Gordian III, 238-244, Antoninianus

Gordian III, antoninianus, AR, reign 238–244 CE, Rome mint, 4.56 g, 23 mm. Obverse with radiate, draped and cuirassed bust of Gordian III right; legend IMP GORDIANVS PIVS FEL AVG. Reverse with Providentia standing left, holding wand and cornucopia; legend PROVID AVG. Well-centred strike with complete legends and clear rendering of the imperial portrait and reverse figure. RIC IV Gordian III 148.

Issued during the reign of Gordian III, this antoninianus reflects the continued emphasis on imperial stability and administrative foresight during a period marked by rapid political change following the Severan dynasty. The reverse type invoking Providentia communicates the emperor’s claimed capacity to provide for the state and manage its future, a common message in third-century imperial coinage intended for broad circulation across the empire.