Antioch Mint First Issue 251-252 AD
If you like unlisted coins, Volusian antoninianii from Antioch are the best. About one in four is unlisted because of a different bust type or legend spelling. Although Antioch issued many coins of Hostilian as AVG, there are Antioch coins (antoninianii or tetradrachms) of Volusian as Caesar. Being on the remote eastern end of the empire, news must have been slow to reach the city, and also Hostilian seems to have held the title of Augustus earlier and longer than the period where Volusian was Caesar.
During this period, princes (Caesars) were usually shown with '3/4 facing forward' bust. This was invariably true for Herennius Etruscus, and Hostilian (even after he became Augustus). Early coins of Volusian have this bust but later coins (including all of Group I) show the bust with right shoulder forward.
|
RIC |
Obverse/Reverse |
Notes |
Obverse Photo |
Reverse Photo |
|---|
| 224a | IMP CV AF GAL VEND VOLVSIANO AVG Bust radiate, draped, cuirassed r. | .../- |
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|---|---|---|---|---|
| ADVENTVS AVG Emperor on horseback l., raising r. hand and holding sceptre. |
| 224 var | IM CV AF GAL VEND VOLVSIANO AVG Bust radiate, draped, cuirassed r. |
unlisted obverse legend .../- |
 |
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|---|---|---|---|---|
| ADVENTVS AVG Emperor on horseback l., raising r. hand and holding sceptre. |
| 225 | IMP CV AF GAL VEND VOLVSIANO AVG Bust radiate, draped, cuirassed r. | ../.. 3.91g |
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|---|---|---|---|---|
| AEQVITAS AVG Aequitas stg, l., holding scales and cornucopiae. |
| 225 var | IMP CV AF GAL VEND VOLVSIANO AVG Bust radiate, draped, cuirassed right shoulder back |
Unlisted bust type -/- |
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|---|---|---|---|---|
| AEQVITAS AVG Aequitas stg, l., holding scales and cornucopiae. |
|
225 var unlisted |
IMP CV AF GAL VEND VOLVSIANO AVG Bust radiate, draped, cuirassed r. |
AEQVTAS (sic) .../- 3.97g Gorny & Mosch 164-167 lot 2186 |
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|---|---|---|---|---|
| AEQVTAS AVG Aequitas stg, l., holding scales and cornucopiae. |
|
225 var unlisted |
IMP CV AF GAL VEND VOLVSSIANVS AVG Bust radiate, draped, cuirassed right shoulder back |
Unlisted obverse legend, unlisted bust type .../.... |
 |
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|---|---|---|---|---|
| AEQVITAS AVG Aequitas stg, l., holding scales and cornucopiae. |
|
225 var unlisted |
IM CV AF GAL VEND VOLVSIANO AVG Bust radiate, draped, cuirassed r. |
Obverse legend starts with IM C vii/- |
 |
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|---|---|---|---|---|
| AEQVITAS AVG Aequitas stg, l., holding scales and cornucopiae. |
| 228 | IMP CV AF GAL VEND VOLVSIANO AVG Bust radiate, draped, cuirassed r. | vii/- |
 |
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|---|---|---|---|---|
| MARTI PACIFERO Mars advancing l., holding branch and spear. |
| 228 var | IMP CV AF GAL VEND VOLVSIANVS AVG Bust seen from front, radiate, draped, cuirassed r. | unlisted bust type |
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|---|---|---|---|---|
| MARTI PACIFERO Mars advancing l., holding branch and spear. |
|
228 var unlisted |
IMP CV AF GAL VEND VOLVSSIANVS AVG Bust seen from front, radiate, draped, cuirassed r. |
"VOLVUSSIANVS" (with an extra S) .../... |
 |
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|---|---|---|---|---|
| MARTI PACIFERO Mars advancing l., holding branch and spear. |
| unlisted | IM CV AF GAL VEND VOLVSIANO AVG Bust radiate, draped, cuirassed r. |
A hybrid with the reverse of Philip the Arab (RIC 78).
