Gallienus? Or Someone Else ? Help Please?

Seaby Roman Silver Coins, vol 5, p.92 illustrates a reverse type that has some critical similarities to your coin. It features Providentia standing left, holding globe and transverse spear, with the inscription "PROVID AVG". The emblems are in the same positions as on your coin, and the V of PROVID seems to appear about where there is a V on your coin's reverse. However, on your coin the headgear on the figure appears different, resembling a helmet, and the transverse spear stops at the legs.

A definite "maybe." but I would not stop looking.

I was going to suggest Pax standing, but the PROVID AVG looks like a good solution to the question.

Here is a PAX AVG with a bust type that fits your coin.

http://www.vcoins.com/en/stores/rom...Default.aspx

Great minds, P.P. I DID try Gallienus kneeling, and Jupiter, and a few others, too.

Thanks, Paul. Without Providentia, I would have been happy to look at Pax, but Providentia fits better in so many ways, (no olive branch, legend, headwear etc.).

F.R. - I DID go down that road and that is how I came to Providentia, at about the same time as Irbguy. When I got back to the thread, he had beaten me to it. He is quicker than me.

Well, that was a good one to start the week. Thanks everyone.

I think the Salus nails it. Note that peculiar headgear.

I too prefer the Salus reverse for the details on the figure, especially headgear, short spear, and more erect posture. The appearance of the letter "V" is a draw, but there also appears to be an "I" and a "D" at 12 o'clock and 1 o'clock. Maybe/Maybe not.

But I have a problem with the globular appearance of the mass left of the central figure, and the apparent absence of the "snake and patera" details it should be showing. There is some kind of structure going on there it seems, but what I see does not curve around above the globe. Ad how one goes from a hand with patera to a comparatively high relief globe is not clear to me.

I am still open on both options, since both have strong points together with serious gaps.

The RSC catalog follows the numbering system by Henry Cohen in his monumental catalog Description historique des monnaies frappees sous l'Empire romain communement appelees medailles imperiales.
RSC cross references to RIC and RIC cross references to Cohen (and so to RSC)

Since the obverse inscription is not visible on your coin, and the reverse strike is too low to see the exergue, we cannot rule out all the options. We cannot be sure what details are off the flan at the reverse bottom.


For the illustrated coin I gave from RSC they give it the number 860a, following Cohen, but that is for an obverse with a cuirassed bust.

For a radiate bare bust facing right, the RSC/Cohen options are :

859a: when there is nothing in the right reverse field, but there is an MP in the exergue
860b: with a P or MP in the exergue. (different obverse inscription).
861: as 859a but with a third obverse inscription
874: nothing in the fields or exergue, but with PROVIDENT AVG reverse.

RIC correlations are as follows:
859a = RIC V 508a
860b = RIC V 508
861 = RIC V 508b
874 = unlisted in RIC (but = RIC V 270 with P in field)


RIC V 508 and variants were produced at the mint at Mediolanum (Milan)

RIC V 270 was produced at Rome.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
In your OP there appears to be something in the right field about at the hand of the figure. This and the uncertainty about the markings below the globular dot, which may be an artifact of the image only, requires us to consider options for a Salus reverse.

934a: When there is nothing, or with P, I, or SI in the right field (for mint at Siscia)
935: with P in right field (mint at Rome)
942a: rev inscr "SALVS AVGVSTI"; no P in field (Rome)

RIC correlations are as follows:
934a = RIC V 581 (Siscia)
935 = RIC V 275
942a = RIC V 276

For the description you have given, any one of these will fit:

Cohen numbers left, RIC numbers right

859a = RIC V 508a
860b = RIC V 508
861 = RIC V 508b
874 = unlisted in RIC

Without knowing what is actually in the exergue, that is as close as you can come.

But you have better than a 75% chance that your coin was minted in ancient Milan.