Description

Ancient Roman Aurelian Antoninianus – AD 270–275 – Silvered Roman Coin

Description

Offered for sale is an Ancient Roman Antoninianus attributed to Emperor Aurelian (AD 270–275), one of the most important emperors of the turbulent 3rd century Roman Empire.

The obverse features a radiate portrait of Emperor Aurelian facing right, with portions of the surrounding imperial inscription still visible. The reverse features a figural composition with standing figures, although the considerable age and circulation wear make the complete reverse legend difficult to read.

Aurelian’s reign was a pivotal period in Roman history. As emperor from AD 270 to 275, he successfully reunited the Roman Empire after a period of fragmentation, defeating both the Palmyrene Empire in the East and the Gallic Empire in the West.

About the Antoninianus

The coin is best described as an Antoninianus, the denomination commonly associated with Aurelian’s reign, rather than a traditional silver denarius. Aurelian’s antoniniani were generally larger than denarii and frequently featured the emperor wearing a distinctive radiate crown. Examples from his reign are recorded in silver and silvered/billon compositions.

Aurelian’s coinage includes numerous fascinating reverse types celebrating military victories, the restoration of the Roman world and various Roman deities.

Features

• Empire: Roman Empire
• Emperor: Aurelian (Lucius Domitius Aurelianus)
• Reign: AD 270–275
• Denomination: Antoninianus
• Period: 3rd Century AD
• Obverse: Radiate bust of Aurelian facing right
• Reverse: Figural design with standing figures
• Metal: Silvered/billon appearance
• Technique: Hammer-struck
• Condition: Heavily circulated with substantial age-related wear

Condition

The coin is in well-circulated ancient condition, displaying significant surface wear, patination and areas of corrosion. Nevertheless, the distinctive radiate portrait of Aurelian remains recognisable and portions of the reverse design and lettering can still be seen.

Please study the photographs carefully, as they form an important part of the description.

Collector’s Notes

Aurelian’s antoniniani are particularly interesting to collectors because they belong to a fascinating period in Roman history when the Empire was experiencing significant political and military instability.

The combination of the radiate imperial portrait, ancient patina and surviving reverse imagery makes this an attractive historical coin for a Roman numismatic collection.

Please note: The exact reverse type, mint and RIC reference are not definitively attributed due to the wear visible on the coin. If you give me the coin’s diameter and weight in grams, I can narrow down the denomination and likely reverse type considerably and rewrite this as a more specific listing. Check out our other Aurelian Coins

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