Although this could have been made with a die made during Philip's reign
that miraculously re-appeared during the reign of Gallus, it is more
likely that an engraver accidentally copied the a Philip reverse (see
RIC 231var below for a similar error). ../- |
 |
 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PM TRP VI COS PP Felicitas stg. l., holding cadaceus and cornucopiae |
| 230a | IMP CV AF GAL VEND VOLVSIANO AVG Bust seen from back, radiate, draped, cuirassed r. |
|
 |
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|---|---|---|---|---|
| PAX AVGVS Pax stg. l., holding branch and transverse sceptre. |
| 230a var | IMP CV AF GAL VEND VOLVSIANO AVG Bust seen from front, radiate, draped, cuirassed r. |
Unlisted bust type |
 |
 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PAX AVGVS Pax stg. l., holding branch and transverse sceptre. |
|
230a var unlisted |
IM CV AF GAL VEND VOLVSIANO AVG Bust seen from back, radiate, draped, cuirassed r. |
Unlisted legend -/- vii/-
|
  |
  |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PAX AVGVS Pax stg. l., holding branch and transverse sceptre. |
|
230a var unlisted |
IIMP CV AF GAL VEND VOLVSIANO AVG Bust seen from front, radiate, draped, cuirassed r. |
Unlisted reverse legend ending in 'AVGVG' ../..
|
 |
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|---|---|---|---|---|
| PAX AVGVG Pax stg. l., holding branch and transverse sceptre. |
|
230b var unlisted |
IMP CV AF GAL VEND VOLVSSIANVS AVG Bust seen from front, radiate, draped, cuirassed r. |
VOLVSSIANVS sic ..../.... |
 |
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|---|---|---|---|---|
| PAX AVGVS Pax stg. l., holding branch and transverse sceptre. |
|
231 var unlisted |
IM CV AF GAL VEND VOLVSIANO AVG Bust seen from front, radiate, draped, cuirassed r. |
"SC" added; K. Pink postulated that the engraver was
copying the reverse from a bronze coin (Gallus of Volusian sestertius of
Rome with PAX reverse) and this has been gernerally accepted as the best
explanation. Barry Murphy had an even better idea - the engraver
had been engraving Antioch tetradrachms (which although silver, do have
SC on the reverse). Unlisted obverse legend starting with 'IM' instead of 'IMP'. ./-
|
 |
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|---|---|---|---|---|
| PAX AVGVS SC Pax stg. l., holding branch and transverse sceptre. |
|
231 var unlisted |
IM CV AF GAL VEND VOLVSIANO AVG Bust seen from front, radiate, draped, cuirassed r. |
Another "SC" coin with an unlisted obverse legend, this
one this with the second 'V' in AVGVS inverted (or accidentally replaced
with an A). ..../-
|
 |
 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PAX AVGAS SC Pax stg. l., holding branch and transverse sceptre. |
|
232 var unlisted |
IIM CV AF GAL VEND VOLVSIANO AVG Bust seen from back, radiate, draped, cuirassed r. |
Legend starting IM CV... vii/? |
 |
 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PVDICITIA AVG Pudicitia, veiled, std. l., raising right hand, holding transverse sceptre |
| 234a | IMP CV AF GAL VEND VOLVSIANO AVG Bust radiate, draped, cuirassed r. | -/.. |
 |
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|---|---|---|---|---|
| ROMAE AETERNAE AVG Roma std, l., on shield holding victory and spear. |
|
234a var unlisted |
IMP CV AF GAL VEND VOLVSIANO AVG Bust seen from front, radiate, draped, cuirassed r. | ../.. |
 |
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|---|---|---|---|---|
| ROMAE AETERNAE AVG Roma std, l., on shield holding victory and spear. |
| 234b | IMP CV AF GAL VEND VOLVSSIANVS AVG Bust seen from front, radiate, draped, cuirassed r. |
A rare variation with the bust seen from front and the
name spelled VOLVSSIANVS. iv/iv |
 |
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|---|---|---|---|---|
| ROMAE AETERNAE AVG Roma std, l., on shield holding victory and spear. |
| 234c | IM CV AF GAL VEND VOLVSIANO AVG Bust seen from front, radiate, draped, cuirassed r. |
Obverse legend stating only 'IM' instead of 'IMP' Mint ?/vi 3.75g |
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|---|---|---|---|---|
| ROMAE AETERNAE AVG Roma std, l., on shield holding victory and spear. |
| 235 | IMP CV AF GAL VEND VOLVSIANO AVG Bust seen from back, radiate, draped, cuirassed r. |
This is what Cohen would call a "double antoninianus".
It is 6.4 grams. -/.... |
 |
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|---|---|---|---|---|
| SAECVLVM NOVVM Hexastyle temple with figure in center. |
| 235 var | IM CV AF GAL VEND VOLVSIANO AVG Bust seen from front, radiate, draped, cuirassed r. |
unlisted bust type ../- |
 |
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|---|---|---|---|---|
| SAECVLVM NOVVM Hexastyle temple with figure in center. |
|
235 var unlisted |
IM CV AF GAL VEND VOLVSIANO AVG Bust seen from back, radiate, draped, cuirassed r. | Unlisted obverse legend |
 |
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|---|---|---|---|---|
| SAECVLVM NOVVM Hexastyle temple with figure in center. |
| 235 var | IM CV AF GAL VEND VOLVSIANO AVG Bust seen from back, radiate, draped, cuirassed r. |
Same as above but eagle on temple! .../- |
 |
 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SAECVLVM NOVVM Hexastyle temple with figure in center. |
|
236a
|
IMP CV AF GAL VEND VOLVSIANO AVG Bust seen from front, radiate, draped, cuirassed r. | ../.. |
 |
 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SAECVLLVM NOVVM Hexastyle temple with figure in center. |
|
236 var unlisted |
IMP CV AF GAL VEND VOLVSIANO AVG Bust seen from front, radiate, draped, cuirassed r. |
Unlisted: Temple is tetrastyle and not hexastyle,
also, the obvers legend says VOLUSSIANVS (with an extra 's').
iv/iv |
 |
 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SAECVLLVM NOVVM Tetrastyle temple with figure in center. |
|
237b
|
IMP CV AF GAL VEND VOLVSIANO AVG Bust radiate, draped, cuirassed r. |
5.5 grams (very thick) ..../? |
 |
 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| VBERITAS AVG Uberitas stg. l., holding purse and cornucopiae |
|
237b var |
IMP CV AF GAL VEND VOLVSIANO AVG Bust radiate, draped, cuirassed r. |
Misspelled UDERITAS, a common error existing on many dies
and mentioned in nearly every book that discusses this series. .,/. (?) |
 |
 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| VDERITAS AVG Uberitas stg. l., holding purse and cornucopiae |
|
237b var |
IMP CV AF G ALVEND VOLVSIANO AVG Bust r., right shoulder back |
Different bust type, same misspelled reverse legend Mint ..../.... |
 |
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|---|---|---|---|---|
| VDERITAS AVG Uberitas stg. l., holding purse and cornucopiae |
|
237b var |
IMP CV AF G ALVEND VOLVSIANO AVG Bust r., right shoulder back |
Another of the unlisted bust type, finally, the correct
spelling Mint ..../.... |
 |
 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| VBERITAS AVG Uberitas stg. l., holding purse and cornucopiae |
| 237c | IMP CV AF G ALVEND VOLVSSIANVS AVG Bust r., right shoulder back |
"VOLVSSIANVS"
Mint iv/iv |
 |
 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| VBERITAS AVG Uberitas stg. l., holding purse and cornucopiae |
| 238 | IMP CV AF GAL VEND VOLVSIANO AVG Bust seen from back, radiate, draped, cuirassed r. |
3.96 grams Mint vii/- |
 |
 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| VICTORIA AVG Victory advancing. l., holding wreath and palm. |
|
238 var |
IMP CV AF G ALVEND VOLVSIANO AVG Bust r., right shoulder back |
Unlisted bust type Mint ../.. |
 |
 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| VICTORIA AVG Victory advancing. l., holding wreath and palm. |
|
238 var unlisted |
IMP CV AF G ALVEND VOLVSSIANVS AVG Bust r., right shoulder back |
Many thanks to Jean-Andre. Unlisted bust type, obv legend spelled VOLVSSIANVS Mint iiv/iiv |
 |
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|---|---|---|---|---|
| VICTORIA AVG Victory advancing. l., holding wreath and palm. |
| unlisted | IMP CV AF GAL VEND VOLVSIANO AVG Bust seen from back, radiate, draped, cuirassed r. | ?/- |
 |
 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| VICTORIA AVG Victory advancing. r., holding wreath and palm. |
|
239 var unlisted |
IM CV AF G ALVEND VOLVSIANO AVG Bust r., right shoulder forward |
Legend starting with IMC ..../- |
 |
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|---|---|---|---|---|
| VICTORIA AVG Victory stg. r. standing on globe, holding wreath and palm. |
|
239a var
|
IMP CV AF G ALVEND VOLVSIANO AVG Bust r., right shoulder back |
Unlisted bust type ..../.... |
 |
 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| VICTORIA AVG Victory stg. r. standing on globe, holding wreath and palm. |
|
239b var unlisted |
IMP CV AF G ALVEND VOLVSSIANVS AVG Bust r., right shoulder back |
As above but "VOLVSSIANVS" 4.17g Mint .../... |
 |
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|---|---|---|---|---|
| VICTORIA AVG Victory stg. r. standing on globe, holding wreath and palm. |