Author Topic: Vabalathus PAX AVGVSTI...unlisted  (Read 2737 times)

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Online Victor

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Vabalathus PAX AVGVSTI...unlisted
« on: June 18, 2017, 09:40:17 AM »


23mm 3.83 grams

this coin (1st and 2nd pictures below) of Vabalathus is not in RIC or Gobl and I could not find an example online.

Besides being unlisted, this coin is unusual because of the obverse and reverse legend.

Vabalathus initially issued coins with Aurelain on the obverse and himself on the reverse (3rd coin below).


He soon realized Aurelian was not going to recognize him and began striking coins in his name only. That is one of the reasons this coin is strange, as the reverse legend has AVGVSTI. Perhaps this is an early sole issue and Vabalathus still had hope that Aurelian would name him an Augustus. Zenobia, the mother of Vabalathus, also had coins naming her AVGVSTA, so perhaps the AVGVSTI named on the unlisted coin refer to mother and son.


The obverse legend is unusual also. For his sole issues, the normal legend is IM C VHABALATHVS AVG (4th picture below).



The PAX AVGVSTI coin looks fine from the pictures, but there are many curious aspects about it.