GERMANICVS Posted July 6 · Member Share Posted July 6 I came across this interesting coin some 5 or 6 years ago at the Frankfurt Numismata show. I bought it from a Spanish collector who was dispersing his collection prior to retirement. I liked the look of it, even if it shows some problems. When I got home I was surprised I was unable to attribute it per my RIC I. The style of the bust and reverse legend point to an obvious Spanish origin, probably Tarraco. However, the GALBA IMPERATOR obverse paired with a HISPANIA reverse holding two javelins, shield below corn ears in hand is no listed in RIC. I posted this at the time in C.T, inconclusively. I am posting this here in case anybody can help, has maybe seen one like this, or just for your comments since you all have probably a lot more experience than I have. The question is also to be asked: is this a counterfeit, contemporary or modern? I don"t believe so, judging from the overall look of the coin, and circumstances of the purchase. I am afraid I don"t have the weight and diameter available off-hand (the coin is in my bank safe), other that it has the weight and dimensions I would expect for a denarius of this era. A few years after I bought this coin I spotted a similar coin at a UK auction, it is in very poor shape. I am posting this here as well. At least it now means that two examples exist of this Bust and legend combination. Looking forward to your comments in advance. Thanks! 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vel Saties Posted July 6 · Member Share Posted July 6 (edited) From the height of my ignorance I believe it is a cast coin. It could not be a fantasy coin made from the aureus or, better yet, from the denarius of the mints of Tarragona and Rome? Edited July 6 by Vel Saties 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Victrix Posted July 7 · Member Share Posted July 7 11 hours ago, Vel Saties said: From the height of my ignorance I believe it is a cast coin. It could not be a fantasy coin made from the aureus or, better yet, from the denarius of the mints of Tarragona and Rome? I share your opinion, I don't like the look of it at all. I won't condemn it but I wouldn't touch it as it seems to have an unusual bust type for being tarraco and soft details. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Romismatist Posted July 7 · Member Share Posted July 7 The obverse confuses me. The ball below Galba's bust usually indicated a Lugdunum (Lyons) mint for bronzes of Nero; I'm not sure if this carried over into the silver or if it applied to Galba's coinage. The details around the face and hair make me agree with what others have already stated; that the coin may be cast. However, the second coin, while in worse shape, does seem to be similar and also appears to be genuine, based on the break and metal crystallization. It definitely presents a dilemma. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ocatarinetabellatchitchix Posted July 7 · Member Share Posted July 7 Very interesting coin… I believe the reverse of your coin is die-matching with a specimen from Taracco in the British Museum, but with a different obverse. I put the 2 reverses side by side for an easier comparison. Maybe you should also check additions and corrections from Sutherland about the coins of Galba in RIC I. And maybe also the work of Kraay on the coinage of Galba (I don’t remember if he only wrote about de Ae coinage ?) https://archive.org/details/galba-supplementum-galbianum/page/178/mode/1up 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GERMANICVS Posted July 7 · Member Author Share Posted July 7 I appreciate your replies - many thanks! I have found the weight of the coin in my notes: 3,41 g I am also attaching a side view - no casting line is present. Does this rule out the possibility it could be a cast? Regarding the "peculiar" appearance", I think this was a local ground find. This may account for the pebbly and encrusted surface, this is typical of such finds. (The bust in my example shows a cavity-like depression at the back of the head - I believe this could be damage, or the result of a small chip of metal sprung from the bust, possible the result of a lengthy stay in the ground). Finally, acsearch lists a number of denarii of Galba listed (CNG, NAC, Gadoury, others), all assigned to Tarraco ,(or more generally, Spain), all of which show a bust style generally similar to my example, including the globe at point of bust. I guess it is difficult to come to a final and conclusive answer - overall I tend toward this being a genuine example, or at least a contemporary counterfeit. Any additional thoughts are very much appreciated. Thanks! 