Newp: Galba sestertius, 68-69 AD

lordmarcovan

Newp from Rutten & Wieland in Switzerland.



<< <i>Galba Sestertius, Libertas reverse, RIC I 309, rare

Galba Sestertius, 68-69 AD, Rome.
Obv: IMP SER SVLP GALBA CAES AVG TR P, laureate and draped bust right.
Rev: LIBERTAS PVBLICA, Libertas standing left with pileus and sceptre.
35-36 mm, 25.79 g
RIC I, 309

Very fine/good fine. Rare. Harshly cleaned, but with much detail and struck on an impressive flan. >>



There was a denarius I could've gotten for the same price, but since most of my other pieces from this period are silver denarii, I thought I'd go with a bronze for this ruler. This coin might've been "harshly cleaned" as they say, but it looks OK to me. A little porosity, but hey- a Galba sestertius has gotta be a pretty tough coin, right? It wasn't cheap- I don't think any Galbas are. This one has a clear portrait and name, which means it meets my criteria.

I now will have ten of the Twelve Caesars (lacking Tiberius and Otho), and lack only Otho for the Year of Four Emperors.

Aethelred

Great addition to your collection!

coinmickey

Indeed, Galba is a tough one because he, like Otho, ruled very briefly before meeting his maker. A Sestertius is a nice choice as you mostly find Galba in denarii.

Nice pickup....

lordmarcovan

It is kinda neat to consider that he was emperor for only seven months or so.

A nearly-2,000-year-old-coin from an emperor who ruled for seven months. Pretty amazing, when you think about it. It kind of leaves the more recent Edward VIII mystique way behind, eh?

What really amazes me are the emperors and pretenders whose reigns were measured in days rather than months, and yet one can still obtain their coins (for a price, of course). They must've wasted no time in striking coins when they assumed power. Surely many of them already had their coins struck and ready, long before they assumed power. I guess that's why so many of coins of usurpers and minor rulers exist.

Cool stuff. I am glad I started collecting these.