Gallienus — Antoninianus, IVBENTVS AVG, uncertain mint

Struck in 266-268, in the last two years of Gallienus's reign and at a mint RIC leaves unidentified. Gallienus had held power since 253, first alongside his father Valerian and alone after 260, through the worst stretch of the third-century crisis. By this date the antoninianus was a debased, lightly silvered coin struck in quantity to pay armies on more than one frontier, and this is the money that actually moved through those years.

The reverse legend is cut IVBENTVS AVG, a B-for-V spelling of IVVENTVS AVG, "the Youth of the Emperor," and RIC records the type with that spelling. The emperor stands left holding a Victory on his outstretched right hand and a spear in his left. Youth here is not a statement about age but about vigour in the field: the promise that the man on the obverse could still take a spear to the frontier and come back with a victory in his hand.

Attribution: RIC V Gallienus 615Mint: UncertainWeight: 3.68 gDiameter: 22 mmCatalogued in the NumisLens cabinet — NL-CCVE9-6ZRM7

Combined shipping is available — buy more than one coin and pay a single shipping charge.Attribution is believed to be correct, but ancient coin attributions can vary and the catalogue reference may be subject to revision.