RIC V Online 770

Roman Empire, Claudius II (268-270), Antoninianus, Siscia mint, 4th emission, 1st officina.

Obverse: IMP CLAVDIVS AVG, radiate and cuirassed bust right, seen from the front;

Reverse: P M T-R P COS P P, Apollo seated left, holding olive branch in right hand and leaning left elbow on lyre, P in exergue;

Notes: This extremely rare antoninianus, missing from RIC, stands out for a number of reasons; first of all, it is an "anonymous" dated type, as it doesn't specify neither the COS nor the TR P of the emperor. Secondly, together with the equally rare PAX AET, it is the first antoninianus from this mint to have the Latin officina letter in the exergue, something which will become the rule in the emissions of the following emperors. Finally, the reverse type showing Apollo seated, traditionally associated with dated antoniniani, had last been used under Herennius Etruscus, and its return here is part of a larger phenomenon where the Siscia mint under Claudius II struck very small quantities of some reverse types that had been used in other mints decades earlier. All the known examples come from only one reverse die.

Riferimento : RIC V - ; RIC V Online 770; La Venera 9728; Minster 271;

Collezione : Claudius II - Siscia