Gallienus — Antoninianus, SALVS AVG, Uncertain Asian Mint

Struck in 267, in the closing year of a reign that had begun in 253 and ran the length of the third-century crisis. RIC does not place this issue at Rome: it assigns it to an uncertain mint in the province of Asia, and the mark PXV in the exergue is what ties the coin to that eastern workshop. The radiate crown and the cuirassed bust stand clear on the flan, the obverse legend readable across the top, with a few small green deposits in the fields.

The reverse legend SALVS AVG expands to Salus Augusti, the well-being of the emperor. Apollo stands nude and facing left, a laurel branch in his lowered hand and the Delphic tripod beside him — Apollo in his healing aspect, the god a Roman turned to against sickness, which makes him the natural companion to a legend about the emperor's health. This is the better-preserved side: the figure and the tripod are well defined and the PXV reads crisply in the exergue, with the legend softened to fragments around the rim.

Attribution: RIC V Gallienus 610fMint: Uncertain, in Asia (PXV)Weight: 2.85 gDiameter: 21 mmCatalogued in the NumisLens cabinet — NL-45AMQ-RWVKK

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.