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Roman Empire. Victorinus. Aureus late 269, AV 6.14g.

Currency:CHF Category:Coins & Paper Money / Coins: Ancient Start Price:28,000.00 CHF Estimated At:35,000.00 CHF
Roman Empire. Victorinus. Aureus late 269, AV 6.14g.
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The Roman Empire. Victorinus, 269–271. Aureus, Colonia late 269, AV 6.14g. IMP CAES VICTORINVS P F AVG Laureate bust r., drapery on l. shoulder. Rev. COM–E–S AVG Victory standing l., holding wreath and palm branch. C 16 var. (no drapery). RIC 94 var. (no drapery). Schulte 6a (this obverse die), reverse die unlisted. Kent-Hirmer pl. 134, 517 (this obverse die). Calicó 3811 (this coin). Biaggi 1539 (this coin). Very rare. A very attractive portrait and a light reddish tone. Light traces of mounting on edge, otherwise extremely fine. Ex NAC sale 40, 2007, 820. From the Biaggi collection. M. Piavonius Victorinus was the penultimate usurper in Gallia during the period of military anarchy. He was born to a noble family and had a brilliant military career, culminating in his becoming Postumus’ tribune and colleague on the IV consulate. After Postumus’ death during the siege of Mogontiacum, Victorius was declared emperor of the independent realm of the north-west. The Storia Augusta, which lists him as one of the ‘thirty tyrants’ (or rather thirty usurpers or anti- emperors), records this brief political parable: “When Lollianus was eventually killed, Victorinus found himself the only figure in power, but this was not to last. He wasted his time chasing and molesting the wives of both soldiers and officers until one day, in the vicinity of Agrippina (Colonia) he was assassinated as the result of a plot organised by a clerk whose wife he had raped.”