Barbaric Imitations

Nice!, keep them coming. I'm still looking for more of mine.

Here is one that is supposed to be a Costantine Argentus.

I think it is similar it's another Constantine argentus.

The bust certainly looks strange enough to be non-official echizento. I dont know much about these coins so cant really add anything else.




Something interesting I read about the Tetricus (I+II) coins recently was that the reverse dies were changed far less often than the obverse ones, maybe 3 or 4 times less often. I'd often wondered why Tetricus coins showed such consistent uneven wear across the two sides. Take the example below:


Tetricus II SPES from around 273/4.

The obverse is almost as struck (my pics dont really do it justice) while the reverse looks worn apart from the text. I think the reverse is also pretty much as struck and this was about as good as production got. Note also how the reverse figure looks almost barbarous as it has obviously been cut quickly and without much care.

I think your coin could be official ancientcoinguy as what is left of the obverse looks to be relatively official (scale/style/size etc), if your interested in investigating further try to take some closer pics and we'll see what we can work out.

Thought I would sneak another couple of mine in - Again I think these were based on actual official issues, this time Tetrius I Salus coins. Official coin at bottom of post.


13mm Think the wreath (left hand) and anchor (right hand) is quite clear.


18mm As above think most of the details clear.


Salus standing left, holding wreath in right hand, snake rising from small altar on ground feeding; in her left hand Salus holds an anchor.

I've seen wreath exchanged for patera and anchor exchanged for rudder on seemingly exact coins so not sure which, if either is 100% correct.

Nice collection

Nice coin echizento, is it two victories again? - a handy tool too, might have to get one of those.

These are the last of mine that I think it can be said are based on an official issue. Official coins underneath.


16mm [C PIV ESV TET]RISVS CAES - SPES P[VBLICA] - Strange font and blunders on obverse and letter spacing on reverse.


Spes walking left, holding flower in right hand and raising skirt with left hand


15mm [IMP]ETFT[RICVS P F AVG] - PRINC IVVENT type, could be Tet I or II as beard not clear and this type was made for both. Good copy apart from confused legend.


Tetricus II standing left, holding branch and sceptre


12mm [COMES A]VG - tiny coin


Victory standing left, holding wreath and palmbranch

All official pictures taken from http://www.gallic-empire.com

I've posted most of the ones I was sure about but still have quite a few that I think could use some opinions / discussion.



I think both of the above are unofficial.
The top one looks like Claudius II with an alter reverse, not sure what the '-' and 'T' signify, if anything? (11mm)
The bottom coin doesn't look like any of the other Tetricus barbs that I have seen, I think it looks more like a representation of Postumus. I think the reverse could be 'sacrificial items'? (13mm)


I had these three coins marked down as unofficial but I'm not too sure now.

Top 15mm - Possible legend blunder 'TITRICVS', reverse could be Salus but it doesn't seem to have any text on it at all , quite a small coin. It seems to have a squared off '8' top right on the reverse, is this the remains of a blundered cornucopia?

Middle 20mm - Hilaritas type, everything seems in order but it looks very washed out and soapy. The bust also looks a lot more like Victorinus than Tetricus.

Bottom 18mm - Poor reverse but prob Salus, the style of the obverse doesn't seem official to me. The fonts and letter formations don't seem correct and the proportions of the bust seem wrong. A very good barb?

Opinions very welcome.