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Roman Emp., Galba, Aureus Apr 68

Currency:CHF Category:Coins & Paper Money / Coins: Ancient Start Price:20,000.00 CHF Estimated At:25,000.00 - 31,250.00 CHF
Roman Emp., Galba, Aureus Apr 68
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The Roman Empire, Galba, 68 – 69, Aureus, Tarraco April-late 68, AV 7.72 g. IMP – GALBA Laureate head r., with globe at point of bust. Rev. DIVA – AVGVSTA Livia, draped, standing l., holding patera and leaning on sceptre. C –, cf. 43 (denarius). BMC –, cf. 167 (denarius). RIC –, cf. 14 (denarius). CBN –, cf. 8 (denarius). Calicó 470 (this obverse die). Of the highest rarity, only the second specimen known. Minor marks, otherwise extremely fine The coinage of Galba presents a variety of portrait styles because he minted not only at Rome, but also in Spain, Gaul and North Africa. Galba’s Spanish coinage may have been produced at more than one mint, but it is clear that most, if not all of it, was struck at a single mint, presumably Tarraco, his old capital city. After news arrived in Spain of the uprising of Vindex, Galba offered his support to the rebel, upon which his own soldiers hailed him imperator at Carthago Nova on April 2, 68. Once he learned of Vindex’s defeat, he left Hispania Tarraconensis and led his legions on a long march to Rome. Fortunately, Galba’s legions were not required to fight their countrymen since Nero had committed suicide while they were en route, and the capital lay open to receive Galba as emperor. Galba took the helm at a critical moment, for he was the first non-Julio-Claudian emperor and his revolt proved that emperors could be made in the provinces – a lesson the senate and the praetorian guardsmen found hard to accept, but would witness two more times before the civil war had ended.