Ancient Roman Silver AR Antoninianus of Gordian III (238-244) - 23 mm (No reserve price)

"Ancient Roman Silver Antoninianus of Gordian III – Emperor Sacrificing at Altar

Culture / Period: Ancient Roman
Date / Period: 3rd century A.D., reign of Gordian III (A.D. 238–244)
Material: Silver
Dimensions: 23 mm; weight: 4.25 g
Condition: Good condition

No shipping outside the European Union. Due to complex export regulations concerning cultural goods, this item cannot be shipped outside the EU. Please ensure you have a delivery address within the European Union before placing a bid.

Provenance information:
Object Registration ID: 927

The current owner (S.N.J. S.) purchased the AR antoninianus of Gordian III from R.N. in Rotterdam, the Netherlands.

The previous owner, R.N. of Rotterdam, did not provide a date for when the object entered his collection.

According to the previous owner, the coin had previously formed part of a private collection in the Netherlands. The date and duration of this earlier ownership were not provided and remain unknown.

No further information concerning the earlier ownership history of the object was available from the previous owner.

Background Information:
This silver antoninianus was struck at Rome during the reign of Gordian III, Roman emperor from A.D. 238 to 244. The obverse bears the legend IMP CAES M ANT GORDIANVS AVG and depicts a radiate, draped and cuirassed bust of the young emperor facing right. The radiate crown is characteristic of the imperial portrait on the antoninianus denomination.

The reverse bears the legend P M TR P II COS P P and depicts Gordian standing left, holding a sceptre and sacrificing from a patera over a lighted altar. Sacrificial imagery was closely connected with Roman state religion and presented the emperor performing his religious responsibilities on behalf of Rome and its people, reinforcing the relationship between imperial authority and the traditional gods.

Antoniniani were produced within the highly organised Roman imperial minting system and circulated as currency throughout the Empire. Their portraits, inscriptions and reverse designs also communicated the emperor's status, religious duties and political ideals to soldiers and civilians across the provinces.

Gordian III came to power during the turbulent year A.D. 238 and ruled during a challenging period of the 3rd-century Roman Empire. As a silver coin intended for monetary circulation, this antoninianus forms a tangible connection to Roman economic life, state religion and the people who handled such coins in everyday transactions."} } } } } } } } } } } } } } } } } } } } } } } } } } } } } } } } } } } } } } } } } } } } } } } } } } } } } } } } } } } } } } } } } } } } } } } } } } } } } } } } } } } } } } } } } } } } } } } } } } } } } } } } } } } } } } }