Bust radiate, draped, cuirassed r. | Officina: .. which is unlisted |
 |
 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| VBERITAS AVG Uberitas stg. l., holding purse and cornucopiae |
| 207a | C OVAL OSTIL MES COVINTVS AVG Bust radiate, draped, cuirassed r. |
Officina: ...
HD Rauch Auction Mail Bid sale 11, lot 1048 |
|
|
|---|---|---|---|---|
| VBERITAS AVG Uberitas stg. l., holding purse and cornucopiae |
|
207 unlisted |
C OVAL OSTIL MES COVINTVS AVG Bust radiate, draped, cuirassed r. |
Officina: iiv An example from Numismatik Lanz München Auction 125, lot 994 |
|
|
|---|---|---|---|---|
| VBERITAS AVG Uberitas stg. l., holding purse and cornucopiae |
| 207b | C OVAL OSTIL MES COVINTVS AVG Bust radiate, draped, cuirassed r. | Officina: iv |
|
|
|---|---|---|---|---|
| VBERITAS AVG Uberitas stg. l., holding purse and cornucopiae |
| unlisted | C OVAL OSTIL MES COVINTVS AVG Bust radiate, draped, cuirassed r. | officina: iiv |
 |
 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| VICTORIA AVG Victory running r., holding wreath and palm |
| unlisted | C OVL OSTIL MES COVINTVS AVG Bust radiate, draped, cuirassed r. |
Same as above but obv. legend starting C OVL ... officina: iiv |
 |
 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| VICTORIA AVG Victory running r., holding wreath and palm |
|
208 var unlisted |
C OVAL OSTIL MES COVINTVS AVG Bust radiate, draped, cuirassed r. | officina: . |
 |
 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| VICTORIA AVG Victory running l., holding wreath and palm |
| 208 | C OVAL OSTIL MES COVINTVS AVG Bust radiate, draped, cuirassed r. |
officina: .. 4.22g From collection of Dr. F. Óvári |
 |
 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| VICTORIA AVG Victory running l., holding wreath and palm |
|
208 var unlisted |
C OVAL OSTIL MES COVINTVS AVG Bust radiate, draped, cuirassed r. |
officina: iv An example in Paul Francis Jacquier List 33 lot 365 , also CGB Mail Bid Sale 32, lot 398 |
|
|
|---|---|---|---|---|
| VICTORIA AVG Victory running l., holding wreath and palm |
|
209 var unlisted |
C OVAL OSTIL MES COVINTVS AVG Bust radiate, draped, cuirassed r. | officina: no mark |
 |
 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| VICTORIA AVG Victory stg. r. on globe, holding wreath and palm |
| 209a | C OVAL OSTIL MES COVINTVS AVG Bust radiate, draped, cuirassed r. |
officina: . There were two of these in cgb.fr auctions: Monnaies 32, lot 398 (2007) and another in Monnaies 28, lot 298. |
|
|
|---|---|---|---|---|
| VICTORIA AVG Victory stg. r. on globe, holding wreath and palm |
| 209b | C OVAL OSTIL MES COVINTVS AVG Bust radiate, draped, cuirassed r. | officina: .. |
|
|
|---|---|---|---|---|
| VICTORIA AVG Victory stg. r. on globe, holding wreath and palm |
| 209c | C OVAL OSTIL MES COVINTVS AVG Bust radiate, draped, cuirassed r. | officina: .... |
|
|
|---|---|---|---|---|
| VICTORIA AVG Victory stg. r. on globe, holding wreath and palm |
|
209d |
C OVAL OSTIL MES COVINTVS AVG Bust radiate, draped, cuirassed r. | officina: iv |
 |
 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| VICTORIA AVG Victory stg. r. on globe, holding wreath and palm |
|
209 var unlisted |
C OVL OSTIL MES COVINTVS AVG Bust radiate, draped, cuirassed r. |
Obv. legend starting in C OVL .... officina: iiv From MH collection in Hungary |
 |
 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| VICTORIA AVG Victory stg. r. on globe, holding wreath and palm |
Questionable Coins
These two coins are listed in RIC but with no reference save the Cohen number. Neither reverse type belongs to Antioch (they are both normal for Rome), and I suspect they do not actually exist, or that the examples that Cohen found were ancient forgeries.
| 202A | C OVAL OSTIL MES COVINTVS AVG Bust radiate, draped, cuirassed r. | Rome reverse type |
|
|
|---|---|---|---|---|
| IVNONI MARTIALI Juno seated front in distyle temple, peacock at her side. |
| 206 | C VAI HOST M OVINT AVG Bust radiate, draped, cuirassed r. | Rome reverse with blundered obv. legend |
|
|
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SPES PVBLICA Spes advancing l., holding flower and raiding skirt |
Question: Why is QVINTVS frequently spelled COVINTVS? Answer: Here is Steve Minnoch's answer as posted on the FORVM site: "It does seem to be a case of confusion between Greek and Latin (OV = the closest Greek phonetic equivalent to the w sound expressed by a V in Latin). You have the same thing with the OVAL earlier in the legend, in proper Latin VAL would suffice, and the dropped H with OSTIL." ...." It's almost as if the Q sound went through a 2-way phonetic transfer... Latin Q-> Greek Kappa-> Latin C (hard). Perhaps it was just how the person responsible thought KOVINTOS was written in Latin? Really hard to know!"
Question: RIC mentions that Gallus may have continued striking coins of Herennia after Decius' death. Is there any evidence of this? Answer: Normally the officina marks for Decius' coins are pellets, but in at least one rare occasion there was the Roman numeral VII on the obverse of a Hostilian CAES (PUDICITIA AVG) antoninainus. See Numizmatic Lanz auction 125, 28.11.2005 - lot no.992. Heinz Grodon commented to me that this may well have been a coin struck by Gallus (very early in the reign!). To check this idea I looked at all the known types (listed in RIC plus my database of pictures) of Antioch Coins of Decius, Herennia, Herennius, and Hostilian as Caesar- what I found is that several officinas did use Roman numerals. They are rare for Herennia and very rare for Hostilian as Caesar but apparently do not exist for Decius and Herennius. What does this mean? Only Herennia and Hostilian survived Decius' and Herennius' death at the Battle of Abrittus. The Roman numerals appear to belong to Gallus, and I think that Gallus struck a few very rare antoniniani of Hostilian Caesar at Antioch before elevating him to Augustus, but continued issuing coins for Herennia until Hostilian's death (or some other short duration). That would explain the relative rarities of the Hostilian Caesar and Herennia coins, and the non-existence of Decius and Herennius coins with obverse officina marks in Roman numerals. Of course anyone can prove me wrong by producing a Herennius or Hostilian coin with Roman numberal officina! Please do that if you find one! Update: I haven't found an antoninianus of Decius of Herennius with Roman numberals but there is a Tetradrachm (which have many of the same characeristics as the antoniniani). Of the108 types listed for Decius by Prieur, one of them uses a "IV" officina.