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Limes Posted July 7 · Supporter Share Posted July 7 Interesting issue, thanks for sharing. I believe your issue is earlier than mine (see below), which has the more official, imperial titles on the obverse. I'm not convinced yours is a fake, but don't take my word for it. It's lovely crude with an early portrait, which leads me to believe its an earlier issue struck in the provinces; Spain, Taracco. According to RIC (2018 reprint), the portraiture of the mint of Tarraco is 'uncouth' and the bust ends with a small globe. All issues struck in Taracco are dated April 68 - late 68 ad. Looking at the table of issues struck in Taracco in RIC, yours would be '3a': GALBA IMPERATOR going counterclockwise. Obverse bust is type D; laureate head right with the globe. However, RIC does not mention this obverse legend and bust with the reverse legend 'HISPANIA' going counterclockwise, from the mint of Taracco. This HISPANIA reverse is known however but with the following obverse legends: - SER GALBA IMPERATOR (no 4) - laureate head left - SERVIVS GALBA IMPERATOR (no 5) - laureate head left The obverse legend and bust of your coin is known with the following reverses (denarii, 2 aureii): - BON EVENT/EVENTVS/BON EVEN - LIBERTAS RESTITVTA All are very to exceedingly rare. So I can't find your issue in RIC. But that's not saying its a fake. I can't find the listing of the other coin you show. Do you have a link? I'm curious about the attribution. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GERMANICVS Posted July 7 · Member Author Share Posted July 7 Thank you very much @Limes, for your insights. This is the attribution given by the auctioneer (DNW) for the other coin I show (from the auction): Description from the Auction: Roman Imperial Coinage, Galba, Denarius, Tarraco (?) 68, laureate bust right, globe below, rev. Hispania draped, standing left, right hand holding corn-ears and poppy, left round shield and two vertical spears (cf. RIC 19 var.; cf. RSC 79). Fair, chipped and repaired, rare est. £60-80. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GERMANICVS Posted July 8 · Member Author Share Posted July 8 On 7/7/2024 at 3:49 AM, Ocatarinetabellatchitchix said: Very interesting coin… I believe the reverse of your coin is die-matching with a specimen from Taracco in the British Museum, but with a different obverse. I put the 2 reverses side by side for an easier comparison. Maybe you should also check additions and corrections from Sutherland about the coins of Galba in RIC I. And maybe also the work of Kraay on the coinage of Galba (I don’t remember if he only wrote about de Ae coinage ?) https://archive.org/details/galba-supplementum-galbianum/page/178/mode/1up Dear @Ocatarinetabellatchitchix (what a name!), Thank you very much for your kind help - both in showing the B.M coin, and for the very interesting link to the "Suplementum Galbianum". I will examine it to see if my example is mentioned. The obvious reverse match to the B.M coin is very interesting, with so many questions: - Not only are the devices (Hispania"s figure) identical, but also the lack of centering of the planchet is almost identical. - Is one a cast of the other? probably not, since you mention that the obverse is different. - Is this sufficient proof that my coin is a genuine product of a Spanish mint? Once again, many thanks for your help, 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ocatarinetabellatchitchix Posted July 8 · Member Share Posted July 8 3 hours ago, GERMANICVS said: Not only are the devices (Hispania"s figure) identical, but also the lack of centering of the planchet is almost identical. - Is one a cast of the other? probably not, since you mention that the obverse is different. - Is this sufficient proof that my coin is a genuine product of a Spanish mint? I believe your coin is 100% legit. The fact that the reverse is known (I found other specimens die matching yours) proves that it is not an imitation, contemporary or modern. On your example, there are more details than on the BM one, so if one was a cast of the other, the BM specimen would be the fake ! but I do not think it’s the case. The main point is the unpublished obverse; this is what raises doubts about the authenticity. But on several occasions in the past, coins have been doubted for this reason, and subsequently declared authentic after serious analyzes. The style certainly corresponds to the Tarraco mint, but to be absolutely sure, I sent the pictures to a German expert on Galba’s coinage, and I’m waiting for his opinion. In the meantime, you could look at this unfortunately little-known site to which he contributed. http://www.galba.net 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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