Tetricus II as Augustus
950. Tetricus II. Romano-Gallic Emperor, AD 274. Æ Antoninianus (18mm, 2.32 g, 4h). Contemporary imitation(?). Uncertain mint in Gaul. IMIP (sic) TETRICVS AVG, radiate and draped bust right / C PIE TVS A I, Pietas standing facing, head left, holding long scepter. Apparently unpublished, but cf. RIC V 231, 236, 246, 250, and 253 for similar obverses naming Tetricus II as Augustus. Near EF, attractive brown surfaces. Extremely rare. ($300) There is uncertainty whether Tetricus I elevated his son, Tetricus II, from Caesar to emperor in the final days of their reign in AD 274. A coin identified by Sutherland (“An Unpublished Coin in the Name of Tetricus II,” MN XI [1964]) purports to be of Tetricus II as Augustus, but the authenticity of the coin, or whether it is a blundered imitation, is debatable. The present coin may be from the huge issues of barbarous radiates that were struck in Gaul and Britain in the late 3rd century and later. Although the issuers of these coins attempted to imitate authentic issues, a large portion are erroneous, most commonly as hybrids of obverses of one of the Tetrici appearing with reverses of the other. While the present coin has the obverse bust of Tetricus II, the legend may have been confused with that of Tetricus I. Regardless, the appearance of AVG on any coin of Tetricus II, official or barbarous, is extremely rare.
951. Aurelian. AD 270-275. Æ Denarius (18.5mm, 2.21 g, 12h). Rome mint, 2nd officina. 11th emission, AD 275. Laureate, draped, and cuirassed bust right / Victory advancing left, holding wreath and palm frond; bound captive to left; B. RIC V 73; BN 250-7, 259-64. EF, brown surfaces. ($300) From the Douglas O. Rosenberg Collection. Ex CNG Inventory 846680 (March 2009).
952. Aurelian, with Severina. AD 270-275. Æ Double Sestertius (30.5mm, 13.44 g, 12h). Rome mint. 11th emission, January-September AD 275. Radiate and cuirassed bust of Aurelian right / Draped bust of Severina right, wearing stephane, set on crescent. RIC V 1 (Sestertius); BN 322-6 (Dupondius); MIR 47, 143e. VF, green patina, earthen deposits. Rare. ($1000) From the Douglas O. Rosenberg Collection, purchased from Ed Waddell, September 1985.
953. Numerian. AD 283-284. Æ Quinarius (15mm, 1.93 g, 6h). Rome mint, 4th officina. IMP NVMERIANVS AVG, laureate, draped, and cuirassed bust right / PAX AVGG, Pax advancing left, holding branch and scepter; ∆. RIC V 435 var. (obv. bust not cuirassed and no officina mark); Pink VI/2, p. 48; King 7A. VF, dark green patina, rough reverse surfaces. Rare. ($300) 250