Trebonianus Gallus, Rome mint,
Antoninianus (21-22 mm / 4.07 g), 252 - 253 AD.,
Obv.: IMP CAE C VIB TREB GALLVS AVG , radiate, draped and cuirassed bust of Trebonianus Gallus right, seen from behind.
Rev.: PIETAS AVGG , Pietas veiled, standing l., raising both hands, altar left.
RIC - (cf. 41 and 72). C. - (cf. 88). H. 16 .
Very rare Variant. (from R. Beale´s site: http://sonic.net/~rbeale/mysite/...): Reverse proper to Volusian or .... The authors of The Cunetio Treasure knew of 13 of these, but only one mule that had the normal Gallus Rome obverse mixed with the Branch mint reverse of Pietas and altar. How would one tell them apart!? Only by finding die matches to establish if the reverse die was the regular Rome mint Volusian Pietas/altar die, or if it was the regular Branch mint Gallus Pietas/altar die.
Hi Arminius,
A very nice and rare coin! Actually I should update my web page since there actually is a difference between the two antoninianii with Pietas and altar. The Rome mint coin shows Pietas veiled while the branch mint (incorrectly called Viminacium by RIC) reverse has Pietas without a veil. So your coin, and mine too have a regular ROme minto obverse with the branch mint reverse. It was these hybrids that led the authors of "The Cunetio Treasure" to theorize that Viminacium was not right, and the coins were either struck at Rome in a seperate workshop (with the the intent that their seperat production would supply the legions in the Balkans), or else at least the dies were created at Rome for the branch mint - hence the occasional mules that mix one die from each mint. There are many cases where it appears that Gallus and Volusian use the same reverse - but in about every normal case there is some tiny difference: for example a veil or alatar is added or removed, or pax either raises or lowers her branch.
Thanks for showing us this nice coin.
Richard